Dr Maren Lindheim

Dr Maren Østvold Lindheim
Clinical Psychologist, Oslo University Hospital

Maren Østvold Lindheim is considered an international expert in utilising nature for positive therapeutic outcomes.

Maren is a clinical psychologist who works at the Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Hospitals at Oslo University Hospital in Norway with seriously somatically ill children and adolescents. In her clinical work she uses storytelling, clinical hypnosis, positive imagery, nature experiences and narrative approaches to help children, adolescents and their families cope with hospitalisation, treatment and chronical illness.

Her aim is to help the children help themselves by discovering their own resources and by facilitating the development of life stories of empowerment and health. Lindheim is head of the One year Education Course in Clinical Hypnosis at the Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, is at the Board of Institute for Active Psychotherapy, Education Program for specialisation in Clinical Children’s and Youth` s Psychology and is leading the research group: Friluftssykehuset/ The Out Door Care Retreat at Oslo University Hospital: The Outdoor Care Retreat | Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening (tidsskriftet.no)

WA Healthcare Experts

Professor Helen Milroy
Stan Perron Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Perth Children's Hospital and University of Western Australia
Co-Director, Embrace at the Telethon Kids Institute

Helen Milroy is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia but was born and educated in Perth. She is Australia’s first Indigenous doctor and child psychiatrist.

Currently Helen is the Stan Perron Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Perth Children’s Hospital and University of Western Australia and Honorary Research at the Telethon Kids Institute. Helen is the Chair of the Gayaa Dhuwi Proud Spirit Australia organisation and a board member of Beyond Blue.

Helen has been on state and national mental health and research advisory committees and boards with a particular focus on Indigenous mental health as well as the wellbeing of children. From 2013-2017 Helen was a Commissioner for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and from 2017-2021 was a Commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission.

In 2020, Helen was the joint winner of the Australian Mental Health Prize and named the WA Australian of the Year for 2021. Helen is also an artist and published author and illustrator of children’s books. She has been shortlisted for several children’s literature awards and received the 2021 Whitley Award for best early childhood reader for Backyard Birds.

Professor Desiree Silva
Co-Director, The ORIGINS Project, Telethon Kids Institute
Professor of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia

Professor Desiree Silva is Co-Director of The ORIGINS Project at Telethon Kids Institute and Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Western Australia. She is the inaugural Director of Research at Joondalup Health Campus and also provides a rural paediatric service.

Professor Silva has been involved in a number of strategic reviews including the impact of swimming pools in Aboriginal communities and paediatric planning for Western Australia.  She worked with the WA Health Department on a Needs Analysis which has enabled her to be part of translational research with the Paediatric Implementation Plan which provides state-wide service level recommendations, strategies and actions for Western Australia.

She has a strong interest in neurodevelopmental disorders with over 25 years experience in managing children diagnosed with ADHD, autism, anxiety and developmental disorders.

Professor Silva is on the board of Nature Play WA, is a strong advocate of having a healthy lifestyle, good work life balance and a sense of adventure.