I am buddhist and spending more time in monasteries these days. I am also caring and advocating for my dis/abled brother. And researching clergy abuse to speak up on behalf of my late father. I have been a performing artist in my adult career. As well as working in mental health and education. I’m passionate about critical psychiatry and neurodivergence. I’ve often felt more at home with kids than adults. I have a history of working as an arts facilitator in early childhood centres, and at Shopfront Arts Co in Carlton. Of course, I’ve cared for children over my adult life. I appreciate being an adult that embodies ethics, and giving that example to young people.
I have been babysitting since I was a teenager, I spent 10months as a live in au-pair which was a good learning experience, we differed in many ways and that meant that we were challenged to learn from eachother and how to live together. I then worked with children in arts settings creating a musical with 30 7-11 year olds at Shopfront and working at the Sydney Opera House in the foyer on school holidays as shows came out facilitating creative play time. I then worked for a child care company as I wanted to learn how to manage large numbers of children and learn how to respect myself by gaining respect from others. I worked briefly for Camp Australia and then for Squiggler Academy in after school care. I went to Iceland and in a small town I worked with some kids designing games for wellbeing. Then returnrd to work at Shopfront Arts Co as a drama teacher for 7-11 yr olds. I then worked as a music and drama educator for infants in early childhood education.
I taught singing one on one when I was in my early 20s. Since then I have been a working professional in performing arts. I have spent some time teaching group classes with Shopfront arts co. And at Early Childhood education centres for all their age groups. I bring dhamma, mental health peer support, social ecology, and self-direct learning to this space.