In Mind - GP Update | October 2026

From the Deakin Private Hospital Team

It has been a busy few months at Deakin Private Hospital. Our Dual Diagnosis Psychoeducation Program is now open to its third cohort, giving patients who are managing substance use alongside a mental health condition a structured, integrated place to begin their recovery.

You will also find us out in the community over the coming weeks, presenting at the CPD masterclass Collaborative Recovery for First Responders: When Recovery Stalls and exhibiting at the Veterans and Family Wellbeing Expo.

Closer to home, we welcome new clinicians to our Beeches Ward and share a story about one of our weekend programs making a real difference for the veterans and first responders in our care. We also look back on Mental Health Month, which brought our patients, staff and community together throughout October.

We continue to have short to no waiting periods for inpatient admissions. Our Admissions team is always happy to talk through suitability or pathways; please call 1800 961 391 or email dkn.admissions@imh.com.au.

Thank you, as always, for the trust you place in us with your patients.

Spotlight | Dual Diagnosis Psychoeducation Program

Substance use and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety rarely present on their own, and treating one without the other can leave patients caught in a difficult cycle. Our new Dual Diagnosis Psychoeducation Program has been designed to support both, together.

The program is a two week structured inpatient program for patients managing substance use alongside a co-occurring mental health condition. Delivered in small group sessions each morning, it helps patients understand what is happening for them and build practical skills to carry forward, including:

• Understanding cravings and how to manage them
• Cognitive strategies such as thought challenging
• The neuroscience of addiction and recovery
• Mindfulness, values and self-compassion
• Relapse prevention and harm reduction
• Rebuilding support networks beyond the hospital

The program sits alongside each patient's psychiatric care and our broader therapeutic timetable, so recovery is supported across the whole admission.

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News and Updates

Meet the Team | New Allied Health Clinicians on Beeches

We are pleased to share some new and familiar faces on our Beeches Ward, home to our dedicated Trauma and PTSD program for veterans and first responders.

Tiffany Homeshaw | Beeches Team Leader

Mental Health Social Worker Tiffany Homeshaw has returned to Deakin Private as Team Leader of our Beeches Ward. Tiffany brings a strong background in trauma-informed care and is trained in EMDR, ACT, DBT and CBT. She has extensive experience supporting defence personnel and first responders across hospital, community and private practice settings.

Anna Elisara and Penne Mithen | Psychologists

We also welcome psychologists Anna Elisara and Penne Mithen to the team. Anna and Penne join Lana and the existing Beeches team in caring for patients in our Trauma and PTSD program, alongside each patient’s treating psychiatrist.

Small Parts, Big Impact

We sat down with Craig Stanley, a volunteer facilitator from the ACT Modelling Society and a 27-year veteran of the Royal Australian Navy. We talked about the weekend scale modelling sessions he helps run for patients on our Beeches Ward, and why something as simple as building a model can make such a difference for veterans and first responders in recovery.

Craig spoke with us about the value of a focused, hands-on activity, the shared understanding between facilitators and patients, and why sitting shoulder to shoulder can open the door for men who might not otherwise talk about how they’re going.

Read the full story

Mental Health Month at Deakin Private

This October, guided by the theme Together We Thrive, our staff have been taking part in the Black Dog Institute’s One Foot Forward challenge, raising money and awareness for mental health research.

On the wards, patients and staff came together each week for a variety of connection activities, including trivia, pickleball, weaving, community walks and visits from Chewie, a much-loved pup belonging to one of our Allied Health team.

Small moments of connection like these play a meaningful part in recovery, both during an admission and beyond.

Upcoming events

Emerge & See Networking and CPD Masterclass

Wednesday 11 November | 4:30pm to 9pm | Crowne Plaza, 1 Binara Street, Canberra | Free

We are proud to be presenting at this free evening for professionals working with injured emergency service workers and volunteers. Hosted by Emerge & See with The Psych Collective, The Heroic Collective and Goodmind Therapeutics, the masterclass focuses on collaborative recovery for first responders when progress stalls.It is a valuable opportunity to connect with other providers and strengthen cross referral pathways. Drinks and canapés on arrival.

Register

Veterans and Family Wellbeing Expo

Saturday 28 November | 10am to 4pm | Fitzroy Pavilion, Exhibition Park in Canberra | Free

Our team will be exhibiting at this free community expo, which brings together veterans, their families and the organisations that support them. If you have veteran patients or families who may benefit from knowing what support is available locally, we would love you to pass this on. Come and say hello at our stand.

Register