Answering the Calling: How Karen Found Purpose in Mental Health Nursing

Karen’s journey into mental health nursing was anything but conventional. In fact, it didn’t even start in nursing. She began her career as a psychologist, later expanding her expertise by training as a registered nurse to expand her career options. But in her early years working as a psychologist, she often found herself discouraged from using the full range of her clinical knowledge. Nursing, unexpectedly, became the bridge she needed, an opportunity to blend psychological insight with hands‑on clinical practice.

“I’d planned a career in psychology, but I found that I really enjoyed nursing and mental health nursing was a way of combining both.” 

“This career path has offered me far more opportunities in varied contexts.  And I can continue to use my psychology skills,” she explains.  

While many clinicians find their rhythm in direct care, Karen quickly learned she was drawn to the system behind it.

“As a frontline clinician you don’t get much training in, or exposure to, the bigger picture of health service provision,” she says.  

“I’ve always been curious about the ‘how and why’, the background frameworks of what we do.”

That curiosity led her into secondments, special projects and governance roles, spaces where she found herself energised by the intellectual challenge. She describes learning about full-cycle program management and policy development as experiences that “required me to use my brain differently, and I really enjoyed that.”

“Whilst I’ve largely moved away from direct client work as a therapist, I find the contact that I do have, with clients and colleagues, stimulating and rewarding,” says Karen.  

“If my work has supported positive change for another, then it has great meaning for me.”

At Kellyville Private Hospital, Karen played a pivotal role in establishing The Base, a program supporting veterans, defence personnel and first responders. For Karen, this work is personal and her connection extends beyond professional.  

“Throughout my career I’ve worked with veterans, defence members and first responders in one way or another,” she explains.

“An aspect of my first job as a psychologist involved debriefing Police Officers following significant incidents.”

“My father is a veteran, as were both my grandfathers. Life and work experience in service is different to that of civilians. These are people who voluntarily signed up to defend our country and given the unique conditions of service life, some members and veterans are at higher risk of developing mental health issues.

“I find work in support of this cohort exceptionally meaningful and purposeful.”

Running programs and seeing them flourish gives Karen immense satisfaction.

If she could offer one message to those beginning a career in mental health nursing, it would be about self-awareness and lifelong learning.

“Keep learning, engage in clinical supervision, do your own therapy,” she advises.  

“This work will press buttons and bring things to the surface you didn’t know existed. You can only walk alongside and support development in a person to the level of your own emotional maturity.”