My Background

I am a Clinical Psychologist and also have a degree in Exercise and Sport Science both from the University of Ballarat.I am currently based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. I provide both mental health treatment and performance psychology sessions to a range of athletes, with a special interest in working with endurance athletes. 

 

I obtained my initial degree in Exercise and Sport Science, and over the following 15 years, I dedicated my career to various roles within the field of exercise science. My experiences ranged from assisting weekend warrior athletes in personal training environments to collaborating with professionals in the AFL, Olympic, and national-level sports, where I specialised in sport science and strength and conditioning.

 

While working alongside some of Australia's top athletes and sports teams at the Victorian Institute of Sport, I started to notice consistent patterns and began asking a different set of questions. I found myself wondering what it was that separated the successful athletes from those who struggled to make progress, despite having access to the same resources, followed similar training programs, and had supportive coaches. It became increasingly clear that a significant difference was related to the psychology in which these athletes and teams approached their training. This led me to consider the often overlooked importance of the psychological aspect of an athlete's performance.

 

To sports psychologists of that time (2004), this conclusion might have seemed obvious. However, what struck me was that I and many other coaches had been placing so much emphasis on the physical development of athletes while neglecting to consider that even with the best training programs in the world, they might not succeed if they lacked self-motivation, had limiting beliefs, engaged in self-sabotaging behaviour, or exhibited other maladaptive psychological processes.

 

It was this realisation, my love of learning that fueled a shift in my career path. Over the course of an additional six years of university studies, I earned my Masters in Clinical Psychology. I have worked in a number of clinical and mental health settings since graduating my masters program in 2013. Within that time I have also had a continued engagement with performance and sport psychology clients.      

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Beyond my professional endeavours, sports have remained a constant thread in my life. From my mid-20s onwards, I've pursued the challenge of endurance sports. I am far from a naturally gifted athlete, for me its always been about putting in the work, embracing the adventure and learning how to endure, its been a great teacher! I have completed over 30 Ultra marathons and a number of cycling events with a rapidly growing interest in multi-day bike packing adventures. It is both the build up and preparation (the process) of endurance sports, in conjunction with the highs and lows of competition that fascinate and stoke my enthusiasm. I love that the further we challenge ourselves, the more we push past our perceived limits, the greater role psychological factors play. We leave our comfort zone and develop an intimate relationship with discomfort and it is in this space that we learn more about ourselves. Always curious and open to learning. It is this same openness, curiosity and compassion that I approach the athletes I work with.

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I use a number of evidence-based practices in my work, including:

- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

- Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)

- Motivational Interviewing

- Mindfulness

-Internal Family Systems (IFS)

-Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) 

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Education

- Masters in Clinical Psychology at University of Ballarat

- Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) (Honours)

- Bachelor of Psychological Science

- Bachelor of Human Movement / Exercise Sport Science 

 

Memberships

- Australian Psychological Society 

- AHPRHA