Mrs Laura Berry1
1TRUE Reproductive Health , Cairns, Australia
Biography:
Laura Berry is a Nurse Practitioner at TRUE Reproductive Health and Clinical Coordinator for the Torres and Cape Sexual & Reproductive Health Team. She has spent most of her career working in remote Australia and worked extensively with diverse populations. Laura is passionate about trauma-informed, person-centred care and improving access to reproductive and sexual health services in resource-limited settings. She has established nurse-led clinics, created and delivered education to remote clinicians, and advocates for client autonomy. Laura combines clinical expertise with practical education to empower both clients and healthcare providers.
Abstract:
Access to contraceptive choice looks different in rural and remote Australia. Shame, stigma, geography, confidentiality, and limited workforce mean clients struggle with access to choice. Many contraceptive discussions in primary health settings are opportunistic, arising during sexual health checks, cervical screening, or other routine consultations. This requires clinicians to deliver trauma informed, person centred contraceptive counselling with compassion and confidence.
This interactive workshop explores contemporary contraceptive options with a focus on supporting clients experiencing reproductive coercion or intimate partner violence issues that can be more prevalent and hidden in remote communities. Participants will engage in practical exercises and case-based discussions, including:
• Identifying opportunities for contraceptive counselling during routine consultations.
• Applying trauma-informed and person-centred approaches to support client autonomy.
• Tailoring contraceptive recommendations in complex circumstances, including confidentiality concerns, transport challenges, or partner influence.
• Reviewing PBS-listed medications and pain management strategies, including Penthrox for IUD insertion.
Designed for clinicians working across primary and rural and remote health settings, this workshop uses small-group discussion, interactive case studies, and scenario-based problem solving to build confidence and competence in supporting clients’ contraceptive choice in real-world practice.
All participants will receive a Contraceptive Consultation Kit to take away, including demonstration IUDs and Implanons, a Penthrox training pen, and evidence-based resources to support effective, confident contraceptive consultations