Accreditation
Healing can only occur in an environment where guests feel safe which means we take our responsibility to provide a safe, consistent, high quality experience very seriously.
Heal for Life is accredited by the Quality Innovation Performance Council. This accreditation provides independent recognition that Heal For Life meets the requirements of governing standards in the health and community sectors, demonstrating our commitment to best practice, quality, high performing systems and processes, and continuous improvement.
Board of Directors
Our Board is comprised of professionals with extensive business and not for profit experience. A number of our board members also survivors of childhood trauma.
We are currently seeking to expand our board. If you feel inspired to contribute, please contact admin@healforlife.com.au.
Peri O'Shea
BSocSci., Psych Hons, MSocPol, PhD
Peri has extensive experience as a leader in the mental health sector as the Chief Executive Officer at BEING – the independent, state-wide peak organisation for mental health consumers – from 2010-2017. Peri also has extensive training and facilitator experience in higher education and NGO settings. Most recently, she has developed and facilitated highly successful and popular advocacy courses to mental health consumers.
Lynne McCormack
PhD
Lynne is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology, The University of Newcastle. University of Nottingham, UK. She is a clinician with over three decades of experience working with survivors with a lived experience of complex trauma. As a researcher, she has over 50 publications in the field of trauma and posttraumatic growth.
Jan Craft
BSocSc (Psychology)
Jan worked in balance sheet management in the investment banking industry for 15 years before moving to the Hunter Region and joining Heal For Life in 2013 as a training and education coordinator. She is currently undertaking postgraduate studies in psychology.
Jenny Chapman
BArts, Hons Psych
Class IIA
Jenny achieved Class IIA Honours in Psychology, and completed her thesis titled Parents Responsible for the Death of their Child: Identifying Characteristics of Single Assault and Continually Abusive Parents. Upon completing her Honours Degree, Jenny began work as a Senior Clinical Consultant and Domestic Violence Forum Representative for Life Activities. In 2004 she held the position of Director at AusPsych. Jenny is currently Managing Director of her own practice, Interactions. Sadly Jenny passed away from cancer in December 2022, she contributed so much to HFL and survivors across NSW. We acknowledge and honour all that she made possible in her incredible life.
Ben Phillips
LLB, BSc.
Ben is a barrister at the Sydney Bar.
Brian Maguire
B.Comm,FCA
Brian is the Founder & a Director of Absolute Clarity Business Coaching and Mentoring Group. Brian is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of experience in the Corporate and Business world. Brian is a founding member of the International Association of Coaches and has served on the Boards of the International Coaching Federation Australasia, The Business Enterprise Center and Pittwater Business Limited.
Management Committee
Our Management Committee oversee Heal For Life operations.
In line with trauma-informed principles, our non-hierarchical structure reflects our commitment to levelling power differences. Power and decision making is shared amongst staff and volunteers and our organisational operations and decisions are conducted with transparency.
Donna England
Donna manages Heal For Life’s accounts and has worked as a professional accounts clerk for the last 35 years. She is passionate about golf and supporting Heal For Life to change lives by ensuring the financial health or the organisation. Her goals are to be happy and healthy in her work and professional life, as well as get her golf handicap down to 18.
Nicholas Phillips
Dip. Couns
As well as being our registrations counsellor, Nic has facilitated over 103 youth programs at Heal For Life since 2010. He is passionate about working with youth and increasing the reach of Heal For Life programs and support for young people. Nic’s main goal in life is to be happy, healthy and family-orientated and when he’s not working, you’ll likely find him bushwalking or travelling abroad. Nic holds a Diploma of Counselling, mini MBA and has completed his PSV and facilitation training at Heal for Life.
