Dr Stephanie Atkinson’s path into social work was shaped by profound personal loss. The death of her daughter, she says, changed everything.

“Grief cracked me open, but through that, I found the clarity and drive to support others through their own suffering.”

What began as family counselling soon evolved into couples therapy and sexology. Today, Stephanie’s private practice brings together trauma therapy and clinical innovation, combining EMDR, Schema Therapy and sexology with deep human connection. “I work to create an affirming and non-judgemental space. I want people to feel safe enough to show up just as they are, especially when society has told them otherwise.”

Stephanie also works within Queensland Health, where she leads a mental health service, supervises clinicians, and drives workforce development. Her dual roles keep her anchored in both frontline support and broader systemic change.

“It is a dance between the micro and the macro,” she explains. “Both are vital, and both are deeply human.”

A familiar name in the profession, Stephanie chairs the AASW Queensland Clinical Practice Group and facilitates professional development sessions every six weeks. She has authored books, blogs and articles, but it is her mentorship of emerging social workers that she finds most meaningful.

“When someone tells me that supervision helped them find their voice or survive burnout, that is the most rewarding affirmation,” she says.

Stephanie believes impact is not always immediately visible. “Some of the most moving moments have been when people I worked with as teenagers return ten years later, asking for support as adults. It tells me that our connection was meaningful. That it stuck.”

Her own relationship with work has evolved in recent years. “Four years ago, I was a self-confessed workaholic. Six degrees, twelve books, over a hundred articles. But health challenges made me pause. I have learned to slow down and prioritise joy, balance and time with my family.”

These days, she enjoys gardening, spa time and personal reflection. “Our profession asks us to reflect constantly, and that is a gift. We grow as practitioners when we allow ourselves to grow as people.”

Looking to the future, Stephanie hopes to expand her supervision practice and advocate for greater recognition of social work. “We are so much more than forms and bureaucracy. We are relational, reflective, and rooted in justice.”

As the mother of a young social worker, her investment in the profession is both personal and enduring. “I want this field to be a place where people thrive, not just survive. That is the legacy I am working toward.”