Like all registered psychologists, I take a science-based approach to understanding the human mind, emotions, behaviour and relationships. I’ve worked with a wide range of people and issues across my career, including working with adults experiencing mental health difficulties (e.g., anxiety and depression) and other challenges to emotional well-being, personal growth and development.

You may hear me refer to myself as an ‘Ed & Dev psych’ – that’s an abbreviation there for ‘Educational and Developmental Psychologist’ – meaning I have completed advanced training and education in addition to the minimum level required for general registration as a psychologist in Australia. This includes a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) and a program of additional supervised training in this area of practice. While many Ed & Devs focus on working with children and families, my niche is working with adults using an applied developmental psychology framework. Human development, opportunities for positive growth and new learning, transitions, adjustments and life ‘stuff’ that can knock us off our desired developmental trajectories do not magically end when we become ‘adults’ at 18!

All humans experience ongoing development, growth, and learning across the lifespan and I love bringing an Ed & Dev perspective to my work with adults, particularly those who want to focus on mental health, emotional and psychological well-being in a way that is framed in understanding that we are all a whole person, rather than as a set of  ‘symptoms’ or ‘diagnoses’ driven by a medical-based model. As a developmental psychologist, I know that your story, identity, choices, relationships, how you think, feel, cope, and how see yourself and the world can be complex and messy sometimes, and all of these things have the potential to impact on mental health and well-being in both negative and positive ways. I’m totally ok with us going to those more complex places if you need someone to help you make sense of it all, and walk alongside you as you navigate who you are, who you have been, and what you want for your future. Likewise if you are all about optimisation, self-knowledge, and building on the positives, I’m your gal.

People are complex and life and relationships can be complicated, exciting, disappointing, fascinating, overwhelming, joyful, confusing, wonderful and terrible… sometimes all of those things all at once! There’s lots to understand, untangle, and embrace in our journeys as human beings and I love helping my clients to understand more about themselves, their lives, and what they need to thrive. We do not live our lives in isolation – what’s happening for us personally across the lifespan is influenced not only by our innate temperament, personality, neurobiology, preferences, values, history, etc. but also by the multitude of influences around us and the things that happen to us – our family experiences, our relationships, as well as the systems, institutions, culture, social “norms” and expectations that we are surrounded by, immersed in, and need to interact with – this understanding of what it is to be human is the ‘bread and butter’ of developmental psychology!

I work hard at taking a positive, strengths-based and affirming perspective that embraces divergent and varied experiences and ways of being. I actively and regularly seek feedback from my clients and know it’s key to forming a strong therapeutic alliance and to helping you get the most out of your appointments. People who work with me know I get excited when you let me know something is not working for you, or suggest something that could be changed to work better – my philosophy is that I can’t ‘fix things’ or do better to support you if I don’t know there is a problem, so I welcome feedback and encourage you to share what you really think!

I am skilled in treating a range of general mental health concerns including:

• Anxiety Disorders such as Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Attacks/Panic Disorder, Phobias
• Trauma (PTSD and Complex-PTSD)
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Depression and Low Mood
• Grief and Loss
• Adjustment Disorder

I am passionate about supporting the growth and recovery of adults with histories marked by childhood trauma, childhood emotional neglect, or difficult family-of-origin experiences; those who have experienced the impact of relationships with people who are emotionally immature or narcissistic; adults who may experience challenges to their well-being, relationships or sense of self because they were raised in a family where emotions were suppressed, ridiculed, not expressed, or expressed ‘too much’ or in frightening and unpredictable ways. I also have a talent for helping people more clearly see patterns that may have developed to help them survive in the past (emotionally, psychologically, physically) especially where such patterns are no longer needed for survival, and are preventing the development of new, healthier, more adaptive ways of being and connecting with self or others. 

Maybe you had lots of positive opportunities, a roof over your head, and practical support but your feelings and experiences were invalidated, you only felt valued for achievements rather than just for being ‘you’, and now now find you struggle to feel ‘good enough’, constantly sacrifice your needs for others, don’t set boundaries, and end up feeling like you are responsible for everything and everyone. You are exhausted, and overwhelmed, and know you need more balance in your life but have no idea where to start or what that would look like.

You are at the ‘top of your game’ professionally and look to ‘have it all together’, you are a ‘high achiever’, and you tell others you are ‘fine’ when inside you feel you are languishing, burnt out, unappreciated, that you can’t be yourself, that you are ‘going through the motions’ or being hypercritical of yourself and are unable to show any self-compassion. You want to work to better understand the ‘why’ and how you can have a more fulfilling and enriched life and healthy relationships with yourself and others.

You need some help setting boundaries around your work and realise you have neglected personal, health or relationship needs and want to build out those other aspects of life in ways that are fulfilling and meaningful. You have enjoyed success in your career and professional life and are nearing retirement or are career change and are unsure about how to successfully transition. You don’t know who you are without work or other professional responsibilities and you want to find out what else makes you happy and gives you a sense of purpose and well-being.

‘Quirky’ and ‘weird’ are cool in my world (like Dr Suess – IYKYK). I love to support adults who are neurodivergent, especially late-identified ADHDers or self-identified neurodivergent folx. 

I want everyone I work with to feel safe and comfortable. I want you to feel you ‘seen’ (in a good way!) when we work together and will hold space for you, just as you are, with no judgement. I want you to feel you can take off the ‘mask’, to not be ‘fine’ and to be able to let your guard down to work on what’s important to you. Maybe you feel like you don’t ‘fit in’ or that you are a ‘black sheep’ in other parts of your life – I work hard to understand you and your unique perspective and experiences.

My space is more like a living room than a ‘clinic’ – I like it that way and hope you will too – I want you to feel safe and relaxed when you come for therapy and to feel at ‘home’. Working with me may come with an optional side-order of fidgets, low or no lighting, strategies to help you focus and prioritise what you want to work on, or finding ways to help you stay on-track during your sessions if that’s what’s helpful.