May 23, 2025#WeAreNorthern
Meet Casey O’Brien, Senior Psychologist – OHS & Wellbeing, People and Culture at Northern Health.
Q: First, let’s start with your coffee order?
A: Skinny cappuccino or flat white. We have a morning ‘coffee walk’ ritual in our team, so coffee is very much part of our culture.
Q: Tell us about your journey at Northern Health?
A: After 10 years at St. Vincent’s Hospital, I started at Northern Health in 2021 during the COVID pandemic. As a people person, it was challenging to build relationships with managers and staff when I was largely working from home. Now, a favourite part of my role is being invited into different spaces across Northern Health, taking a tour, and talking to staff about wellbeing and what matters to them. My current role is quite diverse which is the way I like it! Depending on the day I could be delivering education, working on our wellbeing strategy, or supporting a team through a critical event. Each area at Northern has its own culture and strengths within our broader culture of care, so taking time to listen and understand the needs of each area is important to providing support.
Q: What is the best part of working at Northern Health?
A: While I may have the ‘wellbeing’ job title, I have met many people here who are equally passionate about wellbeing and do amazing work to promote wellbeing in their areas. We established the NH Peer Support Program in 2022, and I am especially proud of our peers who provide kind, compassionate and really practical support to staff who are navigating challenging situations.
Q: If you weren’t in your current role, what would you have been instead?
A: I originally wanted to study Tourism Management because I loved to travel and plan holidays! I have been lucky to have a diverse career working in research, as a therapist providing individual counselling, and also as a yoga teacher. I also considered forensic psychology to work in criminal investigation and behavioural analysis, but I will leave that to Hollywood, lol.
Q: Tell us one thing not many people know about you?
A: I lived in Dublin, Ireland for four years during my 20s. When I hear an Irish accent now it is a sweet moment and takes me back to that time. I met so many amazing people (I never got a taste for Guinness though!) and enjoyed travelling around Europe and the UK. My grandfather grew up in Deventer in the Netherlands and came to Australia after World War II. I had the privilege of travelling there and meeting my Dutch family, walking in his footsteps. It was very special.
Q: Sweet or savoury?
A: Give me a bowl of salt and vinegar potato chips and I am happy!
Q: Mountain or beach?
A: I am definitely not a sun bather but love walking along the beach on a windswept early evening, taking in the fresh air and sounds of the ocean is very therapeutic!
Q: What advice you’d like to give to your younger self?
A: Trust your judgement and don’t worry so much about what others think – do what is right for you.
