Our Forest Lodge Team

Jace is Co-Director of Birchtree Centre of Excellence. She began her career as a Registered Nurse, working within Acute and General Psychiatry, Drug and Alcohol, Palliative Care and Eating Disorders. It was during these years that she retrained as a Clinical Psychologist. For fourteen years Jace then worked within the field of addiction in a variety of roles. She designed and co-ordinated a six week residential rehabilitation program, with a focus on the treatment of complex trauma for women with histories of substance dependence. Jace has also completed the intensive Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) training and subsequently co-ordinated the implementation of a 12 month out-patient DBT program. Jace subsequently completed the three year Diploma of Psychotherapy with the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychotherapy (ANZAP). It was through these professional experiences that Jace developed an interest and passion for working with survivors of complex trauma. She recognised and holds as deeply important the need to shift from a frame that asks ‘what is wrong with someone’ to one that questions ‘what happened to this person’. Jace believes in the importance of creating a safe space that holds and contains both clinicians and survivors enabling them to come together to focus on healing and recovery. This passion for working within the field of Complex Trauma resulted in Jace and Dr Sophie Reid opening Birchtree Centre in October 2015.

Jace provides clinical supervision regularly to clinicians, including clinical registrars. She has also taught for a number of years within the post graduate clinical psychology programs at the University of New South Wales, University of Technology and University of Sydney. Within her role as Co-Director of Birchtree Centre, Jace and Sophie have provided training on complex trauma to many private and public health agencies, as well as to a number of legal services.

Setting up Birchtree Centre also highlighted to both Jace and Sophie the need for the provision of support to clinicians and survivors of complex trauma in rural and regional Australia. In line with this need, Jace and Sophie have launched the Birchtree Foundation through which they provide workshops, support groups, supervision and mentoring.

Sophie is Co-Director of Birchtree Centre of Excellence and is a clinical psychologist with 20 years of experience. She holds a Masters of Clinical Psychology and a PhD in Child and Adolescent Psychology. Understanding families, relationships and the day to day challenges of both growing up and raising children underpin her clinical work. A passion for child advocacy has lead Sophie to focus her clinical work on helping people heal from the trauma of childhood difficulties and trauma and to assist people to become a more peaceful integrated self and return to the person they were born to be. In her work with parents and couples, Sophie seeks to support adults to interrupt the intergenerational impact of childhood trauma. Sophie has extensive experience working with adults, children and adolescents, parents and families at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, with Sydney’s homeless community, school communities, and in private practice. Sophie specialises in helping both individuals and families to recover from trauma, anxiety and depression, eating disorders, grief and loss, addictions, relationship issues, workplace and childhood bullying, and childhood illnesses.

Together with Jace Cannon-Brookes, Sophie established the Birchtree Centre of Excellence in Trauma, Addiction and Eating Disorders in 2015 to address the pressing need to provide a place for adult survivors of childhood trauma to be welcome, held and heal. The Birchtree Centre has run a number of workshops and training for clinicians on complex trauma. The newly founded Birchtree Foundation was launched to provide trauma support and care to regional communities and to conduct cutting edge research to impact and interrupt the outcomes of childhood trauma.

Alex has a warm, open and down to earth style. She has worked with individuals and families privately, as well as in hospital and university settings. Providing a safe and non-judgemental space, Alex gives clients room to process life’s challenges, get to know themselves better and create meaningful lives.

Drawing on modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness techniques, Alex works with clients to create intervention plans that align with their values and strengths.

Alex sees adult and adolescent clients with a range of needs, including:

• Anxiety, worry and stress
• Depression, mood problems, low-motivation and hopelessness
• Trauma
• Parenting and family challenges
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Adjustment and interpersonal difficulties

Alison is a warm and compassionate clinical psychologist who provides psychological therapy to adults. She completed her Master of Clinical Psychology degree at Macquarie University and has worked for over 35 years in a variety of roles in public health and private practice. Alison has worked extensively in the fields of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence, as a clinician and manager. She also has experience in health psychology.

Alison works with people who are experiencing a wide range of psychological problems including anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, grief, and complex post traumatic reactions including child and adult abuse and sexual assault trauma. She has specialized skills in working with adults who have had difficult childhood experiences. These experiences often result in psychological difficulties such as perfectionism, self-criticism, shame, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse/addiction, self-harm, relationship and parenting difficulties, adjustment issues and sexuality concerns.

Alison works from an empowerment model using a range of techniques to help facilitate growth, connection and personal autonomy. She is able to provide medium term therapies as well as long term psychotherapy.

Alison has provided clinical supervision and consultation to a wide variety of government and non-government agencies and individuals.

Anila has been practicing as a psychologist for over 5 years, and has been passionately developing her skill as a therapist throughout that time. She holds general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia Anila brings a broad range of experience to her practice, having begun her career in educational and developmental psychology, and in private practice working in mood disorders, anxiety and depression. Most recently she has geared her career towards specialising in eating disorders. Anila has lived in Melbourne for several years where she was a psychologist at Eating Disorders Victoria and is currently working as at Northside West Hospital in the eating disorders unit. She brings with her extensive experience in providing short and long term therapeutic interventions for individuals affected by self-harm, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem. She has particular interest in working with complex emotional and interpersonal trauma, and in continuing her specialisation in eating disorders.

Anila draws from a range of therapeutic interventions tailored to suit the needs of each individual. She uses evidence-based therapies to address psychological problems, and has extensive training and experience using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and DBT skills.

Ariana is a warm and down-to-earth clinical psychologist. She enjoys connecting with people and aims to facilitate a safe and non-judgmental space to help people explore their challenges and create more meaningful lives and relationships. Ariana works with adolescents, adults and families from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.

Ariana has experience working with a range of presentations, including trauma and abuse, complex trauma, emotion dysregulation, relationship difficulties, mood disorders, anxiety, eating disorders, parenting difficulties, and grief and loss.

Ariana’s clinical experience comes from working across various public, private and university settings. Ariana enjoys working in an authentic and collaborative style, drawing on evidence-based approaches tailored to individual client needs and goals. Ariana’s therapy modalities include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). She also draws on Mindfulness, polyvagal theory, attachment, and family therapy approaches.

Ariana is an AHPRA Board approved principal and secondary supervisor to registrars for Clinical Psychology endorsement.

Ariana is also a Casual Academic at the University of New South Wales.

Ashley is a registered psychologist currently undertaking the clinical psychology registrar program. She has a warm, authentic, and compassionate therapeutic style and works with adolescents, adults and families. She provides a safe, open and containing space to process the challenges of everyday life and understands the importance of working with clients to establish goals and a treatment plan that aligns with their unique strengths, resources and personality. 

Ashley works from a compassionate, trauma informed perspective utilising techniques from a range of therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), attachment theory and Family Based Therapy (FBT). She has a keen interest in supporting individuals and families through the challenges of eating disorders and embraces the Health at Every Size (HAES) approach.

Ashley has experience working in acute inpatient, outpatient and community settings and also works in a hospital eating disorder outpatient program for adolescents.

Ashley is able to see adolescents and adults with the following presentations:

• Eating Disorders and disordered eating
• Acute and complex trauma including PTSD
• Anxiety, worry, stress and procrastination
• Depression, mood disorders, hopelessness and low motivation
• Attachment trauma/challenges
• Relationship and interpersonal difficulties including family and parenting challenges
• Perinatal mental health
• Difficulties adjusting to major life changes

Dr Beata Robins is not accepting any new referrals at this time.

Beata completed her PhD and Master in Clinical Psychology at the University of New South Wales. She has extensive training in the psychological assessment and treatment of adults, adolescents, children and their families. She has worked across a variety of clinical settings including hospital inpatient and outpatient units, a university clinic and private practice. Beata’s special areas of interest are: depression, anxiety, attachment, trauma, grief and loss, eating disorders, addiction, relationship issues, and psychosi

Beata enjoys working with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and walks of life. She has a deep appreciation of how many of the difficulties and concerns that clients experience are understandable given specific life events, as well as social, cultural and familial factors at different stages of a client’s life. Beata endeavours to create a non-judgemental and accepting space where clients can feel safe to explore the challenges they are experiencing, increase self-understanding, and where their individual strengths and wisdom gained from their personal journey can be nurtured and built upon. Beata works collaboratively with clients using a wide range of evidence-based treatment approaches tailored to their individual needs.

Candy Liu is a warm and compassionate Clinical Psychologist who is devoted to providing the best evidence-based psychological care within a trauma-informed framework. Candy is curious and sensitive in her therapeutic approach and enjoys working collaboratively with clients from across the lifespan, and diverse backgrounds, and to establish a safe and open environment where they feel heard and supported.

Candy is trained in and draws upon a range of modalities, including Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and other mindfulness-based therapies, to tailor treatment that meets her clients’ needs and supports their growth, well-being and development towards personally meaningful goals. She has special interests in emotional regulation and relationship challenges, acute and complex trauma, anxiety and mood disorders, grief and loss, disordered eating, self-esteem and identity concerns, and adjustment difficulties. Candy also has growing interests in couples’ work and in understanding how relational dynamics can inform wellbeing. Prior to starting at Birchtree, Candy worked therapeutically and in clinical research with individuals, families and systems in the areas of cross-cultural mental health, disabilities, and crisis support.

Carla is a registered psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar who completed her Master of Clinical Psychology at the University of Sydney. Carla is conscious of social factors which contribute to mental distress, including marginalisation and disadvantage on the basis of race, gender and sexuality, socio-economic status and intergenerational cycles of complex trauma. In recognising the impact of these factors, Carla’s therapeutic lens broadens from considering what may be ‘wrong’ with the individual, to considering which social and interpersonal experiences may have brought them to therapy.

Carla’s approach is informed by theories of the neurophysiological effects of trauma and she draws from such therapeutic modalities as Schema Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Existential Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She takes a collaborative,attachment informed and systems-focussed approach with clients to support them in their distress and to nurture meaningful change and development.

Carla works with people experiencing anxiety and depression, trauma and relational trauma, difficulties with sense of self, emotional regulation and substance use, as well as questions of gender and sexuality, neurodiversity and relationship difficulties. Carla is a warm and non-judgemental person who has a calm presence. She considers it an honour to sit with people in their most profound distress and finds meaning and purpose in this work.

Chantell is a clinical registrar who adopts a client-centered approach, offering warmth and comfort to her clients. Drawing from the framework of cognitive behaviour therapy, schema therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), she tailors her approach to the needs of her clients, working collaboratively to find the best approach.

She has experience with mood disorders, anxiety, Borderline personality disorder, life stressors, trauma and bullying. She has facilitated group therapy, providing education and techniques about mental health concerns, in a community health setting. She has clinical experience in public health, community mental health, tertiary education, and the NGO sector. She has experience with clients across the lifespan, and within the LGBTIQ(+) community.

Danielle is a clinical psychologist who has practiced as a psychologist for over ten years. Prior to gaining her qualifications Danielle worked in the community sector for 20 years supporting people to improve their circumstances and overcome adversity.

Danielle’s clinical expertise is broad and includes working with adolescents, their families and adults across a range of areas including depression, anxiety, relationship stress, complex trauma, sexual abuse and sibling sexual abuse, drug and alcohol issues, and disordered eating. Danielle has worked in the community sector, public health, and private practice.

Danielle has a gentle, warm and compassionate approach in assisting individuals and families with their concerns and providing therapy to meet their specific needs. She has a passion for assisting people to improve their emotional well-being and to overcome the impact of adversity.

Danielle has special interests in helping people who have been impacted by trauma and/or are experiencing emotional or relationship stress, and people facing difficulties with disordered eating.

Danielle has completed specialist training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Impact and Treatment of Childhood Trauma, Sexual Assault Counsellor Training, Sibling Sexual Abuse, and Treatment for Eating Disorders.

Danielle Russom is not accepting any new referrals at this time.

Danielle has over 15 years experience working with clients both in the community sector and in her own private practice.

She specialises in working with couples and groups, with people living with HIV, the LGBTIQ community, complex trauma, and executives in the corporate sector.

As a Somatically trained Psychotherapist and Life Coach, Danielle is particularly interested in how her clients have adapted in their lives in response to their external environment. She works from the frame that body, mind and emotions are intimately interrelated and that if you can better understand yourself, then you have more capacity to make choices in your life that will best serve you.

Danielle is passionate about supporting her clients to achieve whatever it is that they desire in their lives, and in providing them with tools and techniques that will assist them in creating a more harmonious and healthy environment.

Danielle has more than five years of experience in facilitating the Trauma Support Groups at Birchtree. She currently runs the Forest Lodge Trauma Support Group.

Diana Sales is not accepting any new referrals at this time.

Diana is a psychologist specialising in trauma informed care who has completed her Masters of Clinical Psychology at Western Sydney University. She has worked extensively with people from a wide range of cultures and identities in her role as a psychologist as well as in her 10+ years as a social worker in the homelessness and youth sector.

Diana identifies as an indigenous Quechuan woman and is proud to be called family by the Kamilaroi people. She has worked with a diverse population in her career, people from marginalised backgrounds experiencing hardship, isolation and family breakdown and has a passion for working with First Nations, migrants, women and young people. Identifying underlying issues of trauma, including developmental, situational and complex trauma, Diana works collaboratively to help support her clients, their families and community.

Diana works with clients who are struggling with depression, anxiety, identity and relationship difficulties, disability, DV, loss and grief, learning disorders, chronic pain, and substance abuse. She tailors her therapeutic modalities to suit the client and works within a mindfulness space, utilising techniques such as early intervention, emotion regulation, attachment therapy, narrative therapy, CBT, ACT and Schema. Diana is a bubbly, kind, and a patient person who builds holistic relationships with her clients to support them and achieve their goals.

Eliza Sajo is not accepting any new referrals at this time.

Eliza Sajo is a Clinical Psychologist with a compassionate, warm and authentic therapeutic style. Eliza is passionate about collaborating with clients to tailor treatments that meet their needs, utilise their strengths and help support their values and goals.

Eliza has worked with adults and young people who have experienced acute and complex trauma. She has worked with a range of client presentations, including anxiety and mood disorders, relationship problems, emotion regulation and self-esteem concerns, disordered eating and adjustment difficulties. Eliza also has experience in public health and private settings, supporting individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, families and carers, and people with complex medical needs or concerns.

Eliza is trained and experienced in a range of evidence-based modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness-Integrated CBT. Eliza has a particular interest and passion for working with survivors of complex trauma and is committed to creating a safe space for healing and recovery.

Fiona Lumsdaine is an experienced psychotherapist specialising in relationship counselling. She provides a safe, non-judgemental therapeutic environment, helping individuals, couples and families to heal and communicate in a more direct and connected way. Fiona’s approach, based on a lifetime of counselling, teaching and experience, is that our shared humanity is stronger than our differences – that the way forward is best navigated with empathy, curiosity and compassion. She helps develop the skills necessary to identify, negotiate and resolve relationship challenges. Fiona also has a specific interest in helping individuals, couples and families dealing with issues related to LGBTQI and cross-cultural challenges.
As a qualified Interdisciplinary Collaborative Practice (ICP) coach, Fiona is uniquely able to help couples going through separation and divorce to reach positive, mutually-beneficial settlements. ICP is a team-based, principled-negotiation approach designed to keep both parties in control of the outcome and to avoid the need for costly, traumatic litigation and Family Court intervention.
As an educator, Fiona teaches a specialised course on conflict resolution and mediation skills in the health care sector. She also runs workshops helping couples and families negotiate their way through separation and divorce in a way that helps preserve and evolve their parenting and communication skills in order to minimise trauma for all members of their families.

Gabrielle is a registered psychologist undertaking her clinical psychology registrar program. She is a thoughtful, open, and compassionate therapist who seeks to create a safe space for individuals to understand their difficulties and work towards their objectives. Informed by research and experience, she believes in the value of developing a healing therapeutic relationship that supports people to explore their psychological experiences holistically and authentically; in their own way and at their own pace.  

Gabrielle takes an integrative approach to her work by drawing on schema, attachment-informed, family systems, cognitive behavioural, relational, dialectical behavioural, and narrative therapies. She tailors this approach to the unique needs and preferences of the individual in a way that seeks to acknowledge the dynamic impact of their contexts (including the socio-political) on their wellbeing.  

Gabrielle has had the privilege of working with individuals seeking support with a range of trauma-related challenges across university, community, and public hospital settings. She has an ongoing interest in working with adults and young people presenting with the consequences of childhood, relational, family-of-origin, and/or systemic trauma including as they manifest in difficulties with mood, eating, body image, relationships, sense of self, emotional regulation, anxiety, and/or substance use.  

John is a compassionate and empathic Accredited Mental Health Social Worker who holds a Master of Counselling Social Work. John has been working in direct clinical practice for over ten years and enjoys working with people from diverse and varied backgrounds. John’s professional interests include trauma and complex trauma, eating disorders and disordered eating, sexuality and working with LGBTIQ+ communities. John also provides therapy for mood and anxiety disorders, carers of people with illness or mental health issues, grief and loss, couples and families.

John has worked across both public health, not-for-profit organisations and lectured at University including:

• Being a Local Eating Disorder Coordinator for Public Health where he implements the Statewide Eating Disorders Strategy including service and workforce development, and clinical consultation to individual clinicians and multidisciplinary teams.
• Developing Public Mental Health care pathways for members of the Transgender and Gender Diverse Community.
• Developing and evaluating carer services across the public health sector including a carer’s suite of services for a Statewide Tertiary Service.
• Guest Lectures at University level for social work and community welfare work courses, and delivering and providing extensive training and professional development across multiple sectors.
• Public health policy development and review across Statewide hospitals and community health providers.

John is passionate about working collaboratively to support the journey of self discovery and resilience building with clients and families. John provides therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Psychotherapeutic Approaches and Family-based therapies.

John also enjoys clinical supervision and enabling clinicians to feel confident and empowered within themselves. John is experienced in building workforce capacity, empowering individual clinicians and teams, quality improvement and striving to achieve access and equity for people living with mental health issues, their carers, family and significant others.

Jude Tynan is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Family Therapist.  She has over 20 years of clinical experience in working with individuals, families and communities that have experienced the impact of trauma. Jude has worked in a variety of settings including hospitals, community health, sexual assault and domestic violence services, prisons, counselling services, and private practice. She has also delivered training across NSW state to mental health professionals, has taught in higher education, provides supervision and run both therapeutic and educational groups.

Jude brings to her work a strong sense of social justice and human rights. Some of her approaches include narrative work, cognitive behaviour therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement and Desensitisation Reprocessing) systemic work, acceptance and commitment therapy. These frameworks sit alongside a passion for empowerment and healing. Jude believes in the amazing resilience of people impacted by trauma and feel privileged  to share their journey.

Karen has over 10 years of clinical experience in the private and public sectors as well as her own private practise. She has written and facilitated both inpatient and outpatient programs supporting a wide variety of clientele who experience PTSD, complex trauma, mood and anxiety disorders, personality disorders and substance abuse disorders.

This work also includes many years of running Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) groups and workshops for hospitals, NGO’s and corporate clients.

“I really enjoy being helping people understand their biology and learn practical skills that help them to feel more emotionally in control”

Kate is an experienced counsellor and supervisor having worked with a variety of mental health presentations, complex PTSD and developmental trauma, particularly with survivors of adult and child sexual assault as a Senior Clinician. Her work focuses on assisting the brain and body to cope with challenging life experiences and emotions.

Kate enjoys working with adults and young adults. Her style is warm, empowering and transparent. She understands the significance of deciding to come to counselling. Kate aims to sensitively attune to her clients, humanise lived experiences and work collaboratively.

Kate has an eclectic knowledge base and uses a range of therapy modalities as she believes a one-size-fits-all approach does not work. Kate draws from CBT, DBT, ACT, IFS, Somatic psychotherapies, Narrative therapy, Schema therapy and EMDR. She sees the relevance of how our socio-cultural context can shape our mood, mental health and recovery.

Kate feels honoured to bear witness to her client’s hardships and growth. She feels it is a privilege to play a role in each person’s healing journey and is humbled by people’s resilience.

Kate also enjoys providing supervision, consultation and mentoring to other professionals and organisations including social workers, psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists and others working in mental health/ trauma spaces. She is experienced in social policy and research, as well as in offering talks, presentations and workshops on various topics relating to trauma and mental health.

Kate is a passionate and compassionate registered psychologist with a deep commitment to helping individuals understand their unique situations and embark on their healing journeys. Kate has extensive experience working with adults who have experienced trauma, anxiety, phobias, depression, substance abuse, ADHD, parenting issues, relationship challenges and adjustment difficulties. 

Kate’s introduction to the field of trauma commenced in 2017 when she started working with the Australian Defence Force population (Navy, Army and RAAF). She has extensive experience working with adults in the Australian Defence Force and has a specialized knowledge with ADF processes and protocols, involving both current and post-serving ADF veterans. 

Kate’s passion for psychology extends to research and evidence-based treatment approaches. Kate is skilled in cognitive behavioral therapy (trauma-focused), motivational interviewing techniques and mindfulness-based therapy. Kate is also a Circle of Security International facilitator and is dedicated to helping parents and guardians develop secure attachment styles within their families. 

Kate believes in creating a holistic approach that is tailored to each individual’s unique needs. She is committed to providing a safe and supportive space where individuals can explore their challenges and work towards lasting change. 

Katie Young is a Clinical Psychologist dedicated to recovery and healing being possible for all. Katie is committed to working collaboratively with clients, using a person-centred and systemic approach to support clients to apply their strengths to achieve helpful long-term goals. Katie has a natural, open, and caring manner when working with clients and believes in creating a safe space that allows the client to feel seen and heard, focusing on their life experiences as the primary source of truth within the therapy room.

Katie began her career working with some of the most vulnerable members of our community, working as a welfare worker (case manager) and community developer worker in drug and alcohol, homelessness, and domestic and family violence. It was during these years that she re-trained as a clinical psychologist, completing her Master of Clinical Psychology.

Katie has over 15 years’ experience applying specialised skills within a trauma-informed perspective to work effectively with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, domestic and family violence and individuals and families from diverse backgrounds who have experienced acute and complex trauma. Katie also provides therapy for mood and anxiety disorders, grief and loss and adjustment to major life changes.

Katie has assisted clients by offering strengths-based intervention to build self-esteem and uses therapeutic techniques that are drawn from cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), narrative therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), and relational counselling.

Over the last eight years Katie has delivered supervision and led a team of 25 + frontline workers in providing support to women, children and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and/or experiencing or escaping domestic and family violence. Katie has provided staff supervision to enable staff to continue best practice and acknowledge and implement a self-care model of working.

Liz Fitzgerald is not accepting any new referrals at this time.

With over 15 years of experience, art therapist Liz has worked with adults and children in services and private practice, including facilitating art therapy for people who have been affected by developmental trauma, PTSD, complex PTSD, addiction, eating disorders, anxiety and self-harm. Liz currently works with people individually and in groups. She is trained in a psychodynamic, trauma informed approach and is a clinical supervisor and visiting lecturer on the Western Sydney University Master of Art Therapy course. Liz has also completed a Certificate of Traumatic Stress Studies with the JRI in Boston. Liz enjoys advocating for art therapy in the wider community, including teaching the Sydney University CCE course “An Introduction to Art Therapy”, and was the inaugural group leader of the ANZACATA Sydney regional group. Liz understands that you don’t need to be “good at art “or a practicing artist, to benefit from the shared creativity and other relational aspects of art therapy, which are as important as the art made in sessions.

Marnie is an experienced Clinical Social Worker having worked across both the public and private health sector in inpatient and outpatient settings.

She is a naturally warm, open minded and compassionate clinician who prioritises creating a safe environment where clients feel respected, supported and heard. She is patient and understands that it takes time to build trust, as she sees each client as a unique individual with an important story.

Marnie provides treatment to young adults though to older adults in addressing:

• Complex PTSD
• Occupational trauma
• Developmental trauma
• Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression
• Personality disorders such as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
• Emotion Dysregulation
• Domestic and Family violence

Using this experience, Marnie draws on strength based therapeutic interventions from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), including EMDR and prolonged exposure, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing. She also understands the relevance of how our environment and context can shape our mental health and recovery.

Marnie is constantly amazed by the resilience of people impacted by trauma and feels privileged to support her clients during their hardest moments and to witness their remarkable strength and growth.

Meg (she/her) is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with over 10 years’ experience as a counsellor, social worker, manager and trainer. In recent years, she has worked as a sexual assault and domestic violence counsellor and has developed a special interest in the area of trauma.

Meg’s approach is warm, gentle and non-judgemental. She understands that for healing to take place, the connection and trust between therapist and client is paramount. She considers it a privilege to accompany clients on their journey toward change and healing.

Meg primarily works with adults and young people in addressing:

• PTSD and single incident trauma, including sexual assault
• Domestic and Family Violence (current or historical)
• Complex trauma
• Childhood abuse and neglect, including childhood sexual abuse
• Attachment trauma
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Relationship difficulties
• Carer stress
• Workplace burnout and vicarious trauma

Meg understands that there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to treatment and tailors her approach based on the individual, using a range of therapeutic models and theories, including (but not exclusively):

• Polyvagal Theory
• Attachment-Focused EMDR
• Parts work
• Attachment theory
• Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Somatic-based interventions

Nadine Neukirch is currently on maternity leave and is not accepting any new referrals at this time.

Nadine is a fully registered Clinical Psychologist. She completed her Bachelor of Psychology with Honours at the University of New South Wales and her Master in Clinical Psychology at the University of Technology Sydney.

Nadine has worked across a variety of clinical settings, including a hospital outpatient unit, a university clinic, private practice, and a not for profit clinic. She has extensive training and experience in the psychological assessment and treatment of adults, adolescents, and children and their families. Nadine has worked with individuals with a range of presentations including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, difficulties subsequent trauma, eating disorders, and social phobia. She has more extensive experience working with individuals struggling with emotion regulation and other underlying issues. Nadine has a specific interest in developmental trauma and childhood concerns. She also has experience in dating coaching and the impact of adverse experiences on current relationships.

She is also a fully qualified yoga teacher and has an interest in mindfulness and body based therapies.
Nadine draws upon a range of therapy modalities to work collaboratively with clients to help them achieve their goals. Evidence based approaches she applies include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and Mindfulness based approaches. Nadine has a warm and non-judgemental approach when working with her clients.

Paul is a Clinical Social worker and Psychotherapist with an approachable friendly demeanour who specialises in helping people with drug, alcohol, sex and porn problems. He also has extensive training and experience working with individuals, couples and adolescents struggling with trauma and abuse, depression, anger, and loneliness. He is an intuitive non-judgemental therapist that tailors his approach to the person he is working with utilising a range of therapies including Integrative Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, Schema Therapy.

During Paul’s career he has worked with individuals, couples and groups helping people become more comfortable with intimacy and improve their self-esteem and their connections with others. Paul has worked for many years in the LGBTIQ community, with people experiencing disability and social and cultural exclusion.

In recent years he has facilitated groups for men with problematic sex and porn behaviours both as a consultant and in private practice.

Paul has worked extensively with couples using a range of therapeutic techniques to help them develop a common language of respect and trust, so both partners experience being truly “seen” by the other.

Paul has a passion for working with adolescents and their families and for 18 years has provided therapy for adolescents with a focus on those experiencing poverty and family breakdown.  Currently he co-ordinates an NGO providing therapy for disadvantaged and marginalised young people in Sydney.

Rachel Moss is not accepting any new referrals at this time.

Rachel (she/her) is a passionate human rights and social justice advocate with an extensive work history as a counsellor, manager, trainer and educator in sexual assault, higher education and mental health settings. A career highlight so far has been working at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse as a senior counsellor.

Rachel has a social work degree and a Master’s degree in counselling, and is proficient and highly experienced in various counselling modalities including dialectical behavioural therapy, narrative therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, group work and clinical supervision. Rachel’s practice is built on the principles of client focussed collaboration and empowerment.

Rachel has over 20 years clinical experience working with people of all cultures, genders and ages affected by trauma. This includes developmental, single incident, and complex trauma. She also works with clients who are struggling with gender and identity issues, self harm, depression and anxiety, relationship and sexuality issues, grief and loss and interpersonal issues. Rachel has firsthand experience of the healing that is possible in the counselling space.

Rachel is dedicated to continue to work in support of justice for our First Nations People.

Rebecca Lyons is a Registered Psychologist, Systemic Family Therapist, and Specialist Grief Counsellor. She works with adults, adolescents and children.

Authentic, compassionate and practical, Rebecca aims to create a place of safety where collaborative conversations can be had about painful life experiences and where healing involves understanding the impact these experiences have on the mind, body, heart and spirit of a person.

Rebecca’s special areas of interest are: 

• Grief and bereavement   
• Parenting (including parenting after loss and parenting as a survivor of trauma)
• Trauma; including childhood/developmental trauma as well as more recent traumatic experiences including domestic violence, sexual assault and traumatic loss
• General mental health and wellbeing including working with depression, anxiety and postnatal depression.
• Family therapy

Rebecca began her counselling career as an Adolescent and Family Counsellor at The Fact Tree Youth Service in Redfern in 1996, and has worked in private practice, education, community mental health and for Uniting as part of their child focused post-separation programme. From 2012 to 2020 Rebecca worked for Red Nose Australia. In her role as Senior Counsellor she provided counselling to bereaved families and clinical support to a national team of counsellors. Most recently Rebecca has worked for The Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC) establishing a psychological service and providing therapy to women and children experiencing homelessness.

In addition to direct client work Rebecca has worked as a consultant for award winning documentary film makers Northern Pictures on their documentary See What You Made Me Do and supported participants from Love on the Spectrum. She has provided training at hospitals and at conferences on supporting bereaved parents and provides supervision to other therapists.

Rebecca is trained and experienced in evidence-based therapeutic modalities including Systemic Family Therapy, trauma-informed Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and EMDR.

Sabrina is a Registered Psychologist completing the Clinical Registrar Program. She has worked with adults and adolescents throughout a range of settings including, university clinics, public and private hospitals, and private practice. Sabrina has worked with clients who have experienced complex and acute trauma, mood disorders and anxiety, relationships concerns, self-esteem and confidence concerns, and drug and alcohol concerns.  

Sabrina has a warm and empathetic approach to create a safe space for clients to explore their concerns. She is passionate about creating a space to collaborate with clients to tailor therapy to their needs and emphasise their strengths. Sabrina draws from a variety of therapeutic techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Polyvagal Theory. 

Sarah Joy is not accepting any new referrals at this time.

Sarah (she/her) has a social work degree and a Master’s degree in Narrative Therapy and Community Work. She has over 18 years clinical experience in working with diverse individuals and is firmly committed to helping individuals process and heal from experiences of trauma. Safety, choice, meaningful collaboration and accountability are central practice principles that anchor Sarah’s work within a broader social justice and human rights framework.

She acknowledges that it can be difficult to find words for these experiences and it is for this reason she does not rely on talking therapy alone. Sarah utilises creative and experiential methods (Emotion Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy), as well as being proficient and highly experienced in talking-based counselling modalities such as Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Sarah primarily works with adults and young people addressing:

• PTSD and single incident trauma, including sexual assault
• Domestic and Family Violence (current or historical)
• Complex trauma
• Childhood abuse and neglect, including childhood sexual abuse
• General mental health and well-being including working with depression, anxiety, postnatal depression, suicidal ideation and other mental health conditions
• Relationship difficulties
• Couple counselling
• Grief, loss and bereavement

Sarah considers it a privilege to walk alongside people on their healing journey and acknowledges that this work must occur within a warm, empathetic and consistent therapeutic relationship.

Steph is a provisional psychologist completing a Master of Clinical Psychology program. Steph has a specific interest in working with individuals from cross-cultural backgrounds who have experienced complex, situational and developmental trauma, and uses a variety of tailored evidence-based interventions to help her clients gain a richer understanding of themselves to empower them to lead a more meaningful life. She has trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), crisis support and also draws on attachment approaches such as Circle of Security, polyvagal theory, mindfulness, and family therapy approaches. 

Steph has experience providing therapeutic interventions for children, adolescents and adults experiencing depression, anxiety, interpersonal difficulties, and ADHD. Steph is passionate about holistic wellness and believes in a multidisciplinary approach to mental health care that marries Western psychology with Eastern traditions of healing, such as Tai Chi, meditation and yoga. Prior to retraining in psychology, Steph had an early career in corporate tax advisory and yoga teaching which has enriched her personal life experience and allows her to bring a deeper empathy and understanding to her clients’ life stories.

Sue is a Registered Psychologist who specialises in working with people struggling with the legacy of early childhood trauma and neglect. Her background as a Registered Nurse working in Intensive Care, a Midwife and a Rehabilitation Counsellor has fostered her interest and passion for assisting people in crisis facing transitions in life. Her work as a midwife has resulted in a deepened understanding of the importance of secure attachments early in life and her interest in working with women and families in the perinatal period.

Sue has worked in the private and public health sector for the past twenty years. Currently she works at a private hospital facilitating groups in DBT, addiction, as well as in recent and developmental trauma. Sue brings a particular curiosity in the legacy of growing up in a disrupted or neglectful household to her therapeutic connections. She is aware of the long-term impact of trauma and the challenges faced by people struggling to make meaningful connections in adulthood. Her group work has also extended her experience in trauma to include PTSD therapy with frontline workers, police and emergency services.

Sue has undertaken extensive training in Polyvagal theory, the Conversational Model of Psychotherapy, and regularly attends conferences to extend and deepen her knowledge and understanding of complex trauma.