Trauma Support Providers

Professional Biography

I am a psychologist with twenty years of experience working predominantly in the area of trauma. The majority of my clients are survivors of domestic violence or childhood abuse. Early in my career, I worked at NSW Sexual Assault Services where I undertook extensive and focused training in the area of sexual assault.
Appointment frequency is dependent on each client’s needs, although most commonly this is fortnightly. My practice hours are between 9am and 4pm Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Usually I can get new clients an appointment within 4 weeks. Most of my clients attend under the NSW Victims Services program which covers 22 hours of counselling. I also take clients under the VVCS program (for Defence Force veterans) and Medicare (my fee is $145 per session and you can claim back about $85 from Medicare).
My rooms are deliberately calm and welcoming, in fact this is something clients often mention when they first attend. I have tried to make a counselling room that is more like sitting in a lounge room at home - I have lamps not fluorescent lights, nice images on the walls, and comfortable chairs.
I am highly experienced in managing the effects of trauma. I use a broad range of strategies to help with this process, and I will employ whatever is needed at the time. These include first and foremost, listening with the goal of understanding, grounding, cognitive restructuring, relaxation, narrative therapy, interpersonal therapy, graduated exposure, building self esteem, and parenting skills development. This is always in the context of respect and acceptance without judgement. I see counselling as a process where we work together as a team to address the issues you bring. But you, the client, guide the direction and focus of this process.
I work with survivors of childhood abuse and domestic violence because I hear them, I believe them, and am able to support their recovery. I am passionate about making a difference both to the individuals I work with and in the bigger picture of violence against women and children. I also think trauma is a great leveller. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, what you know, or how much money you have – trauma can affect us all.
As I am a psychologist, I am required to complete 30 hours of CPD per year to ensure my skills stay relevant. I spend most of these hours in the area of trauma.
I measure the effectiveness of my work using regular psychological assessments and I am always monitoring our progress to ensure we are staying focused on my client’s goals.
Although I believe the choice of psychologist is very personal and you must find someone that suits you, I can say that I do receive a lot of positive feedback and personal recommendations from my clients.

Client Types

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Couple
• Groups
• LGBTIQ