Psychology to sustain people working with trauma and those who live it

Yes. I am a Psychology Board of Australia approved supervisor and work with Masters of clinical psychology students, provisional psychologists, registrars, and clinical or generally registered psychologists - individually or in groups. Supervisees typically want to complete their program with more confidence and stronger skills in trauma-informed, affirming and culturally safe practice.

Budget is the usual barrier for NGOs, which is why frequency is flexible: monthly, six-weekly or quarterly group sessions, with individual sessions available when someone is working through especially heavy content. Group format spreads the cost across the team, and staff who work with traumatic material without clinical training are the ones most exposed to vicarious trauma, burnout and moral injury.

Any organisations or companies with staff at risk of vicarious trauma, burnout or moral injury. This may include human rights, criminal law and forensics, media and journalism, education, health care and the refugee and asylum seeker sector. Please reach out if you are unsure.

Yes. Existing programs can be delivered as they are, or a session can be built around your brief, sector and the material your staff handle. Send an outline of what your team is dealing with and I will come back with a proposed shape.

Feeling daunted is one of the most common reasons people delay, and it is completely reasonable. Your enquiry comes straight to me - not a reception team - and I reply personally. You can write as little as you like; a sentence about what you are looking for is enough to start.

No referral is needed to book. If your GP writes a Mental Health Treatment Plan you can claim a Medicare rebate of $149.05 per session for up to 10 sessions per calendar year, which reduces what you pay out of pocket.

The first session is about understanding what brought you here, what you would like to be different, and how you would like to work together. There is no expectation to tell your whole story straight away. I will share how I understand what is happening for you, and we will collaborate on treatment priorities together.

Therapy is by telehealth, which means it is available wherever you live in Australia and can fit around work and family. Supervision, for psychologists and for organisations, and training are available in person around Melbourne and online across Australia. If you need face-to-face therapy, I am not the right fit and can suggest looking for a local clinician.

Availability is limited and changes month to month. Every enquiry gets a personal reply from me with my current availability included.

Trauma work is paced, and you decide what to focus on. The early phase is about understanding your experience and building skills to reduce and manage symptoms. Options for trauma reprocessing and parts work are available if, and when you feel ready.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is a trauma-focused therapy that can help reduce the distress associated with traumatic memories. Many people arrive specifically seeking it, often after other therapies stalled or because a GP, psychiatrist or family member suggested it. I am a full member of EMDRAA and working toward accredited practitioner status. Whether it suits you, and when to begin, is decided together.

This is common. People with cumulative or repeated exposure to trauma, emotional neglect or invalidating environments are often diagnosed with anxiety, depression or a personality disorder and offered treatments that don’t acknowledge or address the trauma underneath. Reframing that experience as complex trauma often gives people a much clearer understanding of themselves.

It varies. Some people see the change they came for in 6 to 10 sessions. Many do ongoing work across a couple of years, in the range of 20 to 30 or more sessions, with a mix of Medicare, private health and private funding. Progress is reviewed as you go, and most people finish with a period of maintenance before it naturally falls away.

My practice is trauma informed, inclusive, diversity affirming and culturally responsive. It takes account of sexuality, gender identity, neurodivergence and the systemic and intersectional factors shaping your life. Many of my clients are members of the LGBTIQA+ community, neurodivergent, culturally and racially marginalised or from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

Therapy is $270 for a 50 to 60 minute consultation, payable in full on the day of your session. With a mental health care plan from your GP the Medicare rebate is $149.05 per session for up to 10 sessions per calendar year, leaving $120.95 out of pocket. I also hold a small caseload of concession fee places for people in financial hardship - please enquire to check availability. Supervision and training fees vary with group size, session duration and location, and are quoted on request.

Cost is the most common hesitation, and it is worth planning for openly. Medicare covers 10 sessions per calendar year, and most people combine those rebated sessions with private health fund contributions and some out-of-pocket sessions. Some clients get what they need in 6 to 10 sessions. Others use their Medicare sessions, take a planned break, and return early the next year. Progress and treatment needs are reviewed as you go. I also hold a small caseload of concession fee places for people in financial hardship, so please ask if cost is the deciding factor.

Yes, if your policy includes psychology. There is no HICAPS terminal, so you will receive an invoice and claim directly with your fund. You cannot claim from Medicare and a private fund for the same session.

The practice is fully private, so WorkCover and TAC clients cannot be seen. Self-managed NDIS plans are welcome; plan-managed plans are not accepted. Aside from Medicare, other funded programs are not currently taken on.

Therapy is for adults. I do not see children or adolescents, I do not do couples work, nor do I undertake forensic work or assessments. I am not experienced with significant eating disorders, though I will see clients where this forms a part of a trauma presentation.