Hoarding industry experience:
The owner, trainer and supervisor of Hoarding Unpacked is Maire Joy Barron. She is a hoarding disorder specialist and informs her work by continually drawing on a mix of current industry information and from the below experiences the facilitator is currently working with, and has gathered during her work in this specialised sector:
- hoarding disorder specialist mental health worker for government services
- individual and group supervision services for workers
- developer of this course material and trainer in this specialised field
- direct in-home support work sustaining hoarding effected tenancies
- facilitating a hoarders support group ‘Buried in Treasures’
- donation of time in the community to assist family members in need addressing hoarding behaviours
- hoarding consultant for government agencies and at times families.
Maire Joy Barron has been working in the welfare field since 1998
I am an optimistic, energetic and resourceful human services worker driven by an appreciation for individual potential, empowerment and strong relationships with the people accessing my services. My motivation for my work is driven by my belief in people’s potential for change, informed by trauma informed practice and delivered with evidenced based approaches. Current professional memberships with: Australian Counselling Association, New Zealand Counselling Association, Society of Australian Sexologists.
EMPLOYMENT
Hoarding Unpacked previously Effective Approaches to Hoarding Behaviours –
2012 – Current – Business owner, trainer, supervisor, specialist mental health worker
Hoarding Unpacked training program AKA Effective Approaches to Hoarding Behaviours – the development and ongoing revision of this program, and the delivery of this program across Australia, New Zealand and online
Working as a hoarding disorder specialist for government health
Supervision services to professionals working with hoarding behaviours.
Consultant with a local Government Services. Local council and child safety services on hoarding behaviour cases.
The Co-facilitated a 12 week Buried in Treasures Support Group – supporting people living with hoarding behaviours to make changes.
Maire Joy Sexologist –
2023 – current – business owner and therapist.
Sex and relationship therapy for individuals and couples
Sex and relationship educator
Volunteer – Rainbow Advisory Group member for New Zealand Counselling Association.
Social Futures –
2014 – 2019
Youth counsellor (complex trauma, LGBTQI specific support, AOD, etc) for 10 – 24 yr olds in the Youth and Family Relationships Program and at Headspace Lismore. Developed and facilitated a Healthy Relationships Programs in schools and also promotion of positive sexual health to young people at festivals
Two years working front line in the Specialist Homelessness Services – capacity building and supporting recovery for the ongoing impacts of past and current complex trauma. Working with hoarding behaviours, budgeting and financial information, referrals, and advocacy, information on tenancies and general realestate info, goal setting, case management, crisis support. Delivering Hoarding and Squalor workshops for the community.
North Coast Community Housing Company –
Lismore (Grafton to Tweed Heads)2011 – 2014
A specialist position working with families and individuals aimed at building capacity to sustain tenancies. Working with hoarding behaviours, AOD, mental health, domestic and family violence, anger management, mediation, budgeting etc. Producing educational materials and industry updates to deliver in house and also into the community. Production of educational materials, and input into policy and procedures.
Mission Australia –
Lismore (Grafton to Tweed Heads)2009 – 2011
North Coast Post Release Support Program – supporting and case working Juvenile Justice Clients on release from detention, working within Aboriginal communities and forming strong agency partnerships across the region
Men and Family Centre–
Lismore 2011
Facilitating Keeping Cool work shops to youth – this is an educational program around conflict management and self-awareness.
Community Connections North Coast –
Lismore/Nimbin 2005-2009
Coordinator of Youth Housing @Nimbin , Youth Support Worker and Case Manager, Co-ordinator of the Nimbin Youth Club, Nimbin Youth Connections Program Organiser
Nimbin Neighbourhood Centre –
Nimbin 2006-2008
Safe Community Project Co-ordinator– Production of educational materials with youth involvement and implementation and delivery of educational workshops at the local school
Northern Rivers Area Health Service –
Nimbin 2006
Youth Health Education Officer –Production of sexual health educational materials with youth involvement and implementation and delivery of educational workshops at the local school
SHEACH Consultancy Pty Ltd –
Lismore 2005 Youth Mentor/support worker – high needs out of home care residential work
CASPA –
Lismore 2004 Youth Mentor/Support worker – high needs out of home care residential work
Jungle Patrol –
Nimbin 2003 Street Beat Worker.Syringe collection, youth club support, etc
TAFE –
Nimbin 2001 Teaching and coordinating an outreach – Get Skilled Certificate 1 in Clothing Production
Other work – before 2001 – volunteering at local youth agencies and being on local community committees – re Domestic Violence Prevention Committee, Community Drug Action Team, Police liaison meetings. Cafe and bar work, shop and office work (including ordering stock, employment of workers, Internet selling, banking), event organising, nursery hand,
ACADEMIC PREPARATION
- Southern Cross University – Bachelor of Social Science Majoring in Counselling 2012
- Post Graduate Studies in Sexology at Curtin University – 2024 ongoing.
- Advanced Narrative Therapy; Centre for Community Welfare Training
- Narrative Therapy Dulwich Centre – One week Intensive Training Course L1
- Understanding & Responding to Young Peoples Sexual Behaviours
- Mental Health in Children and Young People – Sal Consulting
- Beyond Developmental Trauma – Sal Consulting
- Trauma Informed Practice – in the Specialist Homelessness Sector – ASCA – Adults Surviving Child Abuse
- White Ribbon – Understanding Men’s Violence Against Women
- Men’s Resource Centre, Working with People to End Violence and Abuse, part one.
- Domestic Violence Alert Response Training
- NSW Domestic Violence Core Training
- Recognise and respond appropriately to D&FV – Lifeline
- Boundaries Core Issues – conducted by ‘Women Up North’
- Artistry of Facilitation
- Designing and Managing Community Based Projects
- Aboriginal Case Management Training
- Tracks from the Past – Aboriginal Attachment and Bonding Awareness Day
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid
- Mental Health Assessment of Aboriginal Clients – Indigenous Psychological Services
- Trauma Informed Care and Practice – An Indigenous Approach – We Al-Li
- Dadirri: Ancient Aboriginal Mindfulness Traditions – We Al-Li
- Working with Challenging Behaviours
- Fighting Fair – Mediation and Conflict resolution training
- Difficult but Necessary Conversations
- Certificate 4 in Youth Welfare TAFE
- Deep Dive SAR Gold Coast Sexology
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
- General Mental Health First Aid
- Mental Health Effecting Older People and Their Carers
- Beyond Blue Depression awareness course
- Facilitation Training for Keeping Them Safe
- COPMI – online training – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness
- Smart – online training – Strategies or Managing Abuse Related Trauma
- Working with Offenders Post-Release; Sydney Institute of Criminology
- Keeping Them Safe training x 2 days 16A etc; ACE
- Rock and Water Training
- First Aid Certificate
- Safe Home Visiting Practices
- SMART Recovery facilitation Training
- Effective Business Writing Skills
- Smart (SAAP)data entry
- Macsims data entry
- Tackling Tobacco – Working with youth to end tobacco smoking
- Certificate 4 Clothing Design and Production TAFE
VOLUNTEER WORK
- Supporting family members to addressing hoarding behaviours within their family.
- Being the MC microphone chick at various community events and fundraisers – ongoing.
- Past membership of the following committees; CDAT (Community Drug Action Team), NCDA (Nimbin Community Development Association) Jungle Patrol and the Domestic Violence Liaison Committee.
- Shared the co-ordination of the Nimbin markets, booking stalls and collecting money and making banners etc, during membership with the NCDA committee.
- Coordinated the ‘In Our Hands’ Re-Vamp Nimbin Youth Club project, including meetings, advertising, fund raising, public relations and letter writing. This project saw the repainting/murals of the local youth club and the purchasing of a sewing machine, furniture and games.
- Kept the Nimbin Youth Club open in between funding allocations.
- Big Heart film project. Worked as a mentor and assisted in two week long road trips with 60 youth attending, the youth put together a stage production in Moree which was then taken to Sydney to the Parliament house.
