GET TO KNOW STEVE

Steve Barlow has spent most of his working life in the field of education. Beginning as a teacher of French, German, and English, Steve worked in a variety of public and private schools. He was head of an English Department and held leadership roles in the senior secondary school.

In the early 1980s, Steve gained his master’s degree in the field of educational psychology.  His thesis examined the effect people’s attitudes have on their ability to gain new knowledge.

In the mid-1990s, Steve moved out of education for a few years and worked in a start-up charter boat business operating on Sydney Harbour.  Steve was involved in all aspects of this business, from marketing and sales, office administration, staff management, customer service, and cruise directing.

In the early 2000s, Steve began working in the NSW prison system. For 7 years he ran individual and group coaching sessions for maximum security inmates in the field of anger management and conflict resolution. During this time, he participated in three major departmental research projects.

Steve gained qualifications in teaching English as a second language and also adult education qualifications.

Because of his experiences in the correctional system, Steve became interested in the topic of change readiness and how to identify it in people. He completed a PhD program in educational psychology, for which he won the ‘Outstanding Thesis Award. The topic was on change readiness.

Steve and his partner, Stephanie, went on to establish The Change Gym as a place where people can build change readiness – where they can develop the psychological capacities needed to be successful at the change process. You will get a sense of what this involves by examining this website.

Steve also teaches change, change fitness and change readiness to graduate students at the University of Tasmania’s School of Medicine.

Steve has written or contributed to 6 published books – four on the topic of change and change readiness, and two on the topic of correctional rehabilitation. He has presented at numerous conferences around Australia and overseas. Steve has also completed courses in theology and horticulture.

When he is not working, Steve enjoys cooking, writing, reading, walking, photography, fountain pens, watches, aircraft, and spending time with family and friends.