From aspiring comedian to leading psychologist: The ‘unconventional’ journey of Dr Tinashe Dune

Reflecting on her career path, CDU’s Dr Tinashe Dune says sometimes the willingness to say ‘yes’ and go off the beaten path is actually a huge advantage.

Dr Tinashe Dune, a Professor/Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Charles Darwin University. Image: Daniel Ratanapintha

As a 16-year-old, Tinashe Dune remembers sitting in her Canadian school locker room the moment she offered some advice to a friend who was speaking about her problems.

Her friend turned to her and said, ‘You should be a psychologist’.

At the time, Tinashe brushed it off having dreams of becoming a comedian or an actor.

But more than 10 years later, when she heard those exact same words again, she took it more seriously.

The now professor and head of Discipline in Psychology at Charles Darwin University said her career journey had been anything but conventional.

Something which in hindsight, she certainly sees as a strength.

“I’ve come at it from a range of different pathways that don’t necessarily or might not necessarily seem like a direct path,” she said.

“It’s not where I wanted to be but it happened along the way that I just ended up being really good at it and then really enjoying it.”

‘I ended up finishing my PhD in two and a half years because I was desperate’

Born in Zimbabwe, Tinashe grew up knowing education was important.

Her dad, who was a top chemist and pharmacist in Zimbabwe, moved the family to the UK when he received a scholarship and again to the USA before they settled in Sudbury, Ontario in Canada.

It was a challenging move: “There were very few people of African descent, and so we were very much kind of different, and sometimes treated that way.

Dr Tinashe Dune said her years spent studying her PhD in Sydney were extremely overwhelming. Image: Daniel Ratanapintha

“And I could see that my parents kept changing. Whatever needed to happen, they kept changing. I’ve hopefully been able to keep that adaptation and flexibility in my adult life.”

When she moved to Ottawa to study journalism, Tinashe ended up hating the course but excelled in psychology.

After swapping her degree and graduating, she applied and was accepted to study a PhD in behavioural and health sciences at the University of Sydney and flew to the capital aged 23 with enough money for two weeks in a hostel.

When the money ran out, she revealed she would stay in the university until closing and then ride the trains at night until the next morning.

Even when she managed to find accommodation a few weeks later, Tinashe said it was a challenging time working three jobs and being completely overwhelmed.

“And because I was so distressed, I ended up finishing my PhD in two and a half years instead of the normal three to four. Not because I’m brilliant or smart but because I was so desperate.”

How a ‘mature student’ status can be an advantage

Over the next decade Tinashe carried out an internship in Switzerland with the World Health Organisation, did a postdoctoral project at the University of New England in Armadale, worked at the Western Sydney University and undertook a PhD Masters.

After finally registering as a psychologist, Tinashe said she very much felt like a “mature student” next to the rest of her class. But she soon realised her longer life experience and “ups and downs” actually gave her an advantage.

She explained: “I’ve been a migrant, I’ve been married and had marital distress, I’ve had a child and was pregnant again. I was able to connect with people in a way that I think some of the younger students were still developing or struggled with.”

Tinashe worked for Headspace before she left to start her own practice Dune Health and Wellbeing which now employs 30 staff.

Dr Tinashe Dune set up Dune Health and Wellbeing for ‘anyone who doesn’t feel like they fit in’. Image: Daniel Ratanapintha

“Essentially the practice is for people who are of marginalised backgrounds,” she said.

“For anyone who doesn’t feel like they fit in. Whether that’s LGBT or disability or people who don’t have money we provide free therapy. It’s all the things I wish I had had as a kid going through all the struggles I was going through.

“So that’s what I wanted to create.

“I meet people at their worst and then we say goodbye when they are at their best and that is an incredible feeling.”

In November last year, the mum-of-three moved her family to Darwin and started as a professor and Head of Discipline in Psychology at CDU increasing the enrolment in the Master’s degree by 75 per cent and the Honour’s degree by about 50-60 per cent.

When asked what advice she would give to those looking to enter the field of psychology or looking to try studying, the award-winning researcher said: “I think taking that risk and saying yes it can give you that opportunity to let things fall into place.

“There’s always a way … but also you have to be willing to go out of the normal trajectory.”

Charles Darwin University is the brought to you by sponsor for the NT News Woman of the Year Awards. Click here to see this year’s finalists.