Katie Carter

OVERVIEW

Katie has over 20 years experience as a qualified social worker and social work academic. Her practice is human rights centred, intersectional and has been developed through critical, creative and contemplative pedagogies. She has strong and trusted ties with the social work sector. This credibility has made her sought after for projects, research and training. 

Katie draws on this experience in her teaching and receives ongoing feedback that this is enriching to social work students. Years of actual social work practice, an ongoing commitment to continuing this work in private practice, combined with research sets Katie apart. 

She is committed to the development of the social work profession and is available to take on research students and at times clinical supervision for social workers in the perinatal mental health and trauma intergration areas. 

A LITTLE BACK STORY

Katie began her career in social work in Central Queensland in the late 1990s. This came from her direct experience of observing challenges and inequalities in her community. She has practice and research interests in gender, trauma, mental health and family violence. She has worked extensively in social work practice including many years of direct service provision. She has also held senior roles in the areas of policy, practice and sector development. 

She has worked in different areas in Australia including in remote, rural and regional settings as well as a couple of capital cities. She has also practiced social work in the United Kingdom and Bangladesh. 

Alongside teaching and research roles at UWA. Katie works in her small private social work practice. Working with parents during the perinatal period is one of her greatest loves. This is a potent time and one that requires community support and care. She believes that if there are changes to be made in our world, it starts right here. Investing in parents and mothers is inventing in the betterment of our shared world. 

Katie considers completing a PhD while raising her babies an achievement. Her focus at the moment is supporting others to become social workers so that they may be able to address the contemporary challenges that humanity faces. 

As a social work educator Katie's pedagogy is embedded in creative, contemplative and reflective practice. She draws on embodied practices, narrative and role play to support students in gaining confidence in their practice. She loves making theory practical and practice theoretical. 

Katie is trusted in the social work sector and is sought after for consultancy work in many different areas. Being grounded in social work remains her pursuit, while pursing an academic career.

Katie has interests in diverse areas including mental health and wellbeing, perinatal mental health, family and domestic violence, living with the impacts of trauma, relational healing, human rights scholarship, feminisms and intersectional approaches, qualitative research, contemplative, critical and creativity in social work practice and social work education, critical theory and reflective, reflexive practices, mindfulness, spirituality, yoga and social justice.