07 3830 5999 | Fax: 07 3607 2464
Taringa Central, Suite 10 / 165 Moggill Road, Taringa Qld 4068

About Romana

About Romana

Dr Romana Bowd Psychologist

Dr Romana Bowd is a Fellow with the College of Health Psychologists and has been working as a psychologist for over 25 years supporting clients in in hospitals, community health, community corrections and community organisations such as Lifeline and the Domestic Violence Resource Centre. She has also had a private practice for over 20 years. Romana has also worked as a research officer and an academic researcher and tutor at the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology in health promotion and health education for over 20 years and has continued her professional development by achieving her PhD in e-health (telehealth) and communication and relationship building. She teaches the Year 1 and 2 students at the School of Medicine, in Clinical Communication Skills.

She has a special interest in supporting community members living with chronic conditions and has supported clients living with an immunodeficiency. She has presented to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and authored articles on Carer fatigue and burnout, including many others topics in eHealth.

10 Questions with Dr Romana Bowd

What led you to choose psychotherapy or counselling as a profession?

When my dad was diagnosed with cancer (parietal lobe tumour) I watched his struggle with the diagnosis and then the need for him to face his mortality. I also watched as an older teen how the will to fight waxed and waned depending on how his treatment went. He unfortunately did not have a good prognosis and died shortly after. I realised that the human spirit can endure so much and that our emotions and attitude says so much about us as individuals. I left my unfulfilled Science degree and never looked back after starting psychology.

Which philosophical approaches have influenced your professional/personal development?

Mainly that our environment and our family can make us or break us, I was fascinated with attachment theories as a student. I understand now that we are authors of our own destiny.

Which particular aspects of health or the human journey are you interested in?

Generally the human spirit and how we can endure so much and learn so much about ourselves. We should never underestimate our own strengths but unfortunately the development of our frontal lobe which has made us ‘higher order animals’ impairs us in so many ways.

What method/s do you use?

Combination of Emotion Focussed Therapy for couples/individuals, Schema Therapy and the trusty CBT.

When do you think the client will start to feel that progress is being made?

When they start challenging their own thoughts and seeing that doing things differently can really make a difference.

How has therapy made you a better person?

I am humbled on a daily basis at the strength, courage and endurance of the wonderful clients who actively choose to make the massive decision to seek out a total stranger to help them start a new life.

What do you like most about being a therapist?

The opportunity and privilege of being included and invited to help people help themselves.

Do you ever have ‘bad hair’ days?

Oh you know I do! I pick myself up and brush myself off, push through and try desperately not to catch my own reflection.

What do you think is the most significant problem we face, in the world today?

I sound like a broken record but truly it is all about that we just get in our own way. Sometimes we forget our strengths and highlight our weakness and become tunnelled in our vision of ourselves.

Can you share the name of a book, film, song, event or work of art that inspires you?

When I read the story of Anne Frank for personal reasons as a child I began to understand the strength of the human mind.

Memberships & Affiliation

Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists & Managers
  • Professional Member
  • 1999 – current
Psychologists Board of Queensland
  • Full registration
  • 1999 – current
Australian Psychological Society
  • Full Member
  • 1997 – current
Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Brisbane Branch
  • Committee Member
  • 1997 – current
Rural & Remote Psychology
  • National Committee Member
  • 1996 – current
Australian College of Health Service Executives
  • Associate
  • 1997 – current
Women in Psychology
  • Committee Member
  • 1996 – current
Queensland Women’s Health Network
  • Invited Member
  • 1996 – current
Register of Office of Status of Women
  • Invited Member
  • 1995 – current
awards & achievements
2013 - Clinical lead e-health - Medicare Local Greater Metro South Brisbane
2012 - Clinical Lead - goACT e-health record Journal
2012 - Clinical Advisor - Community Broadcast Association of Australia
2005 - Expert Advisor - Faculty of Health QUT
2004 - iLeader - Innovation Branch Queensland Health
2003 - Winner of Whole Government Award - Premier's Award for Excellence in Public Sector Management Category: Innovation and Creativity
2003 - Winner of Statewide Award - Excellence in Partnerships Information Services - Statewide Queensland Health
1998 - Published Author - Maclennan & Petty Publishers Faculty of Health QUT