FOUNDER | CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
BBus (Man) GradDipPsychSt BSc(Hons) DPsych(Clin) MAPS MACPA
Katie is the founder of Stirling Connections. Prior to launching Stirling Connections and her psychology practice on the Mornington
Peninsula,
Katie spent most of her career in the not-for profit sector developing, implementing and managing community wellbeing programs and family
services. Her experience includes her role as a General Manager overseeing family mental health services in Melbourne and Regional
Victoria, and managing a unique and much loved children’s service that operated as a backyard for children living in local commission
housing.
Katie is also an experienced consultant, trainer, facilitator, and speaker. Katie has led numerous community consultation processes and developed a variety of key policies and strategies. She has created a variety of training packages including the Queensland Department of Communities Multicultural Capability Training Package. After completing post graduate studies Katie chose to work privately with clients with a particular interest in working with men and women during the transition to parenthood, as well as couples across the lifespan.
Katie is a registered Clinical Psychologist. Katie’s level of education and training led to her receiving clinical endorsement through the Psychology Board of Australia. Katie is a board approved supervisor and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA).
Katie’s training spanned 10 years of full-time university study, she graduated from her Bachelor of Science (Honours) Psychology with
first class honours and went on to complete a Doctor of Psychology (Clinical) at Deakin University.
Katie has sat on and chaired numerous community committees. Her volunteer roles have included her position as the Community Support
Coordinator for a local disaster management group. In the event of an emergency her role was to coordinate local government agencies and
community services to establish and operate evacuation centres across the regional area.
Katie is passionate about preventing the onset of mental illness through preventative and early interventions approaches and has published research in this area in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
She believes preventative and early intervention approaches are essential in reducing the impact mental health has on individuals,
families, and communities. Katie’s doctoral research included examining a wide range of risk and protective factors (individual, family,
and community) potentially associated with sub-clinical and clinical depression. Katie has also conducted research in the areas of
child-parent attachment, domestic violence, identifying prevalence rates of clinical and sub-clinical depression, and identified risk
factors for the prevention and early intervention of mental health issues.
Katie’s approach to treatment is collaborative, and tailored to each clients’ individual and couple’s needs. Katie is committed to her
ongoing professional development and staying up to date with the latest research and treatment approaches. Katie believes in a holistic,
multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. She works closely with relevant health professionals Peninsula to ensure the best possible care
for her clients.
Her open, compassionate, and caring approach allows her clients to feel relaxed and comfortable within the online therapeutic environment.
Katie draws on a variety of evidence-based methods in tailoring treatment to each individual or couple including: Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution Focussed Therapy, Positive Psychology, Schema Therapy, and Gottman Method Couples
Therapy.
Katie has focussed on building a team of high quality health professionals with expertise and skills in a range of areas, to ensure all clients can access high quality support in their area of need. Katie is dedicated to supporting the team of psychologists and health professionals at Stirling Connections and is committed to prioritising the culture at Stirling. She strongly believes when you create a great place to work you attract and retain the best people, and in turn ensure the highest quality of care for clients. In the current environment she is also committed to ensuring that all clients have access to a range of high quality supports. Katie is currently only taking on couples for marathon therapy and retreats. Please contact our support team to find out more or book .
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