Effects of anaesthetic in the young and old

The side of effects of anaesthetics for old people has been well documented (more here) and many times I’ve noticed that old people who appear to be mentally healthy go into hospital for an operation and return with their cognitive abilities reduced. Sometimes...

How much independence does your child have?

An issue that frequently arises when dealing with children or teens is how much independence do they have? There are laws in some states in Australia which stipulate the minus age that a child may be left on their own, but in this article I’m no so interested in...

No-one knew how much I was drinking

The image of an alcoholic as someone who is down-and-out and on the streets is, in may cases, very far from the truth. It is surprising the kind of people who come with alcohol problems. A typical profile is: Female, aged 20-50, very high-powered job who drinks one...

The placebo effect of stents

Millions of stents a year are inserted into patients with chest pains. The stents are designed to enlarge the arteries to the heart to allow the blood to flow easier. This is a standard operation and is performed under a local anaesthetic. Even though, there a re...

The importance of self observation

I see many clients from all walks of life. From the CEO’s of major companies who want to sleep better and deal with stress, to the unmarried mother with 3 children who wants to stop smoking and lose weight. They vary greatly in their degree of...

We all have a mask

One aspect of human nature that I’ve observed over many years of dealing with people is that we all have a mask. This is the front we display to our friends, family and, in many cases, to ourselves. In some instances, this mask is thin, in others it’s more...