Paula Barrett – Child Psychology Specialist

At the time of writing of this blog, the date is 6 December 2013. The year that was 2013 has all but whizzed by with the thundering velocity of six white boomers, legs and tails thumping with gusto to pull jolly Saint Nick across the starlit evening sky. Summer storm season is well and truly here in Brisbane, with every day of sweltering heat and unbearable humidity rewarded in the afternoon by the roar of thunder, the crackle of lightning and pitter patter of tropical rain. But mother nature's light and sound spectacular isn't the only event of note at this time of year. December marks the end of the school year for many and for some, such as year 12s, the end of their schooling career. What lies on the other side of 'schoolies' week is the bright, busy, and beautiful world of adulthood.

Adulthood, much like the earlier stages of one's life, is peppered with stressors be they social, environmental, economic or otherwise. It is argued that individuals are exposed to more stressors than ever before with astronomical advances in information and communications technology bringing news of war, famine, disease and fear to the forefront of daily life for children and adults alike. Some stressors are unavoidable and, therefore, the ability to cope with stressors and, more specifically, the resulting stress can make a tremendous difference to the quality of life enjoyed by individuals post-adolescence. The literature points to social and emotional skills' programs as the best way for individuals to learn these coping skills.

Here at Pathways, the FRIENDS Programs (developed by Professor Paula Barrett) are run each school term and each school holiday to equip children, teenagers and parents with the skills they need to cope with the stress they are bound to encounter in their lives. The ability to cope is more commonly referred to as being resilient. Professor Barrett developed the FRIENDS Programs into four age-appropriate modules that contextualise the evidence-based social and emotional learning skills proven to result in resilience building. For a time, the only way people could participate in the evidence-based FRIENDS Programs was by attending Pathways Health and Research Centre in Brisbane. However, once the research started to pile up about the effectiveness of the FRIENDS Programs, Governments from around the world started to develop a keen interest in not only social and emotional learning, but in making social and emotional learning a part of the education curriculum. For example, in New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland the FRIENDS Programs are being rolled out in schools as both a universal prevention and as a selected intervention. Professor Barrett is a firm believer in using the FRIENDS Programs as universal prevention and the literature supports this.

2013 has seen a number of new licensed partners join the international FRIENDS family. Over the last 12 months, Professor Paula Barrett has had interest from parties in Denmark, India, Iceland, the USA, the UK, Portugal and more. Researchers from Universities around the world have also come on board and there are a number of active studies in a number of cultures at present.

If 2013 is anything to go by, 2014 will be a year filled with exciting advancements and opportunities for the FRIENDS Programs and for individuals around the globe to get involved, build resilience and learn proven social and emotional skills.

Be smart, be brave, be yourself.

Paula Barrett – Delivers outstanding service in curing anxiety disorders

2013 has been a busy year at Pathways Health and Research Centre. We have
moved from our premises in woolloongabba to the cultural heart of Brisbane,
West End. Closer to the amazing exhibitions at the Gallery of Modern Art,
fascinating activities at the Queensland Museum and science centre, relaxing
activities at Streets Beach or games and fun at Kids’ Corner at the Cultural
Centre; pairing social and emotional learning with a fun family afternoon has
never been easier. Pathways founder and director Professor Paula Barrett has
always stated a close personal connection with West End, loving its diverse
culture and community spirit.

This year has also seen a change in the way our internationally recognised
FRIENDS programs are delivered. As a recipient of the Lord Mayor’s Australia
Day Achievement Award for Outstanding Services in the Community for Families
and Children, Professor Barrett is passionate about creating a more resilient
community at all levels. With this idea, Pathways now offers our Adult Resilience
program for all parents (and grandparents) of children in the Fun FRIENDS,
FRIENDS for Life and My Youth FRIENDS programs. With this, we aim to create
a more resilient family by providing parents with effective coping tools for
managing stress in their own lives.

2013 has also been our first full year of conducting intensive holiday formats
of the FRIENDS programs. Intensive holiday programs are a great alternative
for families living outside of Brisbane or those looking for a rewarding vacation
activity for parents and children alike. Professor Barrett, winner of both the APS
and Tracy Goodall (http://www.aacbt.org/viewStory/NATIONAL%20AWARDS)
Early Career Awards, is dedicated to innovation in the delivery of psychological
services to the community and the FRIENDS holiday programs are yet another
example of this.

The FRIENDS programs have also had the honour of being recognized in a new
book by esteemed resilience researcher and clinical psychologist, Dr. Sandra
Price-Embury. The book, which explores enhancing resilience in diverse youth
populations, will feature a chapter on the My Youth FRIENDS program. The
chapter will highlight research conducted by Professor Barrett and colleagues
with the FRIENDS programs internationally as well as provide instruction for
professionals working with youths in a clinical or educational setting.

For any further information on services available at Pathways Health and

Research Centre including the FRIENDS programs, please do not hesitate to

contact us on (07) 3391 6866

Introduction Of Dr Paula Barrett

Paula Barrett was born in Angola City of Africa. She has spent  some early days of life moving around in the cities of Macao. She has done Doctorate in Philosophy in  1995 from the University of Queensland, Australia.  Dr. Paula Barrett is a scholar and she is a researcher in the child psychology field. Professor Paula has received many awards and a certificate from the high government. Authorities. Recently in 2009, she has received a Medal Commended certificate from the Human Rights Commission in Australia. Dr Paula Burrett is the founder of Pathways Health and Research Centre situated in Brisbane. Currently, she holds the professorship at different universities in Australia. 

Recently, Dr Paula Barrett was a Keynote Speaker at International Baccalaureate Asia Pacific Annual Conference held in Kuala Lumpur. She is working widely in the area of prevention and treatment of the stress and depression and for this she has published in an evidence based program so called FRIENDS program. FRIENDS Programs are the legal proceedings of Psychological Resilience programs that are based on developing some adaptive ways for coping with the emotions. FRIENDS Psychological Resilience programs are directly acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO).  Dr. Barrett has authored FRIENDS Programs which are as follows: Fun Friends, Friends For Life, Adult Psychological Resilience Programs and My Friends Youth Programs. By implementing these programs in needy Australian schools the Trust is working to prevent stress, depression and youth suicide, and to encourage resilience in Australian families.

Paula Barrett - Professor Paula Barrett explain How can you make your child more resilient? - Video Dailymotion

Paula Barrett - Professor Paula Barrett explain How can you make your child more resilient? - Video Dailymotion

BUDDIES program External Evaluation

Produced by Paula Barrett, the FRIENDS plan helps children and teenagers to handle stress, fear, anxiety and depressive disorders through teaching cognitive as well as emotional skills that help with building self confidence and resilience. The programs are delivered inside a simple format where the information can end up being easily absorbed. FRIENDS may be the only childhood anxiousness prevention program acknowledged through the World Health Organization because of its 12 years associated with comprehensive evaluation as well as practice. FRIENDS has proved effective for approximately 6 years following initial exposure.

Anxiousness disorders are progressively common, and when it comes to mental health are the most typical affliction amongst kids, and can avoid children from participating in and coping along with everyday activities, including although not limited to;

• Social relationships
• Social Proficiency
• Peer Relations
• Modifying to School

Childhood anxiety has got the potential to evolve right into a chronic problem in the event that left untreated, which could develop into serious depression or anxiety inside a childs adolescent many years, all the method to adulthood. Paula considers that it's crucial that individuals are given access in order to preventative and remedy programs that allow families to conquer anxiety and stress inside a child’s early existence.

The FRIENDS plan, authored by Paula Barrett, aims to provide children with skills for example;

• Dealing with hard situations
• Recognising the actual symptoms of anxiousness
• Relaxation techniques
• Considering positively
• Problem resolving
• Emotional Resilience
• Looking for peer support
• Solving conflict.

FRIENDS aims to avoid childhood anxiety as well as depression, through the implementation of some principles that assistance to build emotional strength. Long term, this program aspires to slow up the frequency and the actual severity of severe psychological disorders, emotional distress as well as difficulty in function on the social level. The program accomplishes this by training children and young adults in how to handle and manage anxiousness and depression, by equipping all of them with skills that may be applied throughout their own lives.

The BUDDIES program, is a community-oriented cognitive-behavioural intervention depending on a firm theoretical design which addresses cognitive, physiological and behavioural processes which are seen to interact within the development, maintenance and connection with anxiety.

The FRIENDS program may be specifically designed to work in individual remedy, but also when deployed like a school based precautionary measure, promoting personal development and psychological management.

Child Psychology Research

Dr. Paula Barrett may be the founding director from the Pathways Health as well as Research Centre, positioned in West End, Brisbane. The centre offers helped families worldwide to avoid and treat years as a child anxiety and depressive disorders, and promote strength in children. More information upon Paula Barrett and Pathways are available here.

For the woman's work, Paula Barrett offers received much recognition in both business and educational spheres, receiving a number of awards and scholarship grants. In addition to her work on Pathways and additional endeavours, Dr. Barrett is also employed being an adjunct professor within the School of Psychology in the University of Queensland and in the middle for Mental Health Research in the Australian National College. Paula is a good acclaimed and interesting speaker in each international and nationwide forums, having shipped numerous keynote handles worldwide. To learn more about Paula’s professional improvement, click here.

Paula Barrett created Coping Koala in 1998 along with a team associated with researchers from Griffith College in Queensland. The actual revised program layed out a user-friendly earlier intervention and avoidance strategy, and was expanded to incorporate programs for 2 different age groups- BUDDIES for Children older 7–11 years, as well as FRIENDS for Youngsters 12–16 years.

Following editorial input in the behavioural science writer Australian Academic Push, and an extra round of investigation validation, a 3rd edition of BUDDIES was completed within late 1999. The new release incorporated research feedback made to tailor the program toward a much more teacher-friendly, school-based common intervention.

The current editions from the FRIENDS programs created in 2004-2005 incorporate the most recent research in the actual fields of years as a child anxiety, depression as well as resilience, as well as more information to support instructors and clinicians in the use of the programs. A brand new general title for that program, “FRIENDS for Life” had been introduced to reveal the life-long advantages of the program. A brand new pre-school level plan was also introduced and it is available from the Pathways Health insurance and Research Centre.

Produced by Dr Barrett, FRIENDS is exclusive in its dedication to development via evidence based investigation. Paula published the actual world’s first loved ones treatment randomised manage trial for years as a child anxiety in 1996. She and the woman's research team possess since been acknowledged with publishing much more controlled trials with regard to childhood anxiety than every other group on the planet. The FRIENDS program has the capacity to reduce the signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders in as much as 80% of children treated inside the program. In post-treatment assessment, this effect may be confirmed to remain for approximately 6 years.

Professor Paula Barrett

Professor Paula Barrett is recognised internationally as a pre-eminent scholar, distinguished keynote speaker, and groundbreaking researcher in the field of child psychology. She was a Fulbright Scholar as a sixteen-year-old and on arriving in Australia in 1986 worked as a psychologist in a variety of clinical settings and at the Migrant Resource Centre. At the University of Queensland she developed the FRIENDS for Life program, which has been recognised by the World Health Organization as best practice for the prevention and treatment of childhood anxiety and depression. More than 500,000 children worldwide have completed the program. Paula’s active promotion of self-belief and self-worth in children of all ages has made an outstanding contribution to the prevention of these conditions and, ultimately, youth suicide. Paula’s prolific writing, generosity of spirit, and fervour for research have had a significant impact on the lives of thousands of children in Australia and around the world.

Paula Barrett is the author of the world renowned FRIENDS programs, a research based group training program that helps children and adults cope with life issues, develop resilience and to counteract stress and depression. Paula Barrett is a Professor of Psychology and she has been researching the FRIENDS programs to improve and refine it for 25 years. Paula Barrett is dedicated to the FRIENDS programs and is passionate about helping people and animals as well as the environment.

Paula Barrett is an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland, Australian National University and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,she is often a keynote at global conferences on child psychology and education.

Paula Barrett has published a huge number of peer reviewed articles as well as other books, however her contributions to both research and the wellbeing of thousands of people has most notably been through the FRIENDS programs, which has been translated into several different languages and has been recognised and adopted by governments all over the world. This success is partly due to being in the 99th percentile of publishers in the field of psychology.

Paula has also won numerous awards, including a highly commended certificate in the Human Rights Medal Australian awards and the Telstra Queensland Business Woman of the Year award. Paula’s most recent keynote speaking events have been at the IBAPAC and the AAIBS.

Paula Barrett is an advocate of exercise and a healthy life style, including healthy foods. Paula loves her pets, and when she isn’t helping people with her FRIENDS programs, she is helping injured animals and caring for the environment.