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Angela Gale
Counselling Psychologist
Masters (Counselling Psychology)
BSc(Psychology/Psychophysiology)
BA (Hons Psychology)
MCCOUNP, FAPS
I have a deep interest in working relationally with people and supporting them through their goals. Many people have experienced relational wounds, like betrayal, neglect, silent treatment, bullying, verbal and emotional abuse, which can be long lasting. Sometimes it can be less obvious and more subtle, like being encouraged to ‘be brave and not cry’ when feeling deeply hurt and unsupported. Trauma and childhood wounds can disrupt someone’s life immediately or take many years to impact negatively.
The concerns people often present with are anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, perfectionism, anger, self-development needs, trauma, dissociation, emotionally stymied or overwhelmed, or difficulty starting or maintaining relationships. I guide and support people to change what is in their control. This means people have an improved ‘foundation’ to function cognitively, emotionally, and behaviourally.
I continue to pursue new evidenced-based approaches to working with people and adapt treatment to the individual. This means during your first session I will gather information about what has brought you to seek help, the current and past relevant circumstances, how you want to benefit from therapy, and we then together find the best path forward. Some of the approaches I use include IPT, Attachment Repair, Trauma Therapy, Parts Work, Schema Therapy, CBT/ACT, MBT, and a few more. I have also completed the Specialist Course in Couples Counselling from Relationships Australia and see couples for a range of concerns such as, communication problems, ways of fighting better, and feeling distant or uncared for.
In addition to attending and hosting professional developments in the field, I have been a member of the Australian Psychological Society National Executive since 2015, and am the Victoria State Section Chair for the APS College of Counselling Psychologists.
Feel free to check out my website www.angelagalepsychology.com.au. If you would like to touch base with me before booking in your first appointment you can. Finding the right fit with a psychologist is like putting on your favourite pair of shoes.
Limited availability
Benjamin Shields
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist
Masters (Clinical Psychology)
BA (Psychology/Philosophy)
PhD Candidate
Board approved supervisor
MAPS
I love helping people achieve positive change in their inner world, in their relationships, and to get closer to their goals. I have 16 years of experience as a psychologist, and more than 20 years in mental health.
I work with a range of conditions, including low mood and depression, anxiety (including worry, panic, and social anxiety), and responses to traumatic events (including single events, and trauma and neglect that occurred in childhood).
Therapy works when there’s a trusting partnership between the client and me. A deep respect, sensitivity and empathy make for good relationships, generally. These are the foundations of a good relationship with a therapist.
My style with clients is friendly and transparent. We work together on what they want to change. That can be about worrying less, feeling calmer in their body, to stop feeling terrorised by painful memories, or more at accepting of their past, to get rid of panic attacks, to understand why they are responding to situations or people the way they are, to be less critical of themselves and others, to feel more hopeful and optimistic, to be freer to express themselves in all different ways, to name a few.
Sometimes clients tell me that they don’t know if their ‘problem’ is serious enough to work on with me. For me, helping someone to worry less, or to feel more confident, is as genuinely wonderful and legitimate a process as is helping someone in their recovery from a terrible assault, abuse, or huge loss. If therapy might make us feel more at ease and freer in the world, then we should do it!
I am cautious about making assumptions when working with clients. I’ve learnt that ‘the devil is in the detail’ when it comes to conceptualising the problem and the approach to it. Here is one example of what I mean: A client might come into therapy feeling depressed, which would have it that we would refer to the most tried and tested approaches for depression. However, we can arrive at period of low mood via 100 routes, e.g., worrying so much (i.e., simulating the worst ways things might unfold) that we feel hopeless and exhausted, or because our social anxiety and low confidence has put us in particularly isolated place, or because we’re actually grieving something we’ve lost, because we’re starting to understand that something we thought we had, we never had. It can be that we are mistaking sadness for depression (sometimes it’s both), or that boredom is in the mix. An over-pathologisation of our feelings can mean we are so focused on fixing the feeling that we don’t recognise that there is often a context to it. That’s not to deny ‘depression’ as a condition – absolutely not. However, an approach to low mood (and all other ways we people present) needs to factor in the pathway to it, the factors that contribute to it, the person’s style and strengths. If we want to see permanent change, that means breaking things down properly and looking deeper.
I am interested in the ways that the nervous system and mind interact, using top down, and bottom-up approaches to treatment. I am interested in attachment style and emotion regulation and training the mind and brain to strengthen the relationship with the self and create new ways of being.
Aside from my work at the practice, I am doing a Phd focusing on the function and activity of several brain networks, and these functions underpin different symptom sets. I am particularly interested in how these networks affect sense of self, to understand how we can help people develop and/or restore a sense of self after traumatic events via talking therapy techniques, but also techniques that can address the nervous system directly, such as neurofeedback.
No capacity for new clients
Emily Li
Psychologist
General Psychologist
Masters (Professional Psychology)
BA (Hons)
MAPS
I believe in creating a safe space for clients where each client feels seen, heard and respected. My therapeutic style is collaborative, compassionate, and transparent. I take into consideration the uniqueness of each individual, and therefore tailor my treatment to the specific needs of each client using evidence-based interventions and approaches.
When working with clients, I like to support them to gain awareness about how their current challenges are linked to their environment (e.g circumstantial or situational factors) , their relationships (with themselves, with others, and with the world), as well as their history (e.g past experiences). Whilst the past does not define us, understanding the past can shed light into how unhelpful patterns and beliefs have originated. I believe this insight empowers clients to break negative cycles and behaviours that no longer serve a purpose, so that they can actively choose a better future.
I have worked in both the private and public sector, and have had extensive experience working with youth as well as families who have been impacted by trauma . I see both adolescents and adults for a range of concerns including: anxiety (panic, worry, OCD & phobias), PTSD and trauma, low mood, difficulties with emotion regulation, negative self -worth, relationship difficulties, and life stressors and adjustments. I am trauma informed in my practice and integrate and draw upon elements of CBT, Schema Therapy, emotion focussed, interpersonal psychotherapy, positive psychology, mindfulness and relaxation strategies, as well as attachment and systemic approaches. I have a special interest in working with individuals who may experience cultural and identity related challenges and difficulties, and am able to speak Mandarin (Chinese) for those who may require the service in a language other than English.
Limited availability
Sean Cuthbert
Clinical Psychologist
Masters (Clinical Psychology)
Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist
Approved IFS Clinical Consultant
Board approved supervisor
MAPS, FCClin
Sean has over a decade of experience working therapeutically with clients across a number of settings, including community organisations, within public health settings, and in private practice.
Sean draws on a variety of experiential methods to create a tailored approach for each individual and situation. He has advanced training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy, EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, the Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT). He has worked extensively with adolescents, young adults, and adult clients, and has a particular interest in men’s health.
As a therapist, Sean has an approachable manner, and is warm, open, encouraging, and direct. He combines a down-to-earth, realistic approach to the counselling process with a healthy sense of humour. Sean strives to provide a high quality, personalised, professional service.
Sean graduated from Australian Catholic University in Melbourne with a Master of Psychology (Clinical). He is fully registered as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA). He has an endorsement in Clinical Psychology with the PBA. Sean is a full Member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), and a Fellow of the Clinical College of the APS. Sean is a Member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD).
Sean is a PBA-approved supervisor of Psychologists and has worked as a Senior Psychologist and supervisor in a number of settings. Sean is a Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist from the IFS Institute, and an Approved IFS Clinical Consultant (Supervisor). He can supervise other therapists and practitioners in gaining competence in IFS practice, and IFS Level 1 graduates for IFS Certification.
Sean specializes in the big challenges: complex trauma and PTSD, addictions/substance use issues, depression/shame, and improving relationships, both internal and external. Sean is energetic, and passionate, and brings the full intention for clients to experience change as soon as possible into the process.
No capacity for new clients
DR SELMA MUSIĆ
Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist
Masters (Clinical Psychology)
BA (Psychology/Philosophy)
PhD Candidate
Board approved supervisor
MAPS
Selma, a registered psychologist (she/her/hers), has maintained three persistent interests since she started working in psychology and neuroscience. These interests run parallel to each other and are occasionally interrelated: trauma & trauma-related mental health issues and/or challenges related to culture, identity, displacement, & migration and/or physical health concerns.
Selma works with people who may feel stuck or unable to move past their trauma. They may feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, afraid, and/or angry.
Trauma can be a profoundly isolating experience, and it’s not uncommon for them to feel like no one else can truly understand what they’re going through. It can sometimes feel like they are carrying a heavy burden that they can’t share with others. This can, at times, make them feel even more alone and disconnected. They may also struggle with trust issues and grapple with feelings of shame, guilt, and self-blame.
Other times, the person may experience fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, and aches and pains throughout the body. The physical symptoms may sometimes be associated with the stress and tension that trauma may induce in the body.
Some people may also struggle with sleep disturbances, flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts related to the traumatic event. Trauma may also affect an individual’s ability to concentrate, make decisions, and remember details.
Dealing with trauma’s psychological, physical, spiritual, and emotional aftermath can be an immense challenge, sometimes resulting in substance abuse, relationship difficulties, and a decreased ability to function in day-to-day life.
Selma approaches each client with empathy, compassion, and a deep understanding of the impact that trauma can have on the mind and body. She provides a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space for clients to explore and process their experiences.
Drawing on her training in neuroscience, Selma understands how traumatic experiences can affect the brain and nervous system and uses this knowledge to inform her clinical practice. She also recognises that trauma is not just a medical issue, but one deeply connected to broader social, spiritual, and cultural factors, including race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
Selma also understands that migration may be intertwined with traumatic experiences and that cultural dislocation and alienation can have significant mental health consequences. She also recognises that many individuals who experience migration and/or displacement may have a complex relationship with the idea of “home” and may struggle to establish a sense of belonging in a new place. They may also feel lost and/or disconnected from their cultural heritage or identity. Other times, they struggle to fit in with the dominant culture (e.g., they feel like they don’t fit in with their peers) or their new surroundings. This can lead to feelings of isolation, or as though they are somehow damaged or flawed because of their experiences. They might struggle to reconcile their beliefs and values with those of the dominant culture, or they may be experiencing discrimination, bias, prejudice, and microaggressions based on their race or ethnicity. They may feel like they constantly have to defend themselves or prove their worth, which can be exhausting and demoralising.
Selma’s holistic approach to therapy is grounded in evidence-based, feedback-informed, and culturally competent practices, focusing on creating a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to explore their experiences and emotions. Selma recognises that seeking help can be a difficult and courageous decision. She is committed to providing a warm, compassionate, supportive environment where everyone feels heard, understood, and empowered.
In addition to her work as a psychologist, Selma is also a neuroscientist who conducts research in psychotraumatology. Her research focuses on understanding the neural and psychological mechanisms underlying trauma and developing more effective interventions for trauma-related mental health challenges.
As an educator, Selma is committed to sharing her knowledge with the next generation of mental health professionals. She teaches postgraduate-level courses across different universities on therapy processes and modalities, psychotraumatology, psychological assessments, and working with diversity in counselling.
Selma also supervises and mentors students, early career therapists, and researchers.
Some capacity for new clients
Timothy Hilll
Psychologist
Psychologist
Masters (Clinical Psychology)
Bachelor of Psychological Studies (Honours)
Graduate Diploma of Psychology
MAPS
I am a Registered Psychologist offering face to face sessions in West Melbourne and via telehealth.
I work with adults (18+) experiencing a range of difficulties, including anxiety and depression, work related, financial and academic stress, grief, interpersonal/ relationship issues, as well as sexuality, gender and self-esteem related difficulties.
I am passionate about providing a safe space for people of any sexuality, gender, sex, culture, religion or ability.
Treatment plans are unique to every client. I work collaboratively in a empathetic, supportive and non-judgmental way, primarily drawing on therapeutic modalities of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Limited availability
We are unable to discuss new client enquiries at the practice.
If you would like to enquire about attending the practice as a new client, please contact us via the contact form on the website, or by calling us on (03) 70380980.
The safety and security of our clients and staff is very important to us. Access to the building is subject to a security procedure. All visitors to the building are monitored by building security.
We are unable to discuss new client enquiries at the practice.
If you would like to enquire about attending the practice as a new client, please contact us via the contact form on the website, or by calling us on (03) 70380980.
The safety and security of our clients and staff is very important to us. Access to the building is subject to a security procedure. All visitors to the building are monitored by building security.