Since 1984 John has provided education and psychological services. He began his career as a teacher, then guidance counsellor, relationship educator, tenured senior university academic, and continued with extended studies and work in the USA and Italy. John trained at QUT (DipT, GradDipCouns), ACU (BEd), UQ (MEdSt), OhioU (PhD), and APF-Rome. As a Clinical Psychologist he bases his work on scientific research, clinical expertise, and lived experience, not crazy pop psychology.

Through of the encouragement of his wife, novelist Dr Sandra Antonelli, John has developed a passion for helping authors understand psychological issues, and integrate such ideas in their writing. Author of The Home Therapist and The Practice of Clinical Supervision, for many years he has also been the psychology expert columnist for Stylemagazine, and occasional commentator on ABC-Radio for psychological issues.