Deanne was my first ever educator in my social work studies, and I now have the privilege of having Deanne as my first external clinical supervisor after qualifying and beginning my social work career. As a mentor, educator, and supervisor, Deanne is fantastic and truly one of a kind. In our sessions I have felt safe, affirmed, and challenged to critically reflect on my work with service users. She has inspired me to start to develop my own interpersonal practice approach as informed by the intersection of my own ethics and values with response-based, narrative, and critical systems theories and therapies. Her own practice wisdom on how to effectively engage in social justice advocacy while also engaging in direct client work within, without, and alongside sociopolitical structures and human service organisations which often perpetuate demoralising dominant discourses continually sustains and inspires me in my work. Deanne provides a form of restorative solidarity in her supervision, helping to stave off worker burnout through narratives of hope and healing as acts of political resistance. I cannot recommend Deanne enough as a supervisor.
George Ioannides, Social Worker, Melbourne, Victoria