PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR ADOLESCENTS & YOUNG ADULTS
TEEN PARENTING SUPPORT
CLINICAL SUPERVISION
YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

My therapy approach.

I care about providing engaging, attuned, kind and respectful therapy with a healthy dash of humour. My style is conversational, collaborative and down-to-earth. It's important to me that people feel like I've got their back and our time together is real and genuine. During sessions, I don't write things down and focus on being fully present with them and our conversation.

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I offer ongoing therapeutic relationships that support teens and young adults as they grow through life's ups and downs. Working over longer periods of time allows us to create a safe space to explore who they are openly, why they feel the way they feel (and do what they do), reflect on what their behaviour is earnestly trying to communicate, and how their past experiences influence life in the present. Through this process, we can pinpoint what they truly need to thrive. I'll be there for support and guidance as this self-knowledge translates into making meaningful real-world choices.

 

It's an empowering, honest process that builds emotional intelligence, self-confidence and psychological flexibility from the security of understanding yourself deeply and knowing how to meaningfully listen to your feelings. It goes beyond one-size-fits-all strategies to a tailored approach that will teach people how to self-reflect, thoughtfully develop their own ideas on what is best for them and find the courage to act on it - a psychological skill that lives on well after therapy ends. My hope for my clients is that they can live their lives fully and authentically - self-assured, self-aware, brave and unafraid of the broad spectrum of emotions that come with being human.

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My treatment approach is primarily Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, deeply influenced by a person-centred, attachment-based, relational, systemic, neurobiological, mentalisation and power threat meaning theoretical framework. I also tailor the integration other treatment approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy and Skills Training (Assertiveness, Communication, Social Skills, Anger Management) as a complimentary way to develop practical strategies and new ways of thinking. Psychodynamic psychotherapy demonstrates significant long-term clinical gains post-treatment, where people can continue to improve independently after therapy ends for many years - even for the rest of their lives. 

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Why longer-term therapy?

People are shaped by each relationship and experience they have and the length of therapy aims to respectfully honour that by giving a life story the time and attention it deserves. For teenagers (and everyone, really!), trust and respect is earnt. Solid therapeutic foundations are built through consistency and seeing the best in someone through the good, the bad and the ugly. It can take time and trust to feel comfortable enough to reveal the parts of ourselves we are not-so-proud of and to feel safe to express painful or conflicting emotions that are at the real heart of our struggles. From there, we can heal the deeper reasons why we feel the way we do, not just treat the symptoms as they arise.

 

Adolescence and early adulthood is a time of transition and rapid brain development. Young people become increasingly more capable of sophisticated thinking, self-reflection, understanding abstract/existential concepts, processing complex emotions and making mature decisions. Particularly for adolescents, many of these skills are very new and require knowledge, understanding why and how it will be helpful, thoughtful planning, rehearsal, repetition, review and reward. Our emphasis is on practice and applying what is learnt in therapy, with space to experiment with what works and learn from what doesn't. Time allows us to identify appropriate opportunities for trialling a new approach, encouragement to take chances and implement values-driven changes in relationships and situations that are important to them.

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Services I offer.

I offer individual therapy, parent-only sessions and family therapy. This can be in person or over Telehealth. I also have niche experience in educational engagement difficulties that secondary to complex mental health and systemic issues, so I can help you navigate the system and liaise with schools if required.

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I am a board-approved supervisor with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and offer secondary supervision for provisional psychologists completing the 4+2 or 5+1 registration pathway. I also support front-line workers in the youth mental health sector (e.g. allied health professionals, youth workers and caseworkers) and education staff looking to deepen their understanding of youth mental health, school avoidance and incidental counselling. I'm passionate about supporting professionals to develop an authentic clinical orientation and/or interpersonal style they can truly embody.

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What to expect. 

You can expect to be listened to, respected and given choices about what happens. Things will go at your pace and I'll work with where you are at - there is no pressure to open up faster than you are comfortable with. The first session will be a conversation about what is going on and for you to see if we click. For ongoing appointments, you will be allocated your own time slot - so you will always have a dedicated spot on the same day, at the same time and at the same frequency - usually starting with weekly appointments and making adjustments as needed.

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