As a psychologist, I support people to achieve their full potential in their chosen life pursuits. I enjoy working with dancers and performing artists, as my personal training in dance provides insight into the physical and mental pressure placed upon pre-professional and professional performing artists. My experience in multiple high-pressure settings has led to an interest in how people adapt to difficult environments – and more important, how they can thrive within them.
My Sessions are Focused on You:
I believe that therapy is a partnership where therapist and client work together towards shared goals. I will always respect your experience and aim to create a space where you feel safe to explore your thoughts and emotions. I will use my knowledge and experience to choose a therapeutic modality that will be most helpful for you. I believe in using feedback constructively and aim to develop a transparent and constructive relationship.
A little about me:
I came to psychology in a rather roundabout manner, having originally started my studies with Engineering. I decided to change degrees due to a realisation I was more interested in understanding the people around me, than I was about the ins and outs of engineering. I was fascinated by the relatively new field which integrates theories in psychology with traditional medicine – and my studies have only reinforced the belief that we cannot separate the mind from body. My research within public health and on the intersection between trauma and eating disorders led me to notice that mental health concerns generally coincide with one or more physical complaints. This made me curious about how psychological wellbeing could impact dancers and athletes– who are constantly placed under immense physical and mental strain. I can now appreciate the link between mental health and performance, injury sustainment and recovery, and career longevity in the performance realm.
Outside of work, I continue to spend (a lot) of my time dancing – and mostly focus on ballet and contemporary. I like to spend any spare time I have on adventures either by myself or with loved ones, eating good food and learning new things about the world. I like to try different activities have recently ventured into rock climbing as a different type of challenge. I find pushing myself in different ways physically is a great way to learn from different groups of people, grow resilience and confidence – as well as have fun! I love spending time in nature and can happily spend days walking through mountains or coastline without anyone but a trusty friend in sight.
I embrace the following philosophies:
– All humans are connected and deserve respect and empathy
– It is more useful to understand our different experiences, thoughts, and emotions than judge what led to them.
– To fully thrive we need to take care of our whole self, and consider our mind, body, and the environment we live in.
– Self compassion can be one of the most important elements to building the strength to have compassion for others.
– Growth and change are possible – and while it can take great effort, are always worth it.
Qualifications and Registration/Memberships
– Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)
– Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours I)
– Australian Psychological Society (APS)
– Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare (ASPAH)
Preferred Therapeutic Frameworks and Additional Training
– Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
– Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
– DNA-V – positive psychology framework for adolescents
