— Please note, I am not currently able to take new clients —
I’m Kimina, and I’m a clinical psychologist based in Djilang (Geelong, Victoria).
I believe it is possible to recover from trauma, depression, anxiety, distress and other psychological challenges. I bring my whole self to my work, and I invite you to bring all of you, too.
I am open to working with anyone, from any background or life experience. I have professional and lived experience relevant to LGBTIQA+ people and their allies, people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and journalists who have been exposed to trauma.
I am a registered yoga teacher and believe in the wisdom of mind, heart and body. I also offer Yoga and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group sessions focused on trauma healing, with a maximum of 6 participants. See my yoga page for more details.
I primarily work with adults over 18 years; however, adolescents (15+) from the LGBTIQA+ community are welcome.
Why you might come to see me:
Trauma, sadness, anxiety, relationship challenges, grief for the earth, stress, disordered eating, hearing voices or other disturbing experiences, loneliness.
You are not healing to be able to handle trauma. You’re used to handling trauma.
You’re healing so you can handle the joy
– author unknown
The wound is the place where the light enters you.
– Rumi
My pronouns: she/her
My values:
Diversity – celebrating differences while connecting as one human to another
Dignity – recognising that the root of distress is often shame, replacing shame with dignity through values-based action
Compassion – all healing starts with compassion
What works:
Research suggests that successful therapeutic outcomes depend on four factors “common factors”. The relationship between us will account for about a third of the outcomes we achieve. Your strengths will contribute another third, while your expectations and hopes for recovery will account for about a quarter of the results. Finally, the modality we use will contribute about 15 percent.
What this means, in short, is that what works is us! It is vital, then, that we make sure that we are a perfect fit for each other, and that we continue to build and grow our collaboration.
My strengths:
The modality I work with the most is Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). I am an accredited practitioner recognised by the EMDR Association of Australia. I have had extensive training in this technique. I use it both for very complex (e.g., complex PTSD, complex grief, structural dissociation) and less complex (e.g., anxiety, depression, stress) problems.
I also work with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and use other tools and techniques that will be most appropriate for you and that you will find most helpful.
What you can expect:
In our sessions we will work together to identify specific outcomes you desire. These might change over time, but we will both always know what they are. At the end of each session, we will reflect and decide what parts of the work we did that day was helpful. This way we can be sure that you are recovering, or be aware of what we might need to do differently.
Fees, appointments, and Medicare practicalities:
Due to my limited time slots and minimal admin support, I offer regular appointment times only, typically fortnightly at the same time. I ask that you commit to this time, and find that this commitment ensures that we can build momentum. If committing to a regular time slot doesn’t suit your life rhythm, I may not be the best person for you right now.
Many people with psychological challenges receive Mental Health Treatment Plans from their GP. If you have one, please ask your GP to send it to me together with a signed referral letter . MHTPs are for people with diagnosed mental illnesses. Part of my role is to confirm or diagnose a mental illness (or “disorder” as the manuals put it, but that’s not my word …!). Under a MHTP you can receive up to 10 psychological treatment sessions subsidised by Medicare in a calendar year. Any sessions you have had with another psychologist in the same year count toward the 10 sessions. Medicare does not pay my full fee and I don’t bulk bill, which means you will need to pay a gap fee of around $100 per session. Sometimes it is possible to complete our work together within 10 sessions, but often it is not. Once the 10 sessions have been used, my full fee ($240) will apply.
Qualifications and Professional Memberships:
Doctor of Psychology (Clinical), Deakin University
Member, Australian Psychological Society
Accredited Practitioner, EMDRAA (EMDR Association of Australia)
Level 1 Yoga Teacher, Yoga Australia
Acknowledgement:
Kim barne barre Wadawurrung. I live and work on the lands of the Wadawurrung people, and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ timeless connection to country. I respect their sovereignty and recognise that the lands and waters across this continent and its islands were never ceded.