Baulkham Hills psychologist Amy Talbot named best in Australia

Baulkham Hills psychologist Amy Talbot has been named the Australian Allied Health Awards’ psychologist of the year and wants you to know one thing: we’re all pretty tough.

Psychologist Dr Amy Talbot at her practice at Baulkham Hills. Picture: Troy Snook

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Australian Allied Health Awards’ psychologist of the year Baulkham Hills psychologist Amy Talbot wants you to know one thing: we’re all pretty tough.

“People are more resilient than you think they are,’’ she said.

“We’ve been living and surviving this experience … for a long time.”

The 32-year-old’s sharp listening skills were one of the things that led her to be named the psychologist of the year last month.

Her devotion to reducing the stigma of mental health problems and bringing the community on board also contributed to the award, which she said gave her a “renewed energy to achieve”.

The Stanhope Gardens resident runs The Talbot Centre and is involved in work with groups such as the Australian Multiple Births Association and helping patients with eating disorders.

Social isolation is a common problem in The Hills but ironically, Dr Talbot said, social media was often the culprit, particularly among youth who only see the picture perfect filtered images of their peers.

“If you’re comparing that to what other people are like, it’s exacerbating the problem.’’ she said.

“Social media was kind of coming in when I was going to school.

“We had MySpace rather than Facebook. People used it but it wasn’t as commonplace as it is now. I think it’s been a difficult issue for schools.”

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After graduating from Wyndham College, Quakers Hill, Dr Talbot was unsure of what career to follow but found parallels between history and the human mind.

“When I finished school I didn’t have a sense of direction and a family friend was a psychologist and thought that was a good path for me,’’ she said.

“What I liked about history … was how that shapes civilisation and the community.

“Psychology is about people’s stories and understanding how we shape communities and civilisation, and individuals.

“The significant impact on one individual can have on the whole community.

“Humans are so complex and there’s also so much to learn.”

Five tips for happiness

Practise gratitude: Take the time to notice the small (and large) things you are grateful for daily

Eat, sleep, move: Look after your general health and wellbeing and make this a priority. Eat nutritious foods, get moving and ensure you get sufficient sleep

Connect with others: Feelings of isolation and loneliness are key contributors to low mood

Show self compassion: Use the language and tone you would use with a friend or a child, rather than being overly critical of your failures (mistakes are part of being human)

Take valued action: Commit to doing one thing each day that brings you a greater sense of purpose and meaning