What we do…

– How do psychologists help?

Figuring out the problems – how do you approach stress and challenges?

The first steps are for you and your psychologist to understand how all of the pieces of you (your personality, experiences, ways of approaching stressful situations, ways of seeing the world) fit together. What pieces work well and what hasn’t worked so well for you and/or for the people around you?

In your first session your psychologist is likely to ask you questions to better understand you as well as to develop your own insight into why you approach stressors or problems in your life the way you do. In short, we professionally assist you with self-development.

Sometimes, for medico-legal purposes including insurance, motor vehicle, compensation or child services management, a more formal psychological assessment is undertaken for which a more structured interview takes place, often including completing standardised psychometric instruments with the help of your psychologist. Such assessments are useful to clearly understand presenting issues and creating a treatment plan with the primary care provider or case manager.

Range of problems that we routinely treat

The majority of Healthfocus patients are ‘everyday people’ who have experienced some significant stress during their life. Patients generally present with stressors to do with work, relationships with their partner, children or friends, financial difficulties, being assaulted, parenting issues…

The most common “mental health” problems are to do with mood or anxiety disorders or a combination of both:

• Depression or dysthymia
• Bipolar disorder (combination of depressed mood and manic episode)
• Suicidal or self harm behaviours are often more likely with mood disorders.

Anxiety disorders (are often the result of avoidance of the actual subject of the anxiety – symptoms seems relieved in the short term but are increased in the longer term):

• Social anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Specific phobia
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Agoraphobia
• Hoarding behaviours
• Perfectionistic tendencies or, at the other end, procrastination.

Serious psychological trauma can occur when an individual experiences or observes a confronting, violent or life-threatening event or situation, including accidents, physical and sexual assault, and bullying that can result in:

• Acute psychological stress
• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (often can involve depression as well)
• Adjustment Disorder

We also offer interventions for other psychological issues including:

• Grief and loss
• Chronic pain management
• Sleep disturbance
• Women’s health, including ante/post-natal issues
• Family and relationship counselling
• Weight loss, eating disorders
• Sexual issues
• School refusal
• Positive parenting

We offer services for adults, adolescents and children.

Types of psychological treatments

There are a range of psychological treatments available for treating psychological problems and/or mental health issues.

Clinical psychologists in Australia are usually trained in cognitive behavioural therapy during their initial training, which, in basic terms, is the idea of teaching people to develop insight into how their thoughts and feelings relate to each other, and how to make more helpful choices by changing their thoughts and feelings, and ultimately, their behaviour.

As well as cognitive behavioural therapy, each of the Healthfocus psychologists is trained in a range of therapies to treat psychological problems. Each clinical psychologist will have focused on their own chosen areas which may include a majority of the following:

• Mindful Meditation
• Exposure therapy
• Relaxation Methods
• Assertiveness training
• Behavioural Activation
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Insight oriented therapy
• Hypnotherapy
• Process skills (using psychodynamic, gestalt or other therapy modalities)

Healthfocus – helping you to create positive change in your life…