Debra Klages

About me

Dr Debra Klages is a registered nurse, credentialed mental health nurse, educator/academic, and clinical supervisor with 30 years of experience in Canada and Australia. In her role as an educator, Debra has facilitated the Learning Centre’s Clinical Supervision workshops and, most recently, the Restorative Resilience Model of Clinical Supervision workshops in Queensland. Debra’s academic pursuits have resulted in her development of critical knowledge and understanding of the experiences of health professionals who are mothers of adult children living with serious mental illnesses. As a supervisor, she strives to improve the ability of mental health professionals to survive and thrive through her use of an amalgam of restorative resilience and strengths-based models of clinical supervision. Debra has recently returned to live in Melbourne and potential supervisees are most welcome to contact her to make an appointment.

My experience

Nurse Educator, Central Queensland Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs, Rockhampton, Queensland
January 2020-2022
Nurse Educator, Townsville Mental Health Service Group, Townsville, Queensland
November 2014- January 2020.
Clinical Nurse Consultant, Older Person’s Community Mental Health, Charters Towers, Queensland
July 2014 to November 2014.
Senior Clinician, First Episode Psychosis Program, Hawthorn Community Mental Health Clinic, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, July 2013-July 2014
Clinical Nurse Consultant. Adult Mental Health Service, Rockhampton Base Hospital, Rockhampton, Queensland 2010-2013
Senior Clinician. Mobile Support and Treatment Team, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 2009-2010
Youth Access Team Clinician. Orygen Youth Health, Melbourne, Victoria January 2009–April 2009 (Casual position)

My current role/work

I am currently in private practice.

My training

Clinical supervision qualifications
QC 12 Supervising for Supervisors (Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning)
QC 4 Supervisor (Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning)
QC 8 Best Practice Models of Supervision (Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning)
Stepping into Supervision: A Strengths Approach (Innovative Resources)
Restorative Resilience Clinical Supervision Educator

My approach to supervision

As a supervisor, I strive to improve the ability of mental health professionals to survive and thrive through her use of an amalgam of restorative resilience and strengths-based models of clinical supervision. I use the Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue Version 5 (ProQOL) in my practice to assist my supervisees to identify the negative and positive effects of helping others. My focus is on trauma informed practice with the goal of sustaining compassion satisfaction.