Professional Advisory Board
Dr Ken Whiting, Paediatrician
Kenneth Whiting received his undergraduate degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and undertook postgraduate training at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, The University of British Columbia, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (Cape Town), Princess Margaret Hospital and the State Child Development Centre of WA. He has a long standing interest in childhood development and learning difficulties, particularly Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Formerly a Paediatric Consultant at Fremantle Hospital, he ran the Overseas Adoption Clinic for a number of years. He is now solely in private practice. Ken was a member of the WA Stimulants Committee, is the Chairman of the Professional Advisory Board of the Learning and Attentional Disorders Society of WA, and is a member of the International Panel preparing a world-wide algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. He is currently involved in research into Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with the Graduate School of Education at the University of Western Australia.
Ms Shelley Blakers, Educator
Shelley has been working in education for more than thirty years and works for the Department od Education & Training. She has worked within all departments and all age levels from pre-primary to adults. The majority of her career has been in the area of special education, particularly with learning difficulties and language disorders, including a period as principal of the North West Metropolitan Language Development Centre. She is currently one of four Consultant Principals Speech and Language and is responsible for Speech & language Services for schools in the West Coast, Mid-West & Pilbara Education Districts. Shelley has post-graduate qualifications in the area of special education as well as educational computing.
During the early eighties, while working at Chidley Educational Centre with Wendy Mander, Shelley started her journey with ADHD. Over the past 20 years, through networking and practical problem-solving, she has developed extensive knowledge in the area, particularly related to children. She has presented many workshops, helped develop courses, run support meetings for adults, and written papers in the area of attention and related disorders.
Ms Sylvia Byers, Educator
Mr Derek Cohen, Clinical Psychologist
Derek received his graduate training in Clinical Psychology at the University of Cape Town and Rhodes University, migrating to Sydney in the mid-1980s to take up a position with the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He moved to Perth 15 years ago to set up specialist child psychology services at Koondoola Child Development Centre. Currently, Derek is in full time private practice, specializing in working with children and families.
Derek sits on the Professional Advisory Panel for LADS, and the WA Register for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Derek has specialised in child and developmental psychology for over 20 years. In particular, he provides diagnostic assessments of ADHD, Autism, and Asperger's Disorder, and neuropsychological and educational assessments for learning disabilities, organizational and memory difficulties, and language disorders. He works with parents, counselling them in the management of behavioural problems, as well as providing individual- and family-orientated psychotherapy for a wide range of childhood problems.
Dr Helen Frearson, Paediatrician
Professor Stephen Houghton
Pofessor Houghton is the Director of the Centre for Attention & Related Disorders, Graduate School of Education, University of Western Australia,
He was awarded his PhD Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Birmingham, UK in 1988, having completed a Specialised Master of Education, in Experimental, Educational and Child Psychology at the same university in 1982. He also holds a Bachelor of Education (Honours) and diplomas in Education and Special Education.
Professor Houghton has won numerous awards for his teaching and research.
He has supervised 88 postgraduate students to successful completion, including PhD, Master of Psychology, Master of Special Education, Master of Education, Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), Bachelor of Education (Honours). His track record at Honours level reveals approximately 90% of students being awarded First Class and subsequent scholarships.
Professor Houghton is widely published in international journals, and also reviews articles for international journals. He is a signatory of the International Consensus Statement on ADHD (2000).
Mr Zyron Krupenia, Clinical Psychologist
Zyron Krupenia was born in Cape Town, South Africa in January 1948. During his studies he worked in a variety of positions and thus came into contact witha broad spectrum of people from many walks of life. This has helped him to understand and accept people from wide and varied backgrounds.
Zyron trained as a Clinical Psychologist, first at the University of South Africa, and in 1983 completed his Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology (Cum Laude) at the University of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. He then lectured in psychology and began to consult in private practice. He also worked closely with various community organisations comparable to Relationship Australia, the Alcohol and Drug Authority and Samaritans. He ran numerous training courses in counselling and communications and developed an interest in family and relationship problems and child behaviour problems.
On his arrival in Perth in 1988, he commenced work in a Community Health Centre dealing primarily with child-related behaviour and developmental problems and problems related to marriage and family life. He has been in private practice since 1984. He is a member of the following professional organisations: The Australian Psychological Society (APS), The Institute for Private Clinical Psychologists of Australia (IPCPA). The Australian Association of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (AACBT), The Australian Society for Hypnosis (ASH), The West Australian Sexology Society (WASS). He is also on the Professional Advisory Committee of the Learning and Attentional Disorders Society (LADS).
Zyron works both in private practice and in the Health Department where he holds the position of Snr Clinical Psychologist. He is the Vice President of the IPCPA and the Chairperson of the Professional Affairs Subcommittee of the Australian Psychological Society, College of Clinical Psychology. He has worked in private practice for the past 20 years, and for the WA Health Department for the past 14 years.
Zyron’s main clinical interests are marital and sexual problems, adult coping with life problems, parenting issues, child behaviour problems and Attention Deficit Disorder in children and adults. He does not follow any one particular school of psychology but adopt what would be considered an eclectic approach, but with a great deal of Cognitive Behavioural methodology.
Dr Arvid Linde, Psychiatrist
Dr Linde is a child and adult psychiatrist, now working only in Albany CAMHS and in private practice. Dr Linde has extensive experience over 25 years in a wide range of psychiatry – clinical, administrative, clinic, hospital, child, adolescent, adult, metropolitan & rural, office & forensic.
Ms Bev Lister, Speech Therapist
Ms Laraine McLean, Clinical Psychologist
Larraine completed the Bachelor of Psychology degree at UWA and the Master of Applied Psychology at Murdoch University with a double major in clinical psychology and developmental & educational psychology. She completed her PhD at UWA investigating the cognitive processing skills of ADHD and unaffected children.
Larraine worked in the Government School Psychology Service for 12 years, where she dealt with learning, behavioural and emotional difficulties in children and adolescents in mainstream classes, and those with special needs. For the past 1 5 years she has been in private practice. In this capacity she deals with behaviour and emotional concerns across the lifespan. These include ADHD identification and management, anxiety management, anger management, behaviour management, emotional issues in women, and stress management. Larraine also works in the area of identification and intervention of learning difficulties and training in organisation & planning skills. In addition she offers assistance in subject choices for secondary school, and career planning.
Larraine is a member of The Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Australian Federation of University Women (WA) Inc. She is also member of the Professional Advisory Committee of the Learning and Attentional Disorders Society (LADS) and a committee member of the UNAA(WA Division).
Dr Trevor Parry, Paediatrician
Dr Trevor Parry is a developmental paediatrician and Associate Clinical Professor, School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia . He is a graduate of the West Australian Medical School and following time in Fiji and Sarawak undertook postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom in Public Health , Child Health and Developmental Paediatrics.
He was responsible for the establishment of the State Child Development Centre some twenty-nine years ago, and its Director until April 2004
He is a past Vice-President of the former Australian College of Paediatricians, an Emeritus Consultant at Princess Margaret Hospital, a Member of the National Board of NIFTEY (the National Investment for the Early Years) and founder and Chair of its State Branch .
He has been much involved in medical education as well as public education with particular reference to parenting , child development and the importance of the early years.
Dr Roger Paterson, Psychiatrist
Dr Roger Paterson – a Consultant Psychiatrist in full time private practice at the Hollywood Specialist Centre in Nedlands. A large part of his practice involves the treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents and adults. He also has a special interest in eating disorders, being the Clinical Director of the Hollywood Clinic Eating Disorder Programme. Apart from these two areas of special interest, he practices in the area of general psychiatry but does not do much medico-legal work. All referrals come via general practitioners and his fees approximate the guidelines set out by the Australian Medical Association.
Ms Elizabeth Spencer-Fawell, Consultant Dietitian/Nutritionist
Liz completed her undergraduate and post-graduate studies at the Curtin University of Technology (formerly WAIT) in Western Australia.
Liz has worked as a locum dietitian-nutritionist at the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Community Welfare Department of WA. In Victoria, as the Clinical, Community & Regional Dietitian for Hamilton Base Hospital, Hamilton she had a sole position which included in patients, out patients, catering, nursing home, maternity and nurse education, departmental business and case conferences. Her duties included overseeing nutritional needs of 5 bush nursing hospitals and another regional hospital without a dietitian. She was responsible for the establishment of a diabetes self help support group and other community based nutrition programs in both Hamilton and Portland ( where she worked with the local community health department). School and radio talks and lectures were also a regular part of her work.
Back in the Goldfields of WA she was employed as a teacher of health, nutrition and lifeskills to “at risk” Aboriginal students and mature aged students at the Kalgoorlie College of Curtin University. She was also guest lecturer to the nurses of the Enrolled Nurse Training program, and Volunteer Dietitian to the Diabetes Clinic at the Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital (which did not have a gazetted dietitian at the time).
Since 1989, Liz has been principly in private practice, with some time out when her son was born. In 1995 she became an Accredited Practising Dietitian with the Dietitians Association of Australia. She joined LADS in 2000, became a volunteer in 2002. She has since devised the LADS Nutrition Pack and established Effective Nutrition workshops and consultant sessions for LADS members.
Dr Michele Toner, AD/HD Coach
Originally training and working as a high school teacher, Michele was awarded a Master of Special Education Degree with Honours in 2001, and won the
Ms Luci Webb, Occupational Therapist
Ms Carmela Yom Tov, Clinical Psychologist
Carmela has a private practice in clinical psychology for adults and children. She has been a member of the LADS Professional Advisory Board since 1994, and was a member of the Professional Advisory Committee for SPELD between 1977-1986, and 1989-1992.
Carmela has been conducting assessments for the diagnosis and appropriate intervention of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Specific Learning Difficulties utilising a multi- factorial approach since 1977. She also facilitates workshops for parents and professionals in the above areas.