Q&A with Sephy Pariente

UWA Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology graduate (2019)

I am a corporate psychologist and an organisational psychology registrar, currently working as a consultant across a range of industries, including government and private sector. I provide specialist advice on areas such as recruitment, coaching, change management, teamwork, mental health, psychosocial risk, rehabilitation and career transitioning.

I work on individual, team and greater organisation levels to create the most effective interventions for those impacted. I also work alongside other allied health professionals to ensure a holistic approach is taken where possible and that all work is undertaken with the scientist-practitioner model in mind.

What aspects of working in psychology do you most enjoy?

Psychosocial risk identification and management is a special interest of mine. I have worked closely with many clients to detect risks and develop plans for addressing them. I am also accredited in using psychometric assessments for selection and development purposes.

Above all, I am passionate about promoting mental health awareness and educating others on recognising early warning signs in themselves and others. Whether this is working with individuals using short-term solution-focused therapy or facilitating training to entire organisations to build a strong mental health culture, this is always at the forefront of my practice.

What do you love about your job?

Working in consulting means I am exposed to many different industries, from the resources sector to education, and care services to government departments. I get to deep-dive into culture and psychosocial factors that impact those I consult with and am able to utilise my skills to best improve those situations for them, meaning their futures hold more positive outcomes. I enjoy creating successful workplace interventions, and I believe that as we spend most of our time at work, it is imperative we make each workplace the best it can be.

Reflecting on your time at UWA, what experiences were most important for your development?

My postgraduate degree at UWA was such a wonderful experience. I told myself going back to university after a four-year break that I would be happy with just one friend and I walked into so much more than that – a whole family of other students, as well as our lecturers. Still to this day, our cohort is close, sharing resources and always up for peer consulting or debates about which model is best to use. Our lecturers also really helped shape us into the practitioners we wanted to be, with their knowledge and guidance, and unwavering support.

Through the placement opportunities and research areas in my UWA degree, I was able to gain experience with medical teams, women in mining, age diversity, stereotypes and the unique challenges faced by those groups. I was also able to become accredited in several psychometric assessment tools, which has been invaluable for the work I am doing now.

Data driven and with a strong background in research, I am now particularly well placed to provide insight into trends and experiences of individuals and workplaces. My postgraduate degree definitely helped set me up with a strong foundation of skills and knowledge for my work.