Meet the Team

Meet the Team behind the service

Mary O’Brien

Mary has been involved with the Group for Women with Advanced Breast Cancer since it’s inception in 1999.

She is a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers, the Queensland Psychoanalytic-Psychotherapy Association, and the Australian Association of Group Psychotherapists. She has over 30 years of clinical experience, and works in private practice offering individual, couples and group psychotherapy.

Pia Hirsch

Pia joined the service in January of 2004, following the retirement of Dr Bronwen Beacham.

She is a member of the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists and the Australian Association of Group Psychotherapists.

She has over 30 years clinical experience, and works in private practice offering individual and group psychotherapy.

Mircha Mangiacotti

Mircha is the executive officer and has a behind-the-scenes role in the group. He deals with much of the correspondence, but also does most of the filming and photography at the workshops.

Matt Ascough

Matt is in charge of  the website, eMarketing and general graphical requirements.

Laura Jordan

Laura is the ABCG research assistant.  She collates and reports on the evaluations, and helps in any areas of research that are required.

More about Dr Bronwen Beacham.

From too much love of living, From hope and fear set free,
We thank with brief thanksgiving Whatever gods may be
That no life lives for ever, That dead men rise up never,
That even the weariest river Winds somewhere safe to sea.
AC Swinburne.
The Garden of Proserpine.

As an experienced Group psychotherapist, Bron was approached  by Dr David Kissane to run such groups as part of a randomized controlled trial he was wishing to conduct.

The trial was subsequently restricted to Melbourne, but having developed an interest in the idea of setting up such a group, and realizing that there were very few, if any, specific services for women with advanced breast cancer in Australia at that time, Bron and Mary O’Brien decided to set up the group in 1999 as a community based service.

Dr Bronwen Beacham retired from The Group for Women with Advanced Breast Cancer in December 2003. She is a psychiatrist and Group Psychotherapist.  She is a member of the Australian Association of Group Psychotherapists and the Queensland Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Association.