Current Staff
Staff Bios
Krystian Gruft (INTRA Program Manager) – Krystian has a background in social work and has been working in the drug and alcohol field on and off since the early 80s. He has a special interest in community work, research, and prevention. Krystian also worked in harm reduction programs, HIV prevention and sexual health as a program coordinator, health educator, and health promotion officer. He advocates a rational, evidence based approach to minimising drug use related harm for the individual and the community.
Paul Phillips - Paul has come to INTRA having worked in Therapeutic communities in both Sydney and the Sunshine Coast. He is interested in each persons particular creative way of being in the world and how they help to construct the emotional landscape in which they live (for better or for worse). He works with clients in such a way as to include what is going right for them and what they are doing well as much as identifying problem areas and personal growth challenges in they’re life. Paul has a great rapport with people with addictions, seeing within them familiar patterns to his own particular journey. He is trained in Gestalt therapy.
Glen Dark - Glen has been working in the drug and alcohol and mental health fields since the 1980’s. She trained as a general and psychiatric nurse before completing a Masters in Clinical Drug Dependence.
She first worked at Langton Clinic in the 1980’s and then moved into community drug and alcohol work. After moving to the North Coast Glen worked at The Buttery therapeutic community for 3 years before starting with INTRA in 2007. Glen works from an eclectic perspective with a broad training base covering many therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behavior Therapy, psychodrama, family systems therapy and mindfulness approaches: "Primarily I focus on integrating awareness of thoughts, body awareness and emotional awareness to help people become more self empowered and responsible in their own lives and decisions". "I have a strong background in working within 12 step programs and support their use of spirituality and higher power concepts in my work".
Lauren Jarrett - Layren is a Bundjalung Woman working with the Wake Up Time Group, a community arts based Aboriginal women’s project in Casino. She has been working in aboriginal communities and in schools for the past 20 years in various fields including theatre, art, skills sharing, dance, community development and running cultural workshops. She is also an artist and has exhibited her own work locally and in QLD. In her work with indigenous women Lauren uses art as a means of self expression and empowerment. She explores participants' histories to assist them in coming to terms with culture shock and to learn to balance both cultures. Her main goal in working with aboriginal women is to encourage spiritual and cultural growth and empowerment: "I believe that coming to terms with our indigenous roots is necessary to begin the healing process. Traditional approaches such as the telling of personal stories, use local totems and creating art with natural materials, fibres, and dyes can help us to express and value our own lives and stories".
Maya Kuznik - Maya has been working as a therapist since 2005, mainly in mental health. She holds a Bachelors degree in behavioural sciences and a Master degree in creative therapies. Maya’s main approach of working is based on building on her clients’ existing inner strength. In the therapeutic process the clients’ own creativity is used as a way to facilitate finding of solutions and goal setting.
Sue Nicholls - "I have lived and worked in the local area for the past twenty years. In raising four children I have been an active community member participating in educational and sporting bodies at a management level. I have also worked as a registered nurse, prior to completing my degree in Master of Gestalt psychotherapy. I have recently joined the INTRA team and am enjoying the familiarity of community outreach counselling and the challenges of the alcohol and other drug field. I believe my years of practicing as a gestalt therapist aptly supports me to engage in both one on one counselling and in the facilitation of support groups. Simply stated, gestalt therapy focuses on what is actually being done, thought and felt in the present moment rather than what was, might be could be or should be. My therapeutic practice is based on the belief that when each person is supported to gain greater insight into how they actually live, he or she then has greater ‘response-ability’ and choice towards meaningful change. I offer a supportive, nurturing environment where you will be heard, understood and encouraged towards greater self-knowledge and authenticity".
Andrew Hamilton - Andrew has been working to support people with mental health and substance use issues since 2000. He has a particular focus on working with young people and is committed to taking a holistic approach which acknowledges the wide range of complex issues experienced by people, and seeks to offer a supportive therapeutic relationship which provides the opportunity for needs to be expressed and issues to be responded to collaboratively. Andrew believes in honoring each individual’s unique journey and encouraging them to discover, utilise and build upon their strengths to heal and achieve their goals. Andrew holds an Honours Degree in Psychology.
Lucinda Moss - Lucinda has trained in Transpersonal Counseling. This technique honors the uniquely different life circumstances that bring each person to personal growth and to finding their own meaning and purpose in their life path. It views any ‘breakdown’ or challenges in life as a potential ‘break-through’ – an opportunity for learning and re-assessing how we would like to be in the world. Lucinda has worked in mental health for three years in the psycho-social rehabilitation model. Along with one on one work, during this time Lucinda ran rehabilitative groups including dance, yoga, meditation, ‘Thought Transformation’, and ‘Buddhist ideas for changing ideas’. Before this Lucinda worked as a Youth Worker in Victoria for the Youth Substance Abuse Service running activities and support groups in their day program. Lucinda aims to support clients to discover their own ‘tool box’ that supports them through life’s challenges and to find the meaning and purpose that drives them to grow.
From time to time INTRA also hires project workers, people with skills in specialist areas and casual relief staff
