Dr. Stephen Spencer (PhD) is a highly specialised clinician and educator whose career is dedicated to the safety and psychological well-being of young people, and the professionals who care for them. As the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of Rest in Essence and EquiEnergy Youth Dr. Spencer provides expert clinical supervision to nursing teams at John Hunter Children’s Hospital (JHCH), utilising a wealth of experience gained across the most challenging sectors of mental health.
Stephen’s practice is built on over 30 years of experience in high-acuity environments. His diverse clinical background allows him to provide supervision that is deeply grounded in reality: Forensic Adult Mental Health: Stephen has worked within adult forensic mental health settings, and a significant portion of Stephen’s career has been spent in frontline roles within acute child and adolescent mental health inpatient units. His expertise in this field is recognised peer-wide, having nursed and assessed thousands of young people in crisis. Since 2006, Stephen has been a trainer in the Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression (PMVA), specialising in helping staff manage episodes of acute distress with safety and dignity. Stephen’s doctoral research was born directly from his work on the wards. His PhD focused on nurses’ responses to adolescent distress in acute mental health units, providing an evidence-based framework for how clinicians can better manage “in the moment” psychological crises. This research was not just academic; it was designed to bridge the gap between theory and the actual experience of a nurse on a busy shift. Building on his research, Stephen developed the Coach 2 Cope program through EquiEnergy Youth. Central to this program is the TAR3 Psychological First Aid framework—a simple, evidence-based process designed for anyone supporting a young person in distress.
Through his work with Rest in Essence Dr. Spencer provides specialised clinical supervision to nursing teams at John Hunter Children’s Hospital (JHCH), fostering a culture of resilience and reflective excellence.
Stephen’s supervision sessions offer a structured, confidential space for nursing staff to navigate the unique emotional and clinical pressures of paediatric healthcare. His approach integrates several key pillars:
Reflective Practice: Encouraging nurses to analyse clinical encounters to deepen their self-awareness and refine their professional intuition.
Emotional Regulation: Utilising his expertise in trauma-informed care to help staff manage the “compassion fatigue” and secondary traumatic stress often inherent in acute paediatric settings.
Team Cohesion: Facilitating group dynamics that strengthen peer support and improve communication within multidisciplinary teams.
Psychosocial Support: Bridging the gap between clinical demands and personal well-being, ensuring staff feel heard, validated, and empowered.
