Psychological Digs In Paradise

As a teaching novel, this book seeks to demonstrate ways in which a past with significant traumas does not need to hold us captive. It involves an enjoyable expedition on to an island called Rustenberg, where its characters mainly inhabit the town affectionately known as KP - Kleine Paradijs. In a tranquil tropical setting the reader is introduced to further psychological insights about several people and their oft misunderstood behaviours and reactions. A seeming simple year's research trip investigating coffee morphs into unexpected encounters with the visitors' pasts, as well as their becoming part of a tragic event that spoils the deceptively safe tranquillity of the island experience.

Written by two retired psychologists with many years' experience as practitioners, the journey allows us to explore individual responses to life's curved balls, while learning to accept the very real limitations of believing in the idea of paradise on earth.

The teaching novel genre is based on a previous international award-winning book John wrote with two colleagues: A Guide to Promoting a Positive Classroom Environment.

"Here is a book rich in insights that will help liberate readers from things that have held them captive."

Rev Dr Peter Crawford OAM, Anglican Minister, Vice President CMS Australia, former secretary EFAC Australia

John's primary school teaching experience was followed by many years as a practicing developmental psychologist in country Victoria, Australia. A mid-career quantitative PhD from The University of Melbourne saw him return to his passion of teaching but this time in tertiary education. John was awarded the 2020 Australian Psychological Society's National Award of Distinction in recognition of his work at Monash University leading the Graduate E&D course and directorship of the Krongold Clinic, as well as four years as National Chair of the College of E&D. With his wife and colleague Esther, his research passion has been modelling individual differences in thinking.

After initial secondary teaching experience, followed by raising 5 children with her husband John, Esther's many years as a community-based psychologist was then further explored within her own more qualitative PhD, into individual differences in ways of thinking. She joined John in the University setting, teaching counselling and clinical psychology to Educational and Developmental graduate students. Her teaching included sharing her experiences of a broad case-based range of therapeutic approaches, with a practical application of well-developed theory-based psychological understandings. These are evident in this book and also in a forthcoming book: A Psychologists Casebook, Ark House, 2022.