At Wakai Waian Healing, building the future workforce is not a side project. It is central to how we deliver care, now and into the future.
Elyse O’Neill, a Provisional Psychologist currently completing her placement with Wakai Waian Healing, is part of that future.
Originally from Windsor, NSW, and raised in Bellingen, Elyse’s early life was shaped by strong community connection and exposure to Aboriginal culture, storytelling and ceremony. These experiences continue to inform her approach to psychology today, grounded in empathy, respect and a deep understanding that healing is not one-size-fits-all.
“I was drawn to Wakai Waian Healing because of its strong cultural foundations and holistic approach to wellbeing,” Elyse says. “I’m grateful to be learning within a culturally grounded organisation and supporting people in ways that are ethical, respectful and meaningful.”
Now based in Rockhampton, Elyse is developing her clinical practice under supervision, bringing a person-centred approach and a growing skillset in therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Her focus is on supporting people through change in ways that honour their values, lived experience and identity.
Her placement is part of a broader commitment by Wakai Waian Healing to strengthen the pipeline of culturally safe, trauma-informed clinicians working with First Nations communities.
CEO Ed Mosby says this work is essential.
“We cannot talk about better outcomes for our people without investing in the next generation of clinicians,” Ed says. “At Wakai Waian Healing, we are not just training psychologists and occupational therapists. We are shaping practitioners who understand culture, who work with community, and who are grounded in trauma-informed care. This is how we build a workforce that our people can trust.”
Placements like Elyse’s are supported through experienced First Nations supervisors and a strong cultural and clinical governance framework. This ensures that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous clinicians are guided in the right way from the very beginning of their careers.
For Ros Mann, Workforce and Sustainability Manager, this approach is about long-term impact.
“Our placement program is one of the most important investments we make,” Ros says. “If we want a strong, sustainable workforce in the future, we need to grow it ourselves. That means creating the right environment, the right supervision, and the right cultural foundations so clinicians can build careers that truly serve our communities.”
As demand for culturally safe mental health and wellbeing services continues to grow, Wakai Waian Healing is positioning itself not only as a service provider, but as a training ground for the next generation of clinicians.
For Elyse, it is the beginning of a lifelong journey.
For Wakai Waian Healing, it is part of a much bigger vision.