Chris Wever Page

Chris Wever

I am a child psychiatrist who found it easier and more useful to write books for children than scientific papers, though I have produced some of these along the way. After I finished my training I worked for a number of years in a residential unit for teenagers. This I found was a pretty challenging experience but it certainly trained me well. During this time I provided a service to the rural areas of NSW for a number of years and through these trips the working relationship with Neil Phillips began. I also spent much time teaching health and educational staff and enjoyed this role very much. These days I work in Queensland, Australia in private practice and maintain my special interest in anxiety disorders in children and adolescents

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and me

While working at the residential unit "Rivendell" in Sydney I developed a special interest in young people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and was surprised that there were few guidelines for the treatment of this severe problem. I devised a treatment program which proved to be very effective. The first book "The Secret Problem" came about as an educational aid to help in the treatment of these young people. I felt it was important to teach young people about their problem so they could be an active participant in the treatment. The first book was so successful that it led to the others, "The School Wobblies" and "Full of Beans" . With Neil's collaboration and artistic talent it has been fun to produce material that has been so well received by young people with difficulties.

How I work

In my clinical work I feel that educating the sufferer and their family is the first step to good management. It encourages the young person to be a partner in the process of dealing with the problem. My approach is fairly eclectic though my leaning is to use cognitive behavioural techniques in the treatment of most problems with appropriate family work done in parallel with the cognitive behavioural work. I find that most kids and families accept this approach fairly well and is a good starting point in addressing most problems.

I have a number of ideas about other projects but just need to find the time to put them to paper. Hope you enjoy the books and find them helpful.

Email Chris at <delpis@ozemail.com.au>