Overview

Proudly presented by the College of Organisational Psychologists - WA (COPWA) and sponsored by the Australian Institute of Management WA (AIMWA).

What does psychology look like when it goes to work? Not in the clinical consulting room, but in the boardroom, on the mine site, in the executive team meeting, and across the everyday moments that shape working lives?

As part of Psychology Week 2026, the College of Organisational Psychologists WA invites psychologists, business leaders, HR professionals and anyone curious about the human side of work to an evening that brings the national theme - Psychology in Action: How Psychology Changes Lives - vividly to life.

Every day, organisational psychologists across Western Australia are helping businesses build better leaders, healthier workplaces and stronger performance - changing lives in the process. This event pulls back the curtain on that work, and shows what becomes possible when psychology and business come together. Whether you're a psychologist wanting to understand the breadth of organisational practice, a business leader looking to unlock the value psychology can bring to your organisation, or a student exploring career pathways, this event is for you.

Panel 1: Leadership Through the lens of psychology

Leadership isn't just a business capability - it's a psychological one. This panel explores how psychological principles shape effective, human centred leadership, and why investing in leadership development and the systems that drive change pull the most powerful levers for both organisational performance and employee wellbeing.

Moderated by Leanne Faraday-Brash, the panel brings together COPWA members with expertise in leadership, senior business leaders who have experienced psychological coaching and development first-hand. Together they'll unpack how leadership behaviour cascades into employee mental health, the role psychologists play at executive and board level, and what every WA leader should understand about why psychology is critical for success.

Panel 2: Psychology in Action - Real Stories from WA Workplaces & Beyond

This is where the theme comes to life. Moderated by Dr. Kelly Gough, President of the Australian Psychological Society, COPWA members from across sectors and service types share real stories from their practice - the moments where their work impacted individuals, teams or the organisation as a whole.

From FIFO and the resources sector to post pandemic ways of working, this panel showcases the distinctly Western Australian face of organisational psychology, busts some common misconceptions about what organisational psychologists actually do, and highlights local consulting and research projects making a difference right now.

Networking - Ask an Organisational Psychologist

We close the evening on a personal note. This informal networking session gives you direct access to practising organisational psychologists - a rare chance to ask the questions you've always wanted answered. How do I know if my workplace needs an organisational psychologist? What could you do for my business? How do I find the right psychological services for my needs? How do you become an organisational psychologist?

Come with your questions, leave with connections.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this event, participants should be able to:

• Understand what organisational psychology involves - and the value it brings to organisations
• Appreciate the diverse range of psychological services benefiting businesses across WA
• Understand the scope and potential for organisational psychologists to operate at executive team and board level
• Appreciate the power of multi-disciplinary teamwork in delivering organisational services
• Gain insight into WA-focused consulting and research projects
• Know how to find and engage a psychologist to address your business needs

Presenter(s)

About the presenter(s)

Ms. Leanne Faraday-Brash is an Organisational Psychologist and Principal of Brash Consulting, a boutique practice specialising in workplace investigations, psychological safety, culture reviews, change and executive and Board coaching. Leanne works at the intersection of organisational psychology, organisation development and ‘workplace justice’ (EEO, discrimination, bullying and other psychosocial hazards).

Leanne is a company director, practice owner and strategic adviser with more than 30 years' experience working with government, regulators, arts and culture agencies, sport, health, education and financial services. Working from the boardroom to the boiler room and the police station to the power station, her career has focused on high impact interventions to strengthen culture and safety, leadership, integrity and organisational performance in complex environments with clients who deliver public value. Leanne is passionate about partnering organisations that face complex organisational, reputational and people-related challenges.

Leanne is a proud Fellow and Board Director of the Australian Psychological Society, Fellow of the College of Organisational Psychologists and a volunteer field psychologist with the APS Disaster Response Network. From 2010-2018 Leanne was Coordinator of the Media Panel for the College of Organisational Psychologists and has appeared on television, national radio and in digital and broadsheet publications.

Leanne is the author of “Vulture Cultures” (Australian Academic Press) and a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). In 2022, Leanne was the recipient of the Educator of Excellence Award by Professional Speakers Association of Australia, a PSA Hall of Fame Award.

In her time outside work, Leanne is State Integrity Officer for a large community sporting organisation and was appointed to the role with the Australian delegation at the International Games overseas in 2022 and 2026. She is also an avid but dispirited St Kilda Football Club supporter and a passionate AFLW mentor.

Dr. Kelly Gough is a Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist with over twenty years of experience in evidence-based practice. His clinical background keeps him connected to the realities of frontline care, but his focus as APS President is on leadership that brings people together, supports good governance, and strengthens the profession for the long term.

Across his time in the APS, including serving as national Chair of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists and in state leadership roles, Kelly has prioritised creating spaces where members feel heard, respected, and able to contribute. His leadership style is warm, collaborative, and steady. He works by drawing people into constructive conversations, building consensus, and keeping decisions grounded in evidence and the strategic priorities of the Society.

Education and mentorship are central to Kelly’s work. He teaches and supervises across university and clinical settings and is committed to supporting clear, accessible, and sustainable training pathways. He also brings a strong commitment to the diversity of practice within psychology and to improving equitable access to mental-health care across Australia.

Notes

Parking is available at the venue and light refreshments are provided.

Target Audience

This activity is aimed at a broad audience including business leaders, practicing psychologists, early career psychologists working in organisations and postgraduate students.

Please note:

• This is a Member Groups event. All communication will be sent to the registrants’ registered email address. This includes event reminders with details (such as the venue details) and any pre-event or post-event resources, if provided by the facilitators.
• A post-event email will be sent within two weeks of the event’s completion to each registrant’s registered email address. This email will include the CPD certificate, and any additional resources shared during the session.

Duration of Access

This event will not be recorded.

CPD

It is up to attendees to assess and determine how learning from this event aligns with the requirements of their learning plan. The providers accordingly do not make any representation that the event counts towards attendees’ CPD learning requirements. If an attendee determines themselves that the learning they complete aligns to their learning plan, then they can decide to count those hours towards their CPD requirements for the registration cycle.

The information in this presentation has been prepared in good faith and for educational purposes only. Therefore, the information is general in nature and should not be relied upon in the treatment of any condition and you should seek your own independent professional and/or legal advice concerning any specific issue. The APS accepts no responsibility for any errors, omissions or decisions relating to the information. The content should not be reproduced without permission or unless permitted by law.

If you are experiencing registration difficulties please contact APS Events Support.