Our Team
We have a team of nine Psychologists and two Mental Health Social Workers at our Chelsea and Cheltenham practices and one Psychologist at our St Kilda practice.
MICHELLE THOMSON
Director & Principal Psychologist: B.Sc (Hons), M.Psych, MAPS
Areas of Practice: Relationships: including sexual issues, dating, parenting, domestic violence, blended families Family Therapy Infidelity & Betrayal Sex/Porn Addiction Legal Issues
based in CHELSEA
+ Michelle's Bio
Michelle is the Director and Principal Psychologist of Port Phillip Psychology and has been a registered psychologist for over 25 years.
Her early career was spent working in forensic areas including Drug and Alcohol rehab, Juvenile Justice and in prisons. After starting a family she decided to enter private practice specialising in family counselling. She completed several specialist courses in relationship counselling and became passionate about helping families stay together and overcome hurdles. She trained directly with John and Julie Gottman completing all three stages of training in the Gottman Method which focusses on methods to improve relationships. Michelle has worked with many complex relationship issues such as blended families, sexual incompatibility, infidelity, financial issues, trust, betrayal and coping with illness within a family.
In addition, Michelle specialises in Sexual Issues & Sexual Addictions including addiction to pornography, internet chat rooms, multiple partners and sexual fetishes.
Michelle is based at CHELSEA and is available Monday to Saturday. She also offers online and phone counselling. She has very limited availability for new clients.
JULIA STEVENSON
PSYCHOLOGIST: B.A (Arts), G.Dip Psych, GRAD CERT FAMILY THERAPY, MAPS,MAAP
Areas of Practice: Children’s Behaviour Issues, Adolescent & Adult Depression / Anxiety Helping Children cope with Separation / Divorce, Parenting, Loss & Grief, Anger
+ julia's Bio
Julia is a Registered Psychologist with over 20 years experience. She works with children, adolescents and adults and sees her work as a collaborative effort between her and her clients to achieve their goals.
Julia brings a sense of humour, compassion, respect and honesty to her work. Julia is passionate about helping people understand and overcome their difficulties and assist them to develop the personal strength and life skills necessary to be able to live their life to its fullest.
Julia is experienced in working with several therapeutic approaches including psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution Focused Therapy, Family Informed Therapy and Play Therapy, applying them as appropriate to her clients’ needs and personal style. She enjoys helping children navigate the roller coaster of separation and divorce while supporting the parents. She works with both children and adults across a diverse range of issues including anxiety, depression, grief and trauma.
Julia works at CHELSEA on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
CONNIE HARRIS
Psychologist: B.A (Psych), G.Dip Psych, G.Dip Prof Psych, Assoc MAPS
Areas of Practice: Children’s Behaviour Issues, Adolescent & Adult Depression and Anxiety, Conflict Resolution, Anger Management, Grief, Life Transitions, Ageing.
+ cONNIE's Bio
Connie is a Psychologist and nurse with extensive experience in various health sectors. She has experience working in primary and secondary schools and assisting children overcome a broad range of issues. In addition to children she has experience counselling adults with issues such as health, child rearing, grief, family difficulties, self-esteem, refugee and migrant experiences, anxiety and depression.
Connie has experience supporting older adults transition to various stages of their life and sees elderly clients in their homne. She uses a combination of therapy techniques including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. Connie works at our CHELSEA office on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. She sees clients in the office, at their home (if elderly or disabled) or via phone or video. She works with NDIS and Workcover providers.
MICHAEL EDWARDSON ST KILDA
Principal Psychologist: M.A. Psychology (Melb), MAPS,
Areas of Practice: Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Grief, Adjustment, Bullying, Workplace Issues, Career Transition, Relationships.
+ MICHAEL's Bio
Michael Edwardson has been a registered psychologist for over 25 years after graduating from Melbourne University and beginning his psychology career as a counsellor with Lifeline. He went on to develop a corporate practice in Sydney and Melbourne as an Australian Psychological Society (APS) endorsed organisational psychologist.
He has a passion for working with the individual in the context of the reality of their world of work, home, relationships, transitions, hopes and dreams.
He is a trained Acceptance and Commitment Therapist and Existential Therapist, and works on the meaning in client's lives and the values and actions required to live a fully engaged and vital life. As a Medicare approved General Psychologist he uses the Focussed Psychological strategies of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Interpersonal Therapy and Psychoeducation in the counselling process. He sees adults with a broad range of presenting issues including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, work stress and anger management.
Michael works at the ST KILDA office on a Monday to Friday (day and evening) and Saturday morning.
RENATE HOFFMAN CHELS
MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORKER: BSW, MHSW (Acc), Clinical Member Australian Association of Family Therapists
Areas of Practice: Relationships, Co-Parenting, Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Life Transitions, Communication Skills, Children’s Counselling.
+ RENATE's Bio
Renate is an accredited Mental Health Social Worker and a Clinical Family Therapist, who believes in passion, change, empathy, managing conflict and having fun. She has been providing her unique therapeutic approach to assist people make changes since the early 1990’s, both here and overseas. Renate has a background in mental health, child and family work, school counselling, disability and community work.
Her therapeutic approach draws on a wide range of interventions. She incorporates elements of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness, Neuropsychology, Expressive and Play Therapies, Attachment theory, Family Systems approaches and trauma understandings. In her couple work she draws on a wide range of approaches and has a Level 2 accreditation in the Gottman Method. She has training in relationship, pre-commitment therapy and family therapy.
Her areas of expertise include relationship and family therapy, loss and grief, anxiety and depression, trauma, relationships, personality issues and life stage difficulties. She has a focus on innovation and has recently embraced all aspects of Tele-health, as a way of providing effective therapy to clients wherever they are.
Renate works at our CHELSEA practice on Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays.
STEPHANIE LAGOS
Psychologist: B.A, B.SW, G.Dip App Psych, M.Com
Areas of Practice: Relationships, Separation/Divorce, Mediation, Addictions, Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Trauma, School Difficulties.
+ STEPHANIE's Bio
Stephanie has been a registered psychologist for over 25 years. She has a practical, warm, compassionate and solution focused approach to working with individuals and couples, families and adolescents. Stephanie has experience working with a range of issues including, anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, work stress, self-esteem issues, trauma, parenting, behavioural addictions, and school related difficulties for children diagnosed with ASD and ADHD. She is a qualified mediator and extensive experience is assessment and report writing.
She has worked in senior roles within hospitals and public mental health settings, International Aid, schools, child protection, and private practice. Stephanie is trained in a wide variety of evidence-based interventions including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Clinical Hypnosis, Positive Psychology, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Family law Mediation, Clinical Hypnosis and in Emotional Intelligence Coaching. Stephanie works at our CHELSEA practice on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturdays.
SUCHITRA CHARI
PSYCHOLOGIST: …
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+ Suchitra's Bio
Suchitra is a Senior Counsellor and accredited Mental Health Social Worker with over 15 years of experience. She considers herself an enabler who helps people identify their innate strengths and capabilities to effect the change they desire. Suchitra brings a compassionate understanding and respect for each person’s circumstances. She is deeply committed to improving mental health services for all Australians affected by complex mental health issues and is a current board member of SANE Australia.
She enjoys assisting young adults, women and older carers and is particularly skilled in working with adult survivors of abuse, complex trauma, carers of adult children with mental illness, migration challenges, life stage transition matters and work-related issues. Suchitra considers herself to be a mad gardener and dog lover and spends countless hours marvelling the magic that surrounds us.
Her Motto – “Life is a magic show. Don’t miss a minute of it.”
BIANCA STEPHENSON-GROMER
PSYCHOLOGIST: ….
BASED IN MELBOURNE
+ BIANCA's Bio
Bianca is a Psychologist with experience providing counselling and psychological support for children, adolescents, adults, and families. Working across a range of settings, including community-based services and private practice, Bianca has experience working with trauma and abuse, family violence, child and adolescent mental health, parenting, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression.
Bianca is dedicated, compassionate and nurturing in her approach. Her passion and commitment to provide a safe space for children and adults to explore and overcome their concerns, helps support people to achieve healthy change in their lives.
Bianca is registered with the Australian Board of Psychology and is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS). She has completed several specialist courses in developmental trauma, synergetic play therapy and child psychology. Working predominantly from an emotional and relational focused perspective, Bianca utilises a wide variety of therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Solution Focused Therapy, Trauma Informed Therapy and Play Therapy.
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