OUR PRACTITIONERS

Our Practitioners

Our team includes psychologists, provisional psychologist and counsellors.

Emma Clarris

Clinical and Counselling Psychologist, Principal Psychologist


Teresa Maiolo

Accredited Mental Health Social Worker


Amy Shah

Psychologist


Dominik

Psychologist



Tim Slingsby

Psychologist


Darren Besanko

Counsellor


Tamara Powell

Accredited Mental Health Social Worker


Amanda Beattie

Accredited Mental Health Social Worker


Claudia Moratto

Accredited Mental Health Social Worker



Tom

Psychologist


Gary Maloney

Psychologist


Ana Romero

Psychologist


Simone Dixon

Provisional Psychologist



Kristina Spanos

Provisional Psychologist


Practitioners FAQs

What is a psychologist?
Psychologists are mental health professionals who have the professional training and clinical skills to help people learn to cope more effectively with a range of life issues and mental health problems. Registered psychologists have completed a minimum of 6 years of combined university study and applied workplace supervision.

Psychologists help by using a variety of techniques based on the best available research and consider someone’s unique values, characteristics, goals, and circumstances. Psychologists are trained in assessing and diagnosing a range of problems, developing strategies and evidence-based treatments, and offering guidance and support.

Psychologists can assist people with a variety of issues including (but not limited to):

• Trauma
• Depression & Mood disorders
• Stress, panic and/or anxiety
• Grief and/or loss
• Family violence
• Personality traits
• Stress (financial, work, family)
• Sleeping issues
• Chronic pain, injury or illness
• Motivation
• Relationship issues
• Abuse
• Attachment & family of origin issues
• Family conflicts
• Life crises
• Grief & loss
• Psychosis
• Eating/weight issues
• Behavioural issues
• Disability
• Addiction issues
• Career change or development
• Eating/weight issues
• Personal development
• Intimacy & sexual issues
• Emotional regulation
What is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker?
Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSWs) are recognised providers with Medicare Australia and other programs, delivering clinical social work services in mental health settings and utilising a range of evidence-based strategies. They have a wide breadth of experience in assessing and treating people who have mental health problems.

AMHSWs work with people across the lifespan (including children, adults and older persons) and provide a unique contribution to the mental health space in their holistic approach to working with a person. The advanced training that is expected of AMHSW prepares and provides them with the skills for working with people with very complex presentations and co-morbidities. AMHSWs are highly trained and educated professionals, meeting some of the highest standards of professional regulation in Australia.

Mental Health problems include (but not limited to);

• Trauma
• Depression & Mood disorders
• Stress, panic and/or anxiety
• Grief and/or loss
• Family violence
• Personality traits
• Stress (financial, work, family)
• Sleeping issues
• Chronic pain, injury or illness
• Motivation
• Relationship issues
• Abuse
• Attachment & family of origin issues • Family conflicts
• Life crises
• Grief & loss
• Psychosis
• Eating/weight issues
• Behavioural issues
• Disability
• Addiction issues
• Career change or development
• Eating/weight issues
• Personal development
• Intimacy & sexual issues
• Emotional regulation


Accredited Mental Health Social Workers use a range of interventions in helping people with mental health disorders, including the following focussed psychological strategies:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Behavioural interventions
• Cognitive interventions
• Relaxation strategies
• Skills training
• Problem solving
• Anger management
• Social skills
• Stress management
• Parenting skills
• Interpersonal therapy
• Psycho-education (including Motivational Interviewing) • Narrative therapy
What is a provisional psychologist?

Psychologists with Provisional Registration
All Psychologists are registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, which ensures they’ve met high standards in education, training, supervised practice, ethical and professional standards, and ongoing professional development.

A Psychologist with provisional registration is someone who has;

a) completed 5 years of tertiary psychology qualifications (study, placements & research) and is undertaking a final year of ‘on the job’ supervised practice, or
b) completed 4 years of tertiary psychology qualifications (study, placements & research) and is undertaking two years of ‘on the job’ supervised practice.

After supervised practice, psychologists with provisional registration who have successfully completed requirements are eligible to apply for their general Psychologist registration. Medicare Rebates

Do I need a referral to access mental health services?
You do not need a referral to access a practitioner with Mind@Work Psychology. A referral is only required where you intend to claim a rebate for services through Medicare or where your sessions will be funded by third-party or delivered under a specific program.
Medicare Rebates
Clients with a referral from their GP/Paediatrician/Psychiatrist are entitled to Medicare rebates for up to 10 sessions per calendar year provided by our psychologists and clinical social workers. Please speak with your GP/psychiatrist/paediatrician prior to your first appointment to find out if you are eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. When you make the booking with your medical practitioner, ask if a long appointment (20 minutes or more) to allow enough time to complete the paperwork.

After we have processed your payment we can process your rebate for you via our Halaxy booking system. Medicare typically takes 24-48 hours to put the into the bank account you nominated with Medicare.
Private Health Insurance
If you have private health insurance, you may wish to check with your funder to see if you have coverage for mental health services. It is important to ask if coverage is for psychologists, Accredited Mental Health Social Workers, counsellors or practitioner types and also to ask what the claiming limits are for each session and what the annual cap is for claims.
What if my therapist is not the right fit?
It is really important that you feel you have the right fit with your therapist – that you feel comfortable to seek support for the issues you are needing assistance with and confident that your practitioner can help you with these issues. It can take a few sessions to get a sense of whether the match with your therapist, or you may get a sense of this within your first session. If it doesn’t feel like the right match you can speak directly with your practitioner about how you feel and they can make suggestions in terms of who might be a better match (within our practice or at an external practice). Or, if you feel more comfortable, please contact our practice manager on (03) 9440 9886. Our practitioners understand the importance of finding someone you click with. We think in the long-run it’s better to find someone who you feel comfortable with than stick with someone who doesn’t feel right.

About Our Practitioners


Emma Clarris - Principal Psychologist


Emma Clarris is an endorsed Clinical and Counselling Psychologist with extensive experience in individual and group counselling. She has tertiary qualifications in Law, Masters Degrees in Counselling and Clinical Psychology, Criminology (Forensic Psychology), Taxation and was a practising lawyer for several years before becoming a psychologist. As such, she brings a diverse background to her work. She is also a trained Coach and has written several coaching programs in the areas of leadership and employment services.

Emma’s counselling philosophy is based on offering the individual an alternative approach to common interventions, giving them the opportunity to understand and confront their own self-imposed barriers, build resilience and implement a long-term plan that produces lasting change. Her approach is founded in humanistic and psychodynamic principles but utilises a solution focussed, positive psychology philosophy to bring about results.

With significant experience in the public service, private industry and the larger non-government organisational sphere, Emma has worked with clients from a diverse range of backgrounds and issues including depression, anxiety, relationship breakdown, addiction, complex trauma, grief & loss, workplace stress, as well as career and life transition.

More information


Teresa Maiolo


Teresa is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker. She has been dedicated to offering high quality psychological support in the clinical mental health field for over 35 years, both within the public and private sectors. In her various roles as a Social Worker, a Psychotherapist and Family Therapist, Theresa has worked with children, adolescents and adults utilising a broad variety of therapeutic platforms to cater to the individual needs of her clients. Through the extensive experience and knowledge, Teresa has accumulated a practical and theoretical depth of understanding about human behaviour and psychological development. Teresa works with clients experiencing depression, anxiety stress, trauma, conflict and loss. Her specific areas of interest are; boding and attachment, stages of development, trauma, family of origin issues and life transitions. Teresa is a deeply committed to building warm, trusting and collaborative therapeutic relationships with her clients, as they aspire to develop more positive, meaningful and sustainable changed in their lives. She currently works with adults ranging from 18 years old upwards. Teresa also offers counselling in Italian. Medicare rebates available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

More information


Bernadette Crompton


Bernadette Crompton is a psychologist holding a Master of Professional Psychology. With a varied background, Bernadette has worked as a tertiary Educator, Counsellor, Professional Coach, and Business Manager. Her qualifications include a Master of Social Science (Human Services Counselling), a Master of Business Administration, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in coaching and mentoring.

Bernadette works with clients experiencing depression, generalised anxiety, social anxiety, and binge eating disorder. She helps clients find alternatives to emotional eating and unhealthy lifestyles. She has worked extensively with clients faced with grief, loss, and bereavement, and those wanting to navigate career change and transition through the life-span to find new meaning and purpose. Bernadette assists clients through stressful situations such as changes in employment, financial pressures, and relationship difficulties.

With a warm and empathic style, Bernadette ensures she understands client’s needs and collaboratively tailors treatment and interventions to help them reach their goals. She utilises a range of approaches including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, and Positive Psychology. Bernadette aims to provide clients with a safe and supportive therapeutic space, and welcomes feedback about their experience of working with her.

More information



Amy Shah


Amy is a registered psychologist who holds a Masters in Professional Psychology. She is also a registered counsellor with a Masters in Counselling. Amy uses an Integrative Approach in working with her clients with an aim to build a supportive, non-judgmental, empathetic and safe space for her clients to be comfortable to share and explore their concerns. Amy believes that each individual has the capacity to overcome their difficulties and therapeutic work is a process that can support people recognise and use their capabilities. With a collaborative approach she works with the client to empower them, create clarity, insight, and a lasting change. Amy values openness and encourages her clients to provide feedback regarding the sessions. Amy provides crisis support and therapy to people (CALD backgrounds) going through mental health issues, relationship breakdown, suicide/self-harm prevention, workplace harassment, domestic/family violence and also providing support when people are looking for direction in life, or going through a difficult phase in their lives. Amy uses a wide range of modalities in her therapy work: Existential therapy; Person Centered Therapy; Solution Focused Brief Therapy; Acceptance Commitment Therapy; Mindfulness; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Amy offers counselling in Hindi & Gujarati as well as English.

Areas of focus: Abuse, Alcohol and other drugs addictions (AOD), Anger Management, Anxiety and phobias, Behaviour Problems, Conflict Resolution, Crisis management, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, Employee Assistance Program, General Counselling, General Psychology, Life Coaching, Life Transition and Adjustment Issues, Men's issues, Mental health, Psychotherapy, Self-Esteem and Self-Development, Self-Harm, Shyness & social skills deficits, Suicide, Work Related Issues, Depression, Eating disorders, Couples Therapy

Client focus: Adults, Older adults, Women, Men, People with disabilities, Culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTIQ

Medicare rebates are available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

More information



Dominik


Dominik is a registered psychologist that holds a master’s degree in professional psychology and is a member of the APS. Dominik is caring, non judgemental, and is committed to providing best care for his clients. He believes that a strong relationship between clinician and client is paramount to healing and is committed to this process. Dominik is also very collaborative in his approach and believes that therapist and client must work together to get the most out of therapy.

He has extensive experience working with young adults from various backgrounds and can work well with people aged 18 and over. Dominik has experience working in a private practice, community clinic, and an academy for the arts. He has worked with presenting issues such as: anxiety, depression, ADHD, suicidal ideations/self-harm, grief & loss, relationship difficulties, Trauma, PTSD, and everyday stress. When working with clients, Dominik is primarily a CBT oriented therapist but understands that every client is unique and tailors his approach to suit their needs. He utilises components of other approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution Focused Therapy, grief counselling, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).



Tim Slingsby


Tim is a registered psychologist with a diverse personal and professional background that allows him to bring an informed, personalised, and compassionate approach to therapy. Alongside drawing from Interpersonal Therapy, Attachment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Internal Family Systems Therapy, Tim has training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and is an accredited meditation teacher. Tim works collaboratively with his clients to help them understand themselves and the way they view the world. From here clients can develop skills to approach concerns with a new sense of self-kindness and openness. Utilising a non-violent communication based approach, Tim helps clients develop better communication and deeper relationships through understanding and expressing needs and boundaries of themselves and others.

Working from a compassionate, trauma informed angle Tim sees that we often develop behaviours and beliefs as a way of protecting ourselves from stress and overwhelm. Working with clients to understand that while these beliefs and behaviours may serve to protect us, they can also severely limit our ability to feel content, or confident enough to grow, is an important part to helping clients develop a deeper understanding of why they behave the way we do. From this point, clients can cultivate self-compassion, reduce shame and more effectively make change. It is important to Tim that a sense of safety and trust is established between therapist and client so that a stable base and strong working alliance can be built. From there, when the client feels safe to explore and challenge the way they view the world, real change can be made.

Tim has worked with a diverse range of people and welcomes new clients of any gender, age or sexual orientation.

MORE INFORMATION



Darren Besansko


Qualifications Diploma Transpersonal Counselling; Grad Diploma of Student Welfare; Diploma of Education; Master of Engineering (Electrical); Cert IV Training and Assessment

Darren is an Australian Counselling Association accredited counsellor with both a diploma in transpersonal counselling and completing a graduate diploma in counselling and psychotherapy. He uses a holistic and person centred approach to therapy including psychodynamic work, mindfulness practice, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Darren has a grounded and supportive approach that allows clients to explore deeply and make decisions that lead toward a more meaningful life. He provides space for emotional, spiritual and physical aspects to help in the process of personal growth so you can release more of your potential. Darren has a strong interest in mens mental health from adolescence onward and significant experience contributing to the personal development of men, including small group settings. In particular Darren has experience with general life issues, anxiety, exam stress, grief, bad habits, relationships, managing change and surviving in the workplace. You will find Darren offers genuine care, holds hope for the future, is very intuitive and possesses a wisdom well beyond his years.

More information



Tamara Powell


Tamara is an empathic and compassionate therapist who supports people to reach their potential. With a safe and connected relationship, she empowers people to explore and reflect on their experience of their world, and its impact on wellbeing. She believes that clients are experts in their lives and through the cultivation of insight can increase resilience, self-compassion and management of difficult thoughts and emotions.

Tamara’s takes a holistic approach, recognising the complex ways intersectional and structural factors impact mental health and wellbeing. As a result of examining these factors, clients can develop a more comprehensive understanding of themselves, their experiences and relationships. Tamara has extensive experience working with individuals, families and carers across the lifespan including preparation for death. Her work has included roles in community health, education and carer services, providing her with a broad range of skills and knowledge about the human experience. Tamara has worked with people who experience disability, live with chronic illness, have mental health issues, who are ageing and those who are bereaved.

Tamara utilises a number of modalities in her client work, including Compassionate Inquiry, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) strategies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness and Narrative Therapy interventions.



Amanda Beattie


Accredited Mental Health Social Worker

Mandy Beattie is a warm and empathic therapist with experience of supporting clients across the life span, in public health, community health and in private practice. With a background in psychotherapy, Mandy works with clients to develop a therapeutic relationship and to build a secure base for working towards recovery. Work with each person is collaborative and tasks and goals are agreed, whilst recognising and respecting the singularity of each client and the uniqueness of their experiences and issues. Mandy has experience in helping clients with a wide range of symptoms and issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, stress, grief and loss. Mandy’s practice is integrative with knowledge and experience of a wide range of evidence-based tools, strategies and modalities including Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Mentalization-based Therapy (MBT), Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), Psychoeducation, a range of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) strategies and Family Therapy. Mandy works with adults, adolescents (twelve and over) and families.

Areas of focus: Addictions, Adoption, Anger Management, Anxiety, Assertiveness Training, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Behaviour Problems, Bullying, Counselling, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, Depression, Employee Assistance Program, Family Therapy, Grief and Loss, Life Transition and Adjustment Issues, Menopause, Mental Illness, Panic Attacks, Panic Disorders, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), School Issues, Self-Esteem, Self-Esteem and Self-Development, Self-Harm, Shyness & social skills deficits, Sleep Disorders, Stress, Suicide, Supervision, Teenagers, Trauma, Victim of Crime, Workplace Bullying, Workplace Issues

Client focus: Teenagers; Adults; Families; Older adults; Women; Men; People with disabilities; LGBTIQ

As an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, she is able to offer Medicare rebates with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

MORE INFORMATION



Claudia Moratto


Accredited Mental Health Social Worker

Claudia is a warm and compassionate counsellor offering a reflective space for people to explore their relationships and the impact of challenging life experiences on their mental health and wellbeing. She supports people to develop their own capacity for healing and recovery through insight, reflection, skill development and self care.

Claudia is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker providing therapeutic counselling, group work, education and training, and clinical supervision. She has 20 years of experience working with individuals, families and carers with mental health concerns within community health, aged, disability and mental health services, family and carer support services, community palliative care and grief and bereavement services. She has specialist training and expertise in grief and bereavement, particularly complex and traumatic grief.

Claudia uses an person-centred and collaborative approach in working with individuals and families. She combines a range of evidence based psychological counselling for mental health, emotional wellbeing, and personal development including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (ITP), Psychoeducation and Mindfulness based practices.

Medicare rebates are available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.

MORE INFORMATION



Simone Dixon


Provisional Psychologist

Simone is a provisional psychologist who has completed a Master of Professional Psychology. Simone works with a collaborative approach, fostering a safe and supportive space to allow clients to explore their concerns. Simone aims to enhance the lives of clients through intervention that is tailored to meet each clients unique needs. Simone uses a range of evidence based treatments including CBT, Motivational Interviewing, solution focussed therapy and mindfulness. Simone’s areas of interests include anxiety and depression, social anxiety, grief and loss, relationship issues, self-esteem, stress, and challenging life transitions. Simone encourages an open relationship where client feedback is welcome.



Tom


Psychologist

Tom is a registered psychologist who is passionate about supporting clients to make sense of their experience. His therapeutic experience encompasses addressing mental health problems, neurodevelopmental conditions, life stress, grief, goal setting and providing psychological assessments and diagnosis. Tom is experienced in helping clients from wide variety of cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations and age groups.

Drawing on person centred, contemporary psychoanalytic, and existential therapeutic perspectives, Tom takes a calm, curious, and collaborative approach to therapy. Tom also utilises modalities such cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, and somatic techniques. Competent in helping with presenting problems including depression, anxiety, trauma, life stress, psychosis, addiction, grief, and personal goals, Tom aims to support clients to develop greater self-awareness and move towards meaningful change.

Services offered: individual psychotherapy (16+), psychological assessment (including NDIS).



Gary Maloney


Psychologist

Gary is passionate about working with individuals experiencing difficulties with anxiety, stress, depression, self-esteem, sleep, relationships, university and workplace challenges, toxic workplace, emotional abuse/bullying (incl. what is referred to by some people as “narcissistic abuse”, manipulation and the associated enabling behaviours of others), injustice, anger and challenging life situations. Gary is also passionate about exploring identity, life & career direction and supporting progress towards goals. He aims to help deepen self-awareness, encourage the development of flexibility in thinking, healthy coping and living.

Gary takes a calm, relaxed and empathetic approach to meet individual needs. He adapts to the individual’s needs drawing from various evidence-based treatment interventions, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness and Self-compassion, Schema Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy and Psychotherapy.

Gary is passionate about helping people who are struggling, to manage and overcome their challenges, supporting individuals in their personal growth, to feel empowered and to take positive action, to achieve their potential, so they can live the life they want, as their true and best selves, with improved well-being and life satisfaction.

MORE INFORMATION



Anastasia Kioutsoukis


Psychologist

nastasia is a welcoming and nurturing psychologist who enjoys being with people. She easily connects with everyone she works with. She provides each person she sees with the space to talk openly and work through any difficulties and issues. She is deeply interested in helping others tell their story and enjoys working with adults from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Anastasia, as a psychologist, demonstrates a versatile and comprehensive focus in her areas of interest. Her expertise extends to the intricate interplay between psychological well-being and various facets of life. Areas in the Multiple Sclerosis field showcases her proficiency in addressing the psychological impact of chronic illnesses. Additionally, her adeptness in anxiety and depression highlights a commitment to treating common mental health concerns. Anastasia’s work with families and couples indicates a keen understanding of relationship dynamics and family systems. She also delves into identity issues, demonstrating a capacity to navigate complex aspects of personal identity and self-discovery. Anastasia’s Involvement in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) underscores her commitment to aiding individuals with disabilities and integrating psychological support within disability services, with a focus on family trauma and interpersonal conflict.

Anastasia further enjoys exploring how our ingrained experiences, traumas and habits manifest and can affect our unmet emotional needs.

Cultural sensitivity and diversity are integral to Anastasia’s practice, ensuring a safe and inclusive space for all.

Anastasia is committed to assisting clients in achieving a healthy work-life balance, recognising the impact of attachment on interpersonal relationships, and exploring unconscious processes for a deeper understanding of self. Through personalised approaches to personality development and the application of psychodynamic psychotherapy and object relations principles, I am here to support your unique journey toward enhanced well-being. Ultimately, Anastasia’s overarching interest in overall well-being signifies a holistic approach, encompassing diverse therapeutic modalities to enhance individuals’ quality of life.

Anastasia uses an individual-based therapy depending on your needs. She will use a variety of styles and interventions to help you understand how a mental ill health experience or condition has manifested and will work with you to explore these experiences. Some of the techniques she will use include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.

Anastasia is also proficient Greek.

MORE INFORMATION



Ana Romero


Psychologist

Ana is a warm and compassionate psychologist who will collaborate with you to identify and harness your strengths to a create a meaningful life. Ana uses the therapeutic space to support her clients to develop self confidence, assertiveness, emotional regulation and gain greater insight on their life patterns to empower her clients to create meaningful changes.

Ana has experience in treating anxiety, depression and adjustments disorders. Ana has a special interest in trauma and Borderline Personality Disorder and is trained in Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Comittment therapy and Eye Movement Rapid Desensitization therapy. Ana is originally from New Zealand and has 16 years experience in youth and adult mental health and disability.

MORE INFORMATION



Kristina Spanos


Provisional Psychologist

Kristina is a Provisional Psychologist who completed her Master of Professional Psychology at Deakin University. Kristina brings a wealth of experience working alongside people who have been long-term unemployed. She has worked primarily within the Disability Employment Industry since 2015, demonstrating her commitment to working with clients with complex mental health and assisting them to overcome barriers to employment.

Kristina employs a variety of therapeutic techniques, including cognitive-behavioural therapy, strength-based approach, acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness-based approaches tailored to each client’s specific needs. Through her empathetic and collaborative style, she empowers individuals to develop effective coping strategies, gain insight into their thinking and behaviour patterns, and create positive change in their lives.

• Depression • Anxiety Disorders • Stress Management • Interpersonal/Relationship Conflict • Adjustment/Transitions • Unemployment • Grief and loss • Vocational assessment • Workplace stress and bullying

Client Groups

  • Adolescent (15+)Adolescent (15+)
  • Adult