Eliza is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Founder of Blackbird Counselling, a Women’s Mental Health Service managing six Mental Health Professionals providing counselling and support to assist women and families across the lifespan. Eliza has worked in mental health for the past 21 years and has been in private practice specialising in Perinatal and Infant Mental Health for the past 6 years.

Eliza created Blackbird House in 2020, a Perinatal Health and Wellness Centre on the Sunshine Coast implementing programs supporting women and families, including The Mother Mentor Program, Blackbird Playgroups and Mother’s Groups. The Wellness Centre was a way of reducing barriers to families by providing access to multiple services in one location including Pregnancy Massage, Baby Massage, a Paediatrician, Circle of Security Groups, Midwifery & Lactation Consultants, Paediatric Physiotherapy, and access to community clubs/groups.

Eliza has completed Circle of Security Facilitator Training and Newborn Behavioural Observation training through the Royal Women’s Hospital in Victoria. She has worked with the Queensland Ballet – Bumps to Babies Program through Mindstar and is a Registered Supervisor with the Australian Association of Social Workers having completed the Excellence in Supervisory Practice Certificate (PASE model) through Amovita International. She has also completed Perinatal Non-Directive Pregnancy Counselling Certification through the Australian Psychological Society.

Eliza has a diverse range of experiencing working in multi-disciplinary teams for the Department of Human Services within the Job Capacity Assessment Units, Commonwealth Rehabilitation Services Australia, Community Health Centres, Hospitals and The University of the Sunshine Coast. She has worked as an External Supervisor with the University of the Sunshine Coast supervising Bachelor of Social Work students and regularly supervises students in her practice from Psychology, Social Work and Peer Support programs.

Eliza has previously held positions with the Australasian Birth Trauma Clinical Advisory Committee and was the Co-ordinator of the Sunshine Coast Women’s Mental Health Professionals Network in 2021/22.

Eliza worked with Gidget Foundation Australia in 2018 as one of the first Accredited Mental Health Social Workers in the Start Talking Program and has recently joined as the Clinical Training Leader for Gidget Foundation Australia’s Workforce Development Program in 2022. Eliza is delighted to come on board as the Workforce Development Program Manager in October 2022.