At Wakai Waian Healing, we believe in growing our own — walking alongside mob from their first spark of interest in mental health work to becoming fully qualified and empowered professionals. Today, we’re proud to celebrate one of our own: Sharni, a proud Barada/Kabalbara woman, who is standing on the cusp of becoming a Clinical Psychologist.
Sharni is currently completing her final placement with Wakai Waian Healing as part of her Master of Clinical Psychology, and her journey so far reflects everything we stand for: cultural strength, lived experience, community connection, and self-determination.
“I began my journey to become a psychologist just after the birth of my eldest child,” Sharni says. “My motivations are deeply rooted in my passion for First Nations health and wellbeing. I was inspired by yarns with my Aunty Mona Kielly and the legacy of strong, community-driven women in my family; women who have always worked on the frontlines of community.”
From Ghungalu Country in Blackwater to Dharumbal Country in Rockhampton, Sharni has walked her path with strength and purpose, supported along the way by mentors like Ed Mosby, Joe Sproats, and the team at Wakai Waian Healing. She began working with us during her undergraduate studies, and has grown into a powerful emerging voice for culturally grounded psychology and healing.
“During my time here, I’ve experienced growth not just professionally, but also personally; as a mother, a Barada/Kabalbara woman, and also a community member. I’ve gravitated toward traditional healing paradigms, self-determination, and our ways of being doing and knowing as core to wellbeing and identity.”
Sharni’s vision reaches far beyond the therapy room. She sees her work as advocacy — a way to reshape the mental health field so it reflects and respects the cultural realities and strengths of First Nations people.
“It’s less about therapy in the Western sense,” she says, “and more about a collective journey of healing grounded in culture, kinship, and self-determination. I want to model what it means for mob to look after mob; drawing on our ways of knowing, doing, and being, alongside evidence-based practice.”
“One of Ed’s sayings that has always stayed with me is: we have what it takes to heal ; to me, that’s the heart of self-determination.”
A Pathway With Purpose
Sharni’s story is just one example of the First Nations workforce pipeline we’re building at Wakai Waian Healing. We proudly support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at every stage of their journey — from school through to clinical leadership — with real jobs, real mentoring, and real community impact.
We offer:
- Student placements and paid traineeships
- 5+1 psychology internships and clinical registrar programs
- Supervision grounded in culture and community
- Career planning and mentoring by experienced First Nations professionals
- Flexible roles across Queensland and the Torres Strait
If you’re a First Nations psychology, counselling, social work, or allied health student — or you’re just starting to think about a future in healing work — we’d love to yarn with you.
Join the Movement
We’re not just offering jobs but building a healing movement grounded in cultural authority and community care. If you’re interested in learning more about placements, career pathways, or paid roles at Wakai Waian Healing, get in touch:
Email Ros, our Workforce Sustainability Lead:
workforcelead@wakai-waian.com.au
Or call us on 1800 732 850
The future of healing is ours to shape — and we’re proud to walk that path with people like Sharni leading the way.
