Hi, I'm Clare.
I'm a Speech Pathologist with a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and over 15 years' experience across Victoria's allied health and education sectors. I set up Peninsula Mental Health First Aid because I kept meeting parents, teachers and coaches who cared deeply about the young people around them but didn't feel equipped to help when things got hard — and I wanted to change that.
Background
Before running Peninsula MHFA, I worked as a Mental Health Coordinator with the Victorian Department of Education, coordinating Mental Health Practitioners and Wellbeing Leaders across secondary and specialist schools. Alongside that, I've spent years working directly with school-aged children in clinical and school settings — which means this training isn't theoretical for me. It's built on what I've actually seen work in classrooms, clinics and family homes.
I'm a licensed instructor accredited by Mental Health First Aid Australia, and I run Youth Mental Health First Aid courses across the Mornington Peninsula and South East Melbourne — both as public courses for individuals, and in-house for schools, sports clubs and youth organisations.
Why this work matters to me
Mental health first aid works the same way physical first aid does — you don't need to be a clinician to make a genuine difference. You just need to know what to look for, what to say, and when to bring in more support. I love watching that shift happen in a room: people arriving unsure of themselves, and leaving with a concrete plan and the confidence to use it.