* I have returned from maternity leave and accepting new referrals for 2025 *
About me
I am a registered clinical psychologist based in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, the Dandenong Ranges.
I completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours from the University of Queensland, and a Doctorate of Psychology (Clinical) from Queensland University of Technology. I work with individuals ranging from late adolescence to adulthood. I have almost 10 years experience in public and private services, working with both inpatient and outpatients.
My therapeutic approach is client-centred and prioritises the development of an empathic, consistent, collaborative, and responsive therapeutic relationship. I offer an integrative approach to therapy, the foundation of which is rooted in psychodynamic therapies.
I work with individuals through Medicare, WorkCover, NDIS, DVA, Australian Defence, VOCAT, TAC funding pathways.
Services and Therapeutic Approach
I am trained in both brief symptom-focussed and longer-term therapies. A therapy is tailored for each person, using evidence based approaches including:
• cognitive behaviour therapy
• acceptance and commitment therapy
• dialectical behaviour therapy
• schema therapy
• mindfulness-based therapies
• trauma-focused therapies
• mentalization-based therapy
• attachment and developmental theories
• psychodynamic principles
• contemporary neurobiology research
I provide therapy for people with the following concerns:
• mood and emotion regulation issues
• issues with adjustment and life transition
• trauma related difficulties
• self-esteem and identity issues
• eating disorders
• chronic interpersonal and personality difficulties
• perinatal mental health
Longer-Term Psychotherapy
I also work with individuals seeking a deeper understanding of themselves, particularly those facing longstanding interpersonal challenges or feeling stuck in recurring patterns. My approach is grounded in psychodynamic psychotherapy, which emphasises the impact of early attachment and developmental history on how we relate to ourselves and others.
Together, we explore your family history, early relationships, and significant life experiences to uncover the unconscious patterns that shape your emotional and relational world. These patterns, while once protective, may now limit your ability to connect authentically with others or lead a fulfilling life. Symptoms are approached with curiosity and respect, seen as meaningful signals of parts of yourself that carry important truths about your experiences and emotional world.
Therapy provides a collaborative and compassionate space to delve into your emotions or parts of self, including those that may have been suppressed or avoided. By understanding how past experiences continue to shape your present, we can work together to address these patterns in real time. This process fosters greater self-awareness, enabling you to make choices that align with your authentic self and to build more fulfilling, connected relationships.
While my practice is firmly rooted in psychodynamic principles, I adopt an integrative stance as needed, tailoring therapy to your individual needs. This flexibility allows us to address the complexities of your experiences while staying focused on the deeper, long-term goals of growth and self-discovery.
Engaging in this work requires courage and commitment, but it offers the possibility of profound and lasting change. By understanding and addressing the ways your history influences your present, you can move toward a life that feels more aligned, meaningful, and genuine.
The Circle of Security® Parenting™ Programs
I am an accredited facilitator of the Circle of Security® (COS) parenting programs. The COS model is based on decades of attachment research about how secure parent-child relationships can be supported and strengthened.
Using COS, I work with parents to help them:
• Understand their child’s emotional world by learning to read emotional needs
• Support their child’s ability to successfully manage emotions
• Enhance the development of their child's self esteem
• Honour the innate wisdom and desire for their child to be secure.
I am an advanced COS facilitator and supervisor. I offer both the COS-Parenting (COS-P) program and the COS-Intensive (COS-I) program. The COS-P program involves reviewing and reflecting on the COS video materials, whereas the COS-I program additionally involves specific parent-child relationship assessments and tailored treatment planning before the program commences. Therefore, with COS-I, the sessions, including video materials, becomes completely individualised for that parent and that parent-child relationship. While there are several accredited COS-Parenting (COS-P) facilitators in Melbourne, I am one of only two in Victoria further accredited to deliver the COS-Intensive (COS-I) parenting program.
I run COS-P with groups, couples, or individually, and COS-I in pairs/couples, or individually (Medicare rebates may apply).
I am currently undertaking my accreditation as a Supervisor for the Circle of Security - Intensive Program with Joe Coyne and taking expressions of interest for those clinicians who have completed the COS-I training and wanting to undertake their own accreditation for the COS-I Program. Supervision would be offered at a reduced rate. Please contact me directly for further information.
Clinical Supervision
I provide professional supervision and consultation to psychologists, provisional psychologists, and other health professionals. I am an approved supervisor with the Psychology Board of Australia and offer supervision for:
• work in addition to higher degree training
• higher degree programs
• clinical psychology registrar program
• peer supervision
• research supervision
Fees and Appointments
My fee is $210 per 50 minute session. With a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, you are eligible for a Medicare rebate of $141.85, for up to 10 sessions per calendar year.
For those making the commitment to a longer-term psychotherapy, a reduced rate following the Medicare rebated sessions may be available.
I also accept Victims of Crime (VOCAT), Traffic Accident Commission (TAC), Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) referrals, and I am a registered service provider for WorkSafe and Defence Force members.
