Dr Brigid Nossal

Experience, background and philosophy

Dr Brigid Nossal is co-founder of NIODA and currently serves as Principal Advisor within the Leadership Team, following previous roles as Deputy CEO and Director of NIODA Consulting. She continues to teach and supervise in the academic programs and is available for coaching, consulting, and research projects.

Brigid’s work is grounded in the belief that much of organisational life takes place “below the surface,” in the rich and complex territory of the unconscious. From this hidden domain arise both disruptive challenges and transformative ideas. Exploring these dynamics—bringing the unseen into awareness—creates opportunities for fresh learning and enduring change for individuals and organisations.

For over 20 years, Brigid has dedicated her career to advancing the theory and practice of systems psychodynamics in organisations. Her doctoral research, consulting practice, teaching, and ongoing inquiry all contribute to this field. A long-standing participant in Group Relations Conferences (GRC) in the Tavistock tradition, she has directed conferences in Australia and worked on staff teams in the UK, India, and China.

Brigid approaches her work with a blend of deep care and courage—questioning assumptions, opening space for new perspectives, and fostering meaningful, lasting change in how people live and work together. She sees consulting, teaching, and supervision as collaborative enterprises and brings 30 years of experience supporting diverse organisations.

Her recent work explores Freud’s notion of the Narcissism of Minor Differences (NMD). While organisations rightly focus on visible dimensions of diversity—such as race, gender, and identity—Brigid highlights how some of the most corrosive group dynamics can arise between people who appear most alike. She is interested in how organisations can understand and address these hidden dynamics to build more inclusive, resilient, and psychologically safe workplaces.