Our Team

Tendai Chirawu

Sometimes life will throw you an unexpected curveball or you’ll just find yourself at a crossroad and you just feel lost…

Tendai is a general psychologist who works with adults with mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety and other emotional difficulties. Tendai believes in using a person-centred approach to working with her clients.

Tendai has a passion for working with people with sexual difficulties and sexuality issues and she understands that talking about sex and sexuality can be unsettling and challenging for many people. Tendai is committed to providing a safe and comfortable space for people (and couples) to talk about their sexual difficulties and sexuality in a manner that is supportive and collaborative.

John Lukies

John is a clinical psychologist working part-time in private practice and part-time in public health at Jigsaw Young Person’s Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol Service. He is particularly experienced in working with adolescents and young adults presenting with complex mental health needs.

John provides evidence based psychological therapies which are tailored to each client’s individual needs and readiness for change. His approach utilises Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing techniques; and is informed by an interest in psychodynamic principles. He offers a collaborative, non-judgmental, culturally sensitive and family inclusive approach.

John works with patients aged 16 years and older and has a particular interest in the following areas:

• Mood & Anxiety disorders
• Interpersonal difficulties
• Grief, loss and adjustment issues
• Trauma

Sylvia Sefa

Sylvia is a Clinical Psychologist with a Masters in Clinical Psychology. Sylvia has an interest in working with clients who are experiencing a range of difficulties including, anxiety, depression, adjustment related disorders, stress management, emotional dysregulation and personality difficulties.

Sylvia has previously worked with young adults and adults in a variety of public and private settings, implementing individual therapy and group based therapy. She offers a client-centered approach where she tailors evidence based treatments to each persons individual needs. Sylvia utilises evidence based treatments, including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Additionally, Sylvia aims to strengthen a persons current skills to assist them in maintaining their well being and minimizing the probability of symptoms reoccurring.

Anisha Smith

Anisha is a registered Psychologist with a special interest in clients experiencing a range of different setbacks including anxiety, recurrent depression, recovery from psychosis, self-harming, sleep problems, perfectionism, disordered eating, family/carer adjustment to illness, poor communication skills, life adjustment issues and drug and alcohol related problems.

Anisha has previously worked with children, adolescents and adults in various settings, treating a range of high and low prevalence disorders. Her style combines warmth and an emphasis on placing the client at the centre of treatment whilst delivering evidence based practice. She uses an eclectic approach in tailoring techniques to the personal needs of her clients and enjoys working collaboratively with her clients to help reduce distress and build resilience.

Anisha has been trained to deliver evidence-based therapies, including but not limited to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness.
Bachelor of Psychology (HONS), GDipPsych, MAPS.

Anisha will be joining Introspect Psychology in July 2016.

Sandy Burnett

Sandy is a Clinical Psychologist who has has a special interest in helping people of all ages overcome anxiety and emotion regulation difficulties. She has worked in research and hospital settings with both adults and children. She is trained in a range of evidence-based therapies including: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT); Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT); Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT); Schema Therapy; Mindfulness practices and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR). Sandy is currently undertaking specialist accreditation in EMDR and delivers a range of EMDR interventions including trauma, pain, and phobia.

Sandy is a member of the Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA) and a Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists. Sandy is available Monday to Thursday 9-4 pm

Sandy is a registered provider with Medicare, NDIS, TAC, WorkCover.

Important information regarding therapy for children (6-12)

Sandy is currently at capacity with children presenting with behavioural difficulties. At present all after school appointments are booked out

Sandy works collaboratively with families to develop and deliver intervention programs. The first assessment session will comprise an interview with both parent and child. Ideally, both parents are consulted. We do not have child minding facilities and request that siblings do not attend the interview. Please bring previous Allied Health assessment reports. If court orders are in place please bring a copy of the orders and consent. Sandy has extensive experience working in multidisciplinary teams, and when working with your child she applies a collaborative approach with families, other treating clinicians and educators.

Kaitlin McManus

Kaitlin is a registered clinical psychologist who has a particular interest in supporting individuals 16 years and older on their paths to healing from difficulties including, but not limited to: body image issues, disordered eating, eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders, emotion dysregulation, personality difficulties, and adjustment to loss and life transitions.

Kaitlin has had experience working with young people and adults in a variety of settings such as the Royal Children’s hospital, headspace, Barwon Health and The Geelong Clinic psychiatric hospital. Kaitlin’s therapeutic style is guided by her values of compassion, curiousity, equality, authenticity, respect and integrity. She works with individuals collaboratively and non judgmentally throughout their processes of change and enjoys helping them cultivate a more understanding and compassionate relationship with themselves and their struggles, whilst also helping them develop effective coping strategies so they can move forward in life with greater ease.

Kaitlin tailors treatment to suit each individual’s unique needs and utilises evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT-E), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) skills, mindfulness- and compassion-focused approaches.

Stavroula Surdich

Stavroula is a registered psychologist, passionate about making psychological support accessible and meaningful to all clients, including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Applying a holistic approach and highly valuing the therapeutic relationship. Stavroula works collaboratively with clients to facilitate change and help them achieve their goals, using an interactive approach and a range of evidence-based techniques. Clients range from adolescents, and younger to older adults and dealing with a wide range of issues, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, developing self- esteem, relationships, grief and loss, time management and stress related issues.

Sabrina Abney

Sabrina provides therapy for individuals across the lifespan who have difficulties with emotions, mood, trauma, and relationships; she also works with couples and families.

Sabrina holds a Masters and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Sabrina works from a holistic perspective, starting with understanding the client and their current struggles, while utilizing techniques from interpersonal therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and psychodynamic therapy. Sabrina has worked in a variety of settings including private practice, university, inpatient hospitals, and outpatient clinics. She has completed specialized placements in trauma, health psychology, addictions, and severe psychopathology/suicidality.

Elisabeth Pohl

Elisabeth is a General Psychologist and Clinical Registrar with a Masters in Clinical Psychology.

Elisabeth works with adolescents and adults experiencing a range of difficulties with mood, emotions, life transitions, trauma, and relationships. Elisabeth is warm and easy to talk to, with an open and authentic approach to therapy. Elisabeth works collaboratively with each client to tailor the therapy to their individual needs and preferences.

Elisabeth is trained in a number of evidence-based therapies drawing upon a variety of approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, interpersonal therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.

Elisabeth’s first career was as a secondary teacher and she brings a wealth of experience with adolescents and their families to her practice. As a psychologist, she has also worked in a variety of roles including both inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, at a university psychology clinic, and in the non-government sector. In these roles she enjoyed working with a variety of groups, including young people and adults who have experienced complex trauma, chronic health conditions, neurodevelopmental disorders and ongoing mental health disorders.

Aswathy Viswambharan

Aswathy is a clinical psychologist who has experience working with young people and adults suffering from various mental health issues. She has a Masters in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. in trauma mental health. She takes a client-centered approach to support her clients through difficult times. She works closely with her clients to understand their needs and goals in an effort to provide individualized care throughout the treatment process. Her areas of interest include working with clients experiencing anxiety (generalized, phobias, OCD, panic disorder etc.), depression, trauma/grief related stress, interpersonal conflicts and transient life crisis. She is trained in various therapeutic interventions, and mainly utilizes cognitive behavior therapy, dialectic behaviour therapy, schema focused therapy, mindfulness, and narrative therapy to help her clients.