A
bout Sue?
As the Director and Principal Counselling Psychologist at Sue Dalby Psychology and Women in Mind, Susan Dalby has cultivated a rich and diverse career that spans over three decades. Her journey began in the United Kingdom, where she initially worked as a registered nurse before transitioning to a counseling role in hospital settings, providing support to both medical staff and patients. In 1988, she embarked on a new chapter in Australia, where she seized the opportunity to further her qualifications. In 1996, Susan earned a Masters Degree in Psychology from Macquarie University, laying the foundation for her distinguished career.
Susan’s unwavering passion for learning and research continues to drive her professional growth. She remains dedicated to staying abreast of evolving therapeutic approaches through ongoing professional development. Beyond her role as a psychologist, Susan is also a seasoned educator, having shared her expertise in various academic and workplace settings. Her commitment to public education extends to hosting private groups where she imparts valuable insights and knowledge on various human conditions, including depression.
S
ome of Susan’s highlights
Outside the realms of psychology and teaching, Susan’s diverse interests shine through. She is a proficient writer and a skilled photographer. With over 30 years of experience in the fields of health and education, Susan has encountered and successfully addressed a myriad of life’s challenges. Her specialised focus lies in aiding individuals coping with trauma and grief through EMDR practices. Moreover, she is deeply committed to supporting women throughout the entire spectrum of life transitions, from puberty and pregnancy to the complexities of aging. In 2000, Susan established Women in Mind, a dedicated platform aimed at empowering women by challenging societal norms and gender roles, fostering healthier mother-daughter relationships, and encouraging mutual respect and open communication.
Over the years, Susan has expanded her outreach to include men seeking to redefine conventional notions of masculinity and fathering roles. This endeavor has given rise to the popular Stress-Less Parenting workshops, designed to help parents gain perspective and navigate the challenges of parenting with ease. Susan Dalby’s multifaceted expertise and unwavering commitment to personal growth and community support define her as a compassionate leader in the field of psychology and education.
M
indfulness
I have used mindfulness since the mid-1980’s while looking for help for my own anxiety and panic. I am sharing my personal experience as sometimes appropriate disclosure with others is far more meaningful and creates the recognition that I am also human and have experienced challenging situations along the way. This recollection I hope demonstrates that I have not only learned from books but also life.
I remember very clearly, I was driving my children to pre-school when I was taken totally by surprise as my body suddenly began to react in an unexplained and alarming fashion. Shortness of breath, tightness in the chest and dizziness forced me to pull over on the side of the road. The feeling passed eventually, but this physical storm was the first of many. Finally, one day I decided to watch myself having an episode in the long mirror outside my mother’s bedroom. My counsellor had suggested I just allowed the feeling to flow through me, but I was curious also about my appearance. I breathed normally as the uncomfortable wave faded in and out of vision accompanied by white noise ringing in my ears palpitations and shortness of breath. I stopped being afraid on that day. In fact, I felt quite elated that I had witnessed the process. I felt like I had regained control, I had survived! I became curious rather than choosing to tense my body with fear and fill my mind with terrifying thoughts. The sensations still turned up but as I gained more insight into my triggers, the experiences faded. I look back now and see that my body was trying to tell me about reducing stress. My whole life changed as I chose to deal with anxiety-provoking parts, including relationships at that point which were not serving me well and work related decisions. To this day I still occasionally have symptoms, and I look on it as a message, a choice to continue being stressed or to calm down and work out what I need to do. It is a mindful choice. I am glad that my body provides me with such accurate feedback.
M
indfulness Studies
Since that day I have studied mindfulness in many structured formats including mindful self-compassion from Buddhism for several years. Buddhist practice has provided researchers from our Western cultures the opportunity to study brain activity using mindfulness and it is now a large part of approaches in mainstream treatments in psychology. I am also a meditation teacher. My approach is secular in as much as I do not follow any set belief. My approach is very much related to the research previously discussed. In my daily work with others, I witness with great joy as people accept their symptoms and explore them rather than fighting, which is futile. This is the key or the first step to unlocking old repetitive patterns and offers change behaviour about making choices about living a more comfortable and enjoyable and rewarding life.
The following poem I have used for many years. It comes from “The Tibetan Book Of Living and Dying” written by Sogyal Rinpoche. I think it illustrates exactly what’s said above. It is called “Autobiography in Five Chapters”. Regardless of whether you are a Buddhist or not the wise words apply to our habits and set patterns of behaviour that cause suffering. So enjoy and reflect.
1.I walk down the street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in
I am lost……I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
2.I walk down the same street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
3.I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in…….it’s a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
4.I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it.
5.I walk down another street.
More Infomation
A link to some research. http://marc.ucla.edu/workfiles/pdfs/marc-mindfulness-research-summary.pdf