Mr Hugh Nehrybecki1, Mr Andy Chia1, Ms Jessica Gormley1, Ms Natalie Wilson
1Problematic Behaviour Support Services, Richmond, Australia
Biography:
Natalie Wilson is a Senior Psychologist at PBSS with expertise in forensic assessment, court reporting, positive behaviour support, and intervention for individuals presenting with complex and high-risk behaviours. She is recognised for combining rigorous psychological formulation with a deeply person-centred approach, ensuring that client voice, dignity, and choice remain central to assessment and intervention. Natalie works collaboratively with families, support teams, and multidisciplinary services to translate complex clinical and behavioural information into clear, practical strategies. Her work is grounded in evidence-based practice, strong professional judgement, and a commitment to achieving sustainable outcomes that improve safety, functioning, and quality of life.
Abstract:
Harmful behaviour can be understood at two related but distinct levels. Functional Behaviour Assessment examines what the behaviour achieves in the immediate context: whether it enables escape, restores control, reduces distress, gains access or communicates a need.
Forensic case formulation examines the broader pathway to harm, including the interaction of developmental history, enduring beliefs, relationships, substance use, disinhibition and situational opportunity. These explanations should not be treated as the same.
Functional analysis helps explain why behaviour occurs in a particular setting and what maintains it, and formulation helps explain why similar harm may recur across settings and over time. Used alone, each leaves important questions unanswered.
This presentation describes how the Forensic Behaviour Support model integrates both perspectives through a dual formulation. The formulation asks three linked questions: What function does the behaviour serve in the moment? What factors sustain or escalate the broader pathway to harm? What conditions could interrupt that pathway and support safer alternatives?
Bringing these questions together changes intervention planning. Environmental adjustments may reduce immediate incidents, but this should not automatically be interpreted as reduced offence-related risk. Similarly, identifying risk factors is insufficient unless the treatment plan addresses when they become relevant and imminent, and how clinicians, support workers and the person themselves can respond.
The Forensic Behaviour Support model offers a unified account linking behaviour, clinical context and future harm, rather than a behaviour support plan and risk management report operating separately, with no shared explanation of what must change.