US author to headline at counselling conference

An eminent United States counsellor and author will be keynote speaker at a counselling conference in Hervey Bay next April.

Professor Allen Ivey will present the speech at the Youth Training Conference, hosted by the USQ Fraser Coast.

His partner Mary Bradford Ivey, who is also a counsellor and author, will also present papers at the conference.

Conference organisers Education Queensland Guidance Officer Rob Symon and Dr Patrick O'Brien, from USQ Fraser Coast, are excited about the visit to Fraser Coast by the Iveys and said it was an absolute coup to secure such an eminent person as a keynote speaker at a regional counselling conference.

"Prof Ivey is a leader in the field and is author of many text books used in Australian universities, including the University of Southern Queensland," Dr O'Brien said.

"His texts are used in several courses taught here at Fraser Coast and across a number of faculties at USQ.

"He has been doing a lot of work on the neurological evidence of the healing power of counselling, which he will speak about at the conference."

The three-day conference will focus on challenging current thinking and creating new counselling knowledge.

It will be attended by 180 counsellors, youth workers, psychologists and guidance officers.

Expressions of interest to attend the conference can be made by emailing Dr O'Brien.

Media Contact:  Katrina Corcoran, USQ Media, +61 7 4194 3167