About Dr. Ann
Pioneering Therapeutic Counselling Practice with a Focus on Trauma, Abuse, and Social Justice
Dr Ann Carrington has been a respected Social Work practitioner, academic and researcher for over 20 years. She embodies a caring and supportive approach to education, research, and her therapeutic practice. With her heart firmly set on fostering social justice, inclusion, and human rights, Ann is dedicated to creating positive changes in society, particularly for those who are vulnerable and marginalised.
After many years as an academic and researcher at both Deakin University and James Cook University, she is delighted to be returning full-time to her first love - working with survivors of trauma and abuse. Her therapeutic counselling practice draws on her years of experience and research across a range of areas, bringing to her practice extended knowledge and experience from years of academic teaching, research and supervision.
Some of Dr Carrington’s most significant contributions to practice include the development of the ‘Vortex of Violence’, the development of Integrated Spiritual Theory, the Dentist Domestic Violence: Recognise, Respond and Refer program and the Australian first Dentistry Specific Domestic and Sexual Violence Educational Resources.
The ‘Vortex of Violence’ is a therapeutic practice model for moving beyond the cycle of violence and engaging clients in change. This piece was published in the British Journal of Social Work in 2014 making it available to practitioners worldwide. Dr Ann continues to develop this model through her research and practice and provides training courses in this approach for working with survivors of domestic violence.
Integrated Spiritual Theory was developed through extensive research and practice. Many elements of this theory and approach have been published in a range of journals and book chapters over the years. Dr Ann is currently developing training for this approach to allow others in the helping professions to integrate spirituality into their practice with clients.
The Dentist Domestic Violence: Recognise, Respond, Refer program is a multi-award winning program that was a first of its kind in Australia. In response to student experience and feedback Dr Ann in collaboration with JCU Dentistry and Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service designed, delivered and evaluated this program that has delivered domestic violence curriculum to the Bachelor of Dental Surgery students at JCU, since 2015. As of 2023, recognising, responding and referring appropriately to domestic and family violence become a required competency for all graduating dental students across Australia.
Dr Carrington and JCU Dentistry were successful in securing a grant from the Queensland Government Attorney Generals Office to design, develop, deliver and evaluate simulated dentistry specific educational resources that assist in teaching dentist how to recognise, respond and refer appropriately from a trauma informed approach to those who are or have experienced domestic and sexual violence. This project is ongoing to early 2025.
Dr Ann has also contributed locally with research collaborations with Queensland Police, Child Protection Investigation Unit, Cairns; Mission Australia; Mareeba Community Housing Company; and the Cairns Collective Impact on Domestic and Family Violence.
Dr Ann has served as a member of the North Queensland Women’s Legal Service’s Management Committee in the periods 2016 - 2020 and 2023 - continuing.