Dr Kieran Forster

FRANZCP, BA (philosophy), B.Laws(hons), MBBS

Dr Forster is a Brisbane Psychiatrist in private practice with general training in psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. His practice is particularly focused on:

• Adult ADHD (associated poor academic / work performance, anxiety and low self-esteem.)…2nd opinions.
• ASD / Aspergers / Intellectual Disability / high IQ
• How childhood onset ADD can cause depression and anxiety
• ( how you can grow up adapting poorly to ADD)
• developing your emotional resilience
• Individualised psychotherapy for otherwise high-functioning people, seeking greater self-understanding and self-actualisation, with less anxiety
• Integrative (Mind / Body) Psychiatry : Understanding the interplay of low mood, brain fog,  fatigue, obesity, chronic pain, stress and the need for a holistic treatment approach
• Finding your Best Self : emotionally present, accountable, autonomous, resilient, creative, self-aware and compassionate
• Surviving a Toxic Workplace …avoiding misinterpretation, recognising trauma, assertiveness, seeing clearly
• understanding the sociology of dysfunctional work environments and how they traumatise. How can some helping professions appear to be a recruiting ground for narcissists? How to tolerate such painful paradoxes
• how to develop healthy narcissism and reduce pathological narcissism (see Kohut)
• Creating Access for all via Telehealth (Zoom)

GOAL OF TREATMENT  :  “My aim is to provide you with the most helpful, holistic treatment plan with emphasis on stress management, diet, exercise, meditation, breathwork, yoga and psychotherapy (eclectically inspired by the mindfulness, Existentialist, Jungian, and Integrative traditions). I use medication in an evidence-based way, in parallel with a psychotherapeutic relationship based on respect for individuality and trust.”

“My goal is the discovery of you as a whole person, achieving cognitive clarity (focusing on work and academic performance), identification of your value system, attaining mood stability, and strengthening of your sense of identity and direction. This often involves supporting you through the process of self-development, mind and body. The emphasis is on you developing your self with my help. Your motivation and commitment is essential. Commitment to the work is essential to meaningful collaboration.“

as per Dr Nancy McWilliams, the Ten Vital Signs of Therapeutic Progress:

-greater attachment security

-improved self and object constancy

-increased sense of agency

-more reliable and realistic self-esteem

-greater resilience and affect regulation

-greater ability to reflect on self and mentalize others

-more comfort in community and alone

-more vitality

-greater capacity for forgiveness , acceptance and gratitude

-greater capacity to work, love and play

SPECIAL INTERESTs:

recovery from toxic workplaces. Much trauma comes from dysfunctional workplaces. Work is the stage on which we act out our best and worst selves, and much human suffering in western society seems to flow from the self-ignorance, permitted narcissism and psychopathy of human behaviour magnified by the crucible of the work hierarchy. Work should give you autonomy, freedom from abuse and deep satisfaction.

recognition & treatment of dysfunctional narcissistic dynamics

repair of trauma….the presence of trauma is essentially the sine qua non of human existence, and needs recognition before it leads to repetition of negative interpersonal dynamics

Re-narrativising one’s life story in the context of neurodivergence (ADHD and ASD)….our life narratives direct us (identity formation)

Seeing my patients excel and do better than they ever hoped to (self-actualisation without exhaustion)

Re-connecting my patients to the power of self-awareness through writing about their lives between sessions (journaling or intermittent writing to foster mindfulness)

Providing support to fellow doctors and registrars 

BACKGROUND  :  Dr Forster is medically-trained and has extensive experience in general psychiatry with emphasis on people with Adult ADD / ADHD, trauma (including PTSD in veterans), Aspergers, ID, personality disorders and forensic psychiatry. He has a BA in Continental philosophy as well as an Honours degree in Law from the University of Qld.

FEES :  This Brisbane Psychiatrist practice generally does not bulk bill, but all fees are subject to generous Medicare rebates and out-of-pocket expenses contribute to patients meeting the threshold for the Medicare Safety Net, and thus higher rebates .The more you come, the less you pay, essentially. The AMA gives specialists a general guide on the cost of sessions by time. Please ask reception.

TELEPSYCHIATRY (Zoom) appointments are often used with significant Medicare rebates. Skype or equivalent use of the online space makes seeing your doctor much easier.  Dr Forster does not have an affiliation with any particular hospital, private or public. His practice does not include hospital visits any more.

INITIAL ASSESSMENT usually involves at least 2 sessions. After Dr Forster has gained a sense of what your main difficulties are, he will discuss with you what treatment approach is best for you. He may refer you to other clinicians with special expertise. Not all referrals can be accepted due to demand and time constraints. Adult ADHD is not a simple diagnosis, nor a diagnosis of exclusion and needs to be thoroughly assessed for. ASD is a complex and often subtle way of being & seeing the world / others. It should be diagnosed and treated with the highest degree of nuance and subtlety.

Psychiatric Treatment is primarily a mix of psychotherapy, social change and medication.

Brisbane Psychiatrist

Better Minds Clinic

(Located within Westside Eye Doctors)

p: 07 3188 5185

f: 07 3189 2533

5/180 Moggill Road
Taringa Qld 4068

Patient parking available onsite and on street