PsyPOD Psychiatry Society of Monash (PsySOM)

Welcome to the 9th episode of PsyPOD, the podcast that explores the extraordinary lives of influential individuals in the field of mental health. So today, we bring you a slightly different episode, but an extremely eye-opening one featuring Caroline Gurvich - an Associate Professor and clinical neuropsychologist. 

Caroline Gurvich is an accomplished Associate Professor and clinical neuropsychologist, currently serving as the Deputy Director of the HER Centre Australia at Monash University. As the Head of the "Cognition and Hormones Group," she specializes in the neuropsychology of women's mental health, focusing on how hormones influence cognitive functioning. With a distinguished career, Caroline has received numerous awards, prizes, and competitive grant funding, including NHMRC project grants and an NHMRC early career fellowship. She's also known for her dedication to supervising and mentoring PhD candidates, honors students, and neuropsychology registrars. Through her work, Caroline has established vital biodatabanks to deepen our understanding of biological mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders. With over 120 publications to her name, she has significantly advanced our knowledge of how biological factors impact symptoms and cognition in mental health and mental illness.

Key time stamps: 


0:37 : Introduction to Caroline Gurvich


2:08 : Background & Expertise in Neuropsychology


06:43 : Gender-specific factors in assessment and treatment of conditions


09:56: Key cognitive changes during menopause


15:00 : Management strategies


18:40: Research findings (Hormonal changes & Cognitive function)


23:11 : What’s next in Neuropsych?


27:45: Advice for aspiring specialists!


29:30 : How to ask confronting questions during a consult? 


31:35: Debunking misconceptions


32:44: Case example 🙂

Anddd we're back with part 2!



An outstanding doctor, a caring father, a loving husband, and a patient - Today, we're incredibly fortunate to have Dr Kieran Allen, who is a psychiatry registrar at Monash health!

A Monash University medical graduate, he has been working at Monash health since the start of his medical career, earning the title “Registrar of the year” in 2019. He is also the co-founder of the “hand-n-hand peer support service”  which is a bi-national peer support network for healthcare workers in Australia and New Zealand. Furthermore, he is a very passionate advocate for health professionals' mental health and health policy.

In the second half of this two-part podcast, Dr Kieran Allen shares about his work in policy and advocacy in the field of mental health, as well as his views on stigma. He even gives valuable pieces of advice for healthcare workers or anyone struggling with mental health conditions.

Be sure to listen to part one of this podcast if you haven't! It's truly so incredibly inspiring and touching - we're sure you won't regret it!





Part 1 - Key time stamps:

(01:50) Policy and advocacy roles, "hand-n-hand peer support", etc.

(10:29) Discussing stigma, internal and external stigma

(19:08) Advice for healthcare workers and anyone struggling with mental health conditions

An outstanding doctor, a caring father, a loving husband, and a patient - Today, we're incredibly fortunate to have Dr Kieran Allen, who is a psychiatry registrar at Monash health!

A Monash University medical graduate, he has been working at Monash health since the start of his medical career, earning the title “Registrar of the year” in 2019. He is also the co-founder of the “hand-n-hand peer support service”  which is a bi-national peer support network for healthcare workers in Australia and New Zealand. Furthermore, he is a very passionate advocate for health professionals' mental health and health policy.

In the first half of this two-part podcast, Dr Kieran Allen shares some of his personal experiences coping with mental illness while persevering through the Psychiatry training programme. He sheds light on some of the fears fellow doctors with mental health conditions might face while practising medicine and the importance of having a supportive network of family and friends. He even shares some valuable advice on how health students and practitioners can take care of one another and their mental health in this rigorous line of work.

Don't forget to tune in to the 2nd half of this podcast where he shares more insights to his life has a psychiatrist - not to be missed!



Part 1 - Key time stamps:

(00:39) Introduction to Dr Kieran Allen!

(01:33) Why Psychiatry?

(03:36) Personal stories and experiences

(12:39) Personal challenges faced while seeking help

(17:46) Issues around AHPRA registration

(22:54) Importance of health students and practitioners seeking support where required!

Welcome to another episode of PsyPOD, the podcast that explores the extraordinary lives of influential individuals in the field of mental health. Today, we delve into the inspiring story of Dr. Ruwanthi De Alvis Seneviratne, a distinguished clinical academic psychiatrist whose unwavering commitment to mental health and research has left an indelible mark. Dr. Seneviratne is currently working as a part of the Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team in Monash Medical Centre Clayton, where she works with a multidisciplinary team to provide community based acute crisis management services and organise access to acute psychiatric treatment. She is working full-time, with her hours equally divided between practising and researching psychiatry!

Dr. Ruwanthi De Alvis Seneviratne has always possessed a profound dedication to understanding and addressing mental health challenges. Her research interests encompass a wide range of topics, including early onset psychosis, youth mental health and eating disorders. This episode discusses her path towards becoming a clinical academic psychiatrist, the challenges and rewards of this pathway, striking a balance between clinical and academic medicine, as well as insider advice for medical students seeking to navigate their interests and passions while deciding on a specialty.



Key time stamps:


1:10: Introduction to Dr. Ruwanthi!
3:30: What inspired you to pursue psychiatry?
6:30: Challenges of the Psychiatry Pathway
10:30: Metropolitan and Rural Training
11:30: What drew you to your specialty area of mental health?
14:15: Discussing research work!
19:00: Addressing stigma
23:30: Working in a multidisciplinary team
28:00: Role of Medical students in shaping the future of Psychiatry + Advice for aspiring Psychiatrists
34:30: Importance of intercultural competence in treatment
40:00: Ultimate Goal!

Join us as we chat with a genuinely inspiring and remarkable special guest, an individual who is forging change and revolutionising our approach to Youth Mental Health, Prof. Patrick McGorry!

His bio and accomplishments are way way too long to fit into this short description, but to highlight just a couple; Prof. McGorry is a professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. He is the executive director of Orygen (https://www.orygen.org.au/?gclid=CjwKCAiAxJSPBhAoEiwAeO_fPxidrRiUKyI3UC-iFtfCyXtB78PTDzGAPBbRHQEa2sQTz_U1bEnfxRoC3hkQAvD_BwE) and has been responsible for leading the development and scaling up of early intervention and youth mental health services. Not to mention, he has extensive contributions to health system reform in Australia, having led the advocacy which resulted in the establishment of the National Youth Mental Health Foundation in 2005 by the Aus. Gov (becoming Headspace in 2006), including being selected as Australian of the Year in 2010!

Definitely check out his long list of achievements within his field online, a testament to what can be accomplished when you are willing to invest your time in things that you care about and work with others to achieve your mission!

Prof. McGorry has a wealth of experience and passion to share and this conversation takes a dive into this area within mental health, discussing the roles, challenges and insights from an incredible career :))



So today, let's start the conversation, let's break down the misconceptions let's learn more about youth mental health!

TW: We will be discussing issues relating to mental health (particularly youth mental health), which may be confronting or alarming. We really encourage you to please reach out to support if you feel you need it and to only listen in if you feel comfortable and able to do so (see timestamps for descriptions of specific sections!).


4:00 - Introduction into career journey and role
7:40 - What has made psychiatry and mental health so stigmatised?
10:50 - What can we do to help further break the stigma?
16:25 - Insight into experiences within Youth Mental Health, patient demographics
21:33 - Impact of COVID
28:40 - Advice for getting involved in research opportunities
31:10 - Orygen mission and how to get involved
33:23 - Prevention in Youth Mental Health
37:10 - Education to young people and within schools
40:43 - Reflections and thank you

Join us as we chat with an incredibly insightful, genuine and accomplished psychiatrist, Professor Malcolm Hopwood.


Currently holding positions of Professor of Psychiatry with Ramsay Health Care at the University of Melbourne, and Clinical Director of the Professorial Psychiatry Unit at the Albert Road Clinic, Prof. Hopwood provides us with a unique perspective into his long and established career. He talks us through some of his interests in the field (including a passion for learning about mood and anxiety disorders), his role in supporting patients, a word on COVID and the importance of research in psychiatry, being a leading researcher in Australia investigating psychopharmacology and clinical aspects of mood and anxiety disorders.  


Not to mention, having been the president of the RANZCP from 2015-2017, he has some profoundly important advice for entering the psychiatry training program here in Australia, and for anyone keen on pursuing psychiatry as a career! 


TW: We will be discussing issues relating to mental health, focusing on mental health disorders such as anxiety. We really encourage you to please reach out for support if you feel you need it and to only listen in if you feel comfortable and able to do so (see timestamps below for descriptions of specific sections).


So today, let's start the conversation, let's break down the misconceptions and let's learn more about psychiatry!  Key time stamps below (as per questions asked): 


3:14 - Introduction into career journey from Prof. Hopwood
4:10 - Insight into demographic of patients worked with, interests within the field
5:50 - Why did you want to become a psychiatrist?
9:37 - Research within psychiatry
15:30 - Advice for students interested in getting involved in research
19:34 - Providing support to patients
26:35 - Mental health during COVID
33:46 - Looking after your own mental health as a psychiatrist
43:44 - Advice for medical students interested in psychiatry
53:52 - Wrapping up, final words of advice