UWA and me
After completing my bachelor’s degree and PhD through UWA, I began work in the pharmaceutical industry. This was a rewarding time in my life as the job allowed me to travel and work in a variety of medical arenas. After having children, I decided I wanted a change to a position that allowed me to balance work and family life, so I returned to UWA to complete my mediation accreditation and then studied externally to become a family dispute resolution practitioner. My time at UWA was crucial to all facets of my professional life, not just academically, but also through the friendships from UWA that have continued to support me personally and professionally.
From medicine to mediation
My passion has always been to help improve the health of individuals in the hope that the assistance not only affects the life of the individual, but also those around them. Initially, this was done through research and medicine, but I've now moved to help others resolve conflict in a non-threatening way, with the ultimate goal of increased understanding and communication for all parties involved. I hope that through the UWA Mediation Clinic, a grant project made possible by support from the UWA Alumni Fund (thank you UWA graduates!), we can help the UWA community in which we live and work to thrive.
A clinic for our diverse community
I love being able to interact with a diverse group of people. Working in the UWA Mediation Clinic has provided me with the opportunity to meet people from a variety of professions. In the future, I hope the clinic can expand to include involvement from a range of faculties and I am excited to collaborate with the UWA community.
Words of wisdom for current students
I would encourage you to put your phone away and have as many face-to-face conversations as you can. True friendships that extend beyond a social media boundary will make your time at UWA even more rewarding.
Dr Lisha van Reyk is a workplace and family mediator with a medical research and pharmaceutical background.
After completing a Bachelor degree (Hons) in Biochemistry, Lisha moved on to research at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. During this period, her research focused on asthma, allergies and subsequent anxiety levels in adolescents. She was awarded a PhD in 2008 through the School of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Western Australia. Lisha then spent several years working in the pharmaceutical industry.
A nationally-accredited mediator and family dispute resolution practitioner, Lisha is UWA Mediation Clinic Co-ordinator and Research Director, ensuring the clinic delivers evidence-based conflict resolution services that are tailored toward each individual case.