Ms Kerrie James

Ms Kerrie James

Lecturer

BSW Hons. Cl1 (UNSW) MSW (U. of Calgary)M.Litt Gender Studies (U. of Sydney)

Arts,Design & Architecture
School of Social Sciences

Kerrie James is a Lecturer of Social Work at the School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UNSW.  She is the Coordinator of the Master of Social Work (Counselling) program.

Kerrie's research is about domestic violence, trauma, refugees and family therapy. She is currently working on a project exploring the capacity of counselling organsiations to assess and manage potential lethality in domestic violence situations. She is completing a project which looked at the extent to which  domestic violence occurs in natural disasters. She has also published on working with refugees in urban environments and on conceptualising therapist’s skills in couple and family therapy. Her recent work also explored issues in teaching social work students about trauma and training refugee lay counsellors in India. 

In 1999, Kerrie received the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy Award for Distinguished Contributions to Australian Family Therapy. Prior to joining the University in 2005, Kerrie was the Clinical Director at Relationships Australia NSW.

Research Areas

Domestic violence: differences in men's versus women's violence, men's experience of their own violence (ARC Industry Award in 1996); issues of forgiveness and responsibility in family violence; domestic violence and refugees; prevention of lethality in domestic violence for counselling organisations; domestic violence in natural disasters; counselling training in refugee contexts.

Current Research Projects

  • Developing psycho-social approaches to assist refugees who have experienced trauma and torture in Australia and in a number of overseas countries, including work with refugees from Burma, Somalia and Afghanistan in New Delhi, India (with the Centre for Refugee Research)
  • Developing organisations' capacity to utilise screening and risk assessment for identifying potential homicide. (collaboration with the Centre for Gender-Related Violence Studies at UNSW)

Postgraduate Research Supervision

Areas of Supervision
Workplace education; family therapy in adolescent mental health; refugee women and 'survival sex', clergy sexual abuse.

Current Postgraduate Research Supervision Topics

  • International Studies and Global Transformation, Survival-sex workers in India: an assessment of women’s health issues
  • Recognition of prior learning in vocational education and training - its role in identity constructionand potential for personal transformation
  • Parents' experience of mental health intervention in relation to their adolescent's admission to a psychiatric hospital 
  • Clergys' inappropriate behaviour towards parishioners - analysis of complaints received over a ten year period.

Teaching

Teaching areas
Kerrie is the program convenor for the Masters of Counselling Social Work, coordinating and teaching in the six courses that comprise this degree. Kerrie also teaches students in the Masters of Couple and Family Therapy and in the Batchelor of Social Work program.

Current teaching
SOCW2003 Working with Individuals, Families and Groups 1
SOCW3002 Working with Individuals, Families and Groups 2
SOCW3008 Therapeutic and Community Responses to Trauma
SOCF5101 Relational Contexts of Practice
SOCF5102 Selected Practice Frameworks
SOCF5004 Contemporary Theory Issues
SOCF5006 Clinical studies C

Affiliation and Memberships

  • Member, Australian Association of Social Workers
  • Member, Australian Association of Family Therapists

Other Information

Reviewer for the following journals: International Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, Journal of Family Therapy, and Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy

Mobile
+61406996399
Phone
+61406996399
Location
Rm. 134 Morven Brown
  • Book Chapters | 2015
    2015, '"Rights, relationship and reciprocity": Ethical research practice with refugee women from Burma in New Delhi, India', in Social Science Research Ethics for a Globalizing World: Interdisciplinary and Cross-Cultural Perspectives, pp. 167 - 186
    Book Chapters | 2014
    James KM; Breckenridge J; Barrett Meyering I; Braaf R, 2014, 'Responding to Domestic Violence in the Wake of Disasters: Exploring the Effects on Services and Workers', in Roeder LW (ed.), Issues of Gender and Sexual Orientation in Humanitarian Emergencies, edn. Humanitarian Solutions in the 21st Century, Springer, New York, pp. 125 - 138, http://www.springer.com/psychology/personality+&+social+psychology/book/978-3-319-05881-8
    Book Chapters | 2014
    James KM; Breckenridge J; Braaf R; Barrett Meyering I, 2014, 'Responding to Domestic Violence in the Wake of Disasters: Exploring the Workers Perceptions of the Effects of Cyclone Yasi on Women', in Roeder LW (ed.), Issues of Gender and Sexual Orientation in Humanitarian Emergencies: Risks and Risk Reduction, edn. Humanitarian Solutions in the 21st Century, Springer, New York, pp. 113 - 124, http://www.springer.com/social+sciences/book/978-3-319-05881-8
    Book Chapters | 2014
    James KM; Breckenridge J; Sety M, 2014, 'Understanding the risk of domestic violence during and post natural disasters: Literature Review', in Roeder LW (ed.), Issues of Gender and Sexual Orientation in Humanitarian Emergencies, edn. Humanitarian Solutions in the 21st Century, Springer, New York, pp. 99 - 112, http://www.springer.com/psychology/personality+&+social+psychology/book/978-3-319-05881-8
    Book Chapters | 2013
    James KM; Breckenridge JM, 2013, 'Child sexual assault - the contribution of social work to the legal process', in Swain P; Rice S (ed.), In the Shadow of the Law, edn. 3rd, Federation Press, Melbourne, pp. 74 - 89
    Book Chapters | 2013
    2013, 'Contributing to the prevention of domestic violence-related homicide A multi-systemic practice response framework', in Nakray K (ed.), Gender Based Violence and Public Health: International perspectives on budgets and policies, Routledge, USA, pp. 197 - 212, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203077344
    Book Chapters | 2011
    James KM; MacKinnon L, 2011, 'Establishing the Parental Hierarchy: An Integration of Milan Systemic and structural family therapy', in Rhodes P; Wallis A (ed.), A Practical Guide to Family Therapy, edn. first, IP Communications, Melbourne, pp. 59 - 75
    Book Chapters | 2011
    James KM; MacKinnon L, 2011, 'The why and how of separate parent sessions in family therapy', in Rhodes P; Wallis A (ed.), A Practical Guide to Family Therapy, edn. first, IP Communications, Melbourne, pp. 198 - 211
    Book Chapters | 2007
    James KM, 2007, 'Differentiation in Couple Therapy: Revisiting the Schnarch-Hendrix Debate', in Shaw E; Crawley J (ed.), Couple Therapy in Australia: Issues Emerging from Practice, edn. 1, Psych Oz Publications, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 337 - 350
    Book Chapters | 2007
    James KM, 2007, 'The interactional process of forgiveness and responsibility: a critical assessment of family therapy literature', in Hope and Despair in Narrative and Family Therapy: Adversity, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, edn. Original, Routledge, London, pp. 127 - 138
    Book Chapters | 2004
    James KM, 2004, 'Men’s Versus Women’s Intimate Partner Violence', in Point of Contact - Evaluation Report, edn. 1, Federal Government, Adelaide
  • Journal articles | 2014
    James KM; Brown J, 2014, 'Therapeutic Responses to Domestic Violence in Australia: A History of Controversies', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy: innovative and contextual approaches to human problems, 35, pp. 169 - 184, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anzf.1053
    Journal articles | 2014
    2014, 'Therapeutic responses to domestic violence in Australia: A history of controversies', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 35, pp. 169 - 184, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anzf.1053
    Journal articles | 2012
    James KM; MacKinnon L, 2012, 'Integrating a Trauma Lens into a Family Therapy Framework: Ten Principles for Family Therapists', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 33, pp. 189 - 209, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aft.2012.25
    Journal articles | 2012
    James KM, 2012, 'Training Burmese Refugee Counsellors in India', Intervention: International Journal of Mental health, psychosocial work and counselling in areas of armed conflict, 10, pp. 4 - 16, http://www.interventionjournal.com/
    Journal articles | 2012
    2012, 'Family Therapy and Trauma', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 33, pp. 187 - 188, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aft.2012.24
    Journal articles | 2012
    2012, 'Therapeutic Responses to Communities Affected by Disasters: The Contribution of Family Therapy', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 33, pp. 242 - 256, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aft.2012.29
    Journal articles | 2010
    James KM; Breckenridge JM, 2010, 'Domestic Violence Related Homicide – A Prevention Framework for Counsellors', Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Issues Paper series
    Journal articles | 2010
    James KM; MacKinnon L, 2010, 'The Tip of the Iceberg: A Framework for Identifying Non-Physical Abuse in Couple and Family Relationships', Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 22, pp. 112 - 129, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08952831003787867
    Journal articles | 2010
    James KM, 2010, 'Domestic Violence Within Refugee Families: Intersecting Patriarchal Culture and the Refugee Experience', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 31, pp. 275 - 284, http://www.australianacademicpress.com.au/Publications/Journals/anzjft.htm
    Journal articles | 2010
    2010, 'Caught in the Rejection-Abuse Cycle: Are we really treating perpetrators of domestic abuse effectively?', Journal of Family Therapy, 32, pp. 280 - 307, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6427.2010.00494.x
    Journal articles | 2009
    2009, 'Educating Social Work Students in Multifaceted Interventions for Trauma', Social Work Education, 29, pp. 259 - 275, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02615470902912250
    Journal articles | 1996
    1996, 'Truth or Fiction: Men as Victims of Domestic Violence?', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 17, pp. 121 - 125, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1467-8438.1996.tb01087.x
    Journal articles | 1992
    1992, 'Raising the Stakes in Child-at-Risk Cases Eliciting and Maintaining Parents' Motivation', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 13, pp. 59 - 71, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1467-8438.1992.tb00893.x
    Journal articles | 1992
    1992, 'Working with ‘The Welfare’ in Child-at-Risk Cases', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 13, pp. 1 - 15, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1467-8438.1992.tb00883.x
    Journal articles | 1991
    1991, 'Initial Meetings in Child-At-Risk Cases: Developing a Therapist-Family Alliance', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 12, pp. 175 - 185, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1467-8438.1991.tb00870.x
    Journal articles | 1990
    1990, 'THE “INCESTUOUS FAMILY” REVISITED: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF FAMILY THERAPY MYTHS', Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 16, pp. 71 - 88, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.1990.tb00047.x
    Journal articles | 1989
    1989, '"A Momentary Gleam of Enlightenment"', Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 1, pp. 3 - 24, http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/j086v01n03_02
    Journal articles | 1989
    1989, 'When Twos are Really Threes: The Triangular Dance in Couple Conflict', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 10, pp. 179 - 186, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1467-8438.1989.tb00763.x
    Journal articles | 1987
    1987, 'The Milan Systemic Approach Theory and Practice', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 8, pp. 89 - 98, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1467-8438.1987.tb01209.x
    Journal articles | 1986
    1986, 'Theory and Practice of Structural Family Therapy: Illustration and Critique', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 7, pp. 223 - 233, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1467-8438.1986.tb01184.x
    Journal articles | 1984
    1984, 'Breaking the Chains of Gender: Family Therapy's Position?†', Australian Journal of Family Therapy, 5, pp. 241 - 248, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1467-8438.1884.tb00099.x
    Journal articles | 1983
    1983, 'THE REPRODUCTION OF FAMILIES: THE SOCIAL ROLE OF FAMILY THERAPY?', Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 9, pp. 119 - 129, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.1983.tb01494.x

Reviewer for the following journals:
International Journal of Feminist Family Therapy
Journal of Family Therapy
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy.

Intervention: Journal of Menatl Health and Psycho-social Support in Conflict Affected Areas.

My Teaching

Post Graduate – Convenes the Masters of Counselling Social Work. Coordinates and teaches in five of the six courses that comprise this degree.