Jorg Thonnissen
(B.Psych., M.A. Psych., Cert. Hyp. MAPS)
I hold a 4 year Bachelor as well as a 2 year Applied Master of Psychology degree from a renowned Western Australian University. I have written two theses of which one is concerned with self-esteem building measures in children and young adolescents, and the other with the effectiveness and validity of psychological measures in recruitment (to order this publication from the National Library of Australia click here)
Before entering into private practice, I received extensive training in mediation and conflict resolution from a large Western Australian (WA) based organization specializing in relationship counseling. Consequently, I hold facilitator certificates enabling me to work with individuals, couples or in group environments to identify , address and mediate their various issues of concern . In addition, I worked for the same organization in the capacity of group facilitator, providing psycho-educational training to their wide ranging client base.
Furthermore, I have been working with the WA Police Recruitment and Selection Branch conducting psychological interviews and various psychological assessments, as well as working in WA prisons to evaluate the implementation of staff performance systems.
Beyond this, I was trained by the Australian Academy of Hypnosis in the application of Traditional Hypnosis for clinical purposes under direct guidance of Dr. Rick Collingwood, a widely acclaimed Hypnotist who recently won gold and platinum awards for his record breaking hypnosis CD’s. I am very much indebted to his dedication to the profession of clinical hypnotherapy and Rick freely sharing more than 15 years of field experience with me. I have also had advanced hypnotherapy training with the Californian based psychotherapist and hypnotherapist Cal Banyan. His 5 Path process is widely acclaimed as being one of the best approaches to hypnotherapy.
Life Experience
I am in my early to mid 40′s, married for almost 20 years now, and the proud father of a daughter who is in her prime adolescent years. I like to think this qualifies me to somewhat understand what it means to be committed, responsible, and experienced in a number of different ways, especially what the maintenance and steady advancement of a relationship is concerned (i.e. the ability to find better ways to communicate, compromise and therefore advance beyond a short-sighted self to achieve more effective outcomes) .
As for my earlier days, I have been a navy diver in the German defense force for a number of years, a time that enabled me to expand mental and physical boundaries to new levels.
Thanks to an entrepreneurial mindset, I have owned and operated a diverse range of businesses in the past of which I currently still own one operation (since 1992) that employs over 15 full time, part time and casual employees here in Western Australia.
I believe that the knowledge of owning and operating a variety of businesses has given me an invaluable practical as well as theoretical experience relating to the world of commerce, such as finance, accounting, marketing and customer relations, as well as in areas of human resource management (i.e. staff training and motivation).
Furthermore, I am bilingual (German and English), with a partner from yet another country. Consequently, albeit the often more complex communicational efforts required in a multicultural setting, I have come to understand that cultural diversity can be a real advantage when exploring new and better ways to make things work.