Director / Clinical Psychologist / Supervisor
BA (Psych/Crim), PGDip Psych, DPsych Clinical
MAPS, MCCLINP
Qualifications and training
Kara has completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology and Criminology before going on to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology followed by a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology. She has been registered as a psychologist since 2004. Kara is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) and her level of expertise in clinical psychology has led to her receiving clinical endorsement with AHPRA. She is a registered member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and APS Clinical College. Kara is approved by the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) to supervise fully qualified psychologists, psychologists obtaining clinical endorsement and to those completing university training programs. Kara’s professional experience has been spread across the private and public mental health sector. She has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults from various backgrounds with a variety of presenting issues and psychological concerns. She has also supervised and managed many psychologists and staff teams over the years, delivered group-based treatments, workplace training programs and has presented psychological research at various professional conferences. Kara is committed to continuing to participate in professional development to ensure she draws upon evidence based approaches that she can tailor to her clients needs to optimise their therapeutic experience and outcomes.
Therapeutic Approach
Kara knows there are many reasons as to why someone consults a psychologist. She understands the importance of working collaboratively with every client to ensure they feel heard. Kara also prides herself on being able to empower clients to feel supported, whilst also respectfully challenged, in a safe, non-judgemental and empathic therapeutic environment. Kara has been trained in many therapeutic frameworks including cognitive behavioural therapy, schema therapy, psychodynamic approaches, acceptance commitment therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, emotion focused therapy, positive psychology, motivational interviewing and trauma informed therapies, such as Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR).
Areas of expertise
Kara‘s level of experience allows her to adopt a client-focused, process oriented approach and to draw upon these evidence based treatments to tailor them specifically to each clients individual needs and strengths. As the founding director of HGC PSYCHOLOGY, Kara genuinely believes that psychologists can help people self-reflect to build the insight, skills and strengths they need to overcome their concerns, develop positive connections and reach their goals to live a more meaningful and fulfilled life. In particular, Kara works passionately with her clients to help them reflect upon their thoughts, emotions, values, strengths, relationships, past experiences and behaviours so they can overcome their difficulties and create positive changes in their life. She has extensive experience with both male and female clients with the following conditions or concerns.
- Addiction and substance use
- Adjustment issues and general coping
- Anxiety disorders including panic attacks
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Autism
- Communication, conflict and relationship issues
- Depression and mood disorders
- Emotion regulation including anger
- Grief and loss
- Motivation, productivity and goal setting
- Parenting
- Personality Disorders
- Problematic thinking and behaviours
- Relationships (no couple therapy)
- Self esteem and identity
- Stress and worry
- Survivors of sexual, physical and emotional abuse
- Trauma and PTSD
- Workplace/Executive and life coaching
- Workplace issues including stress, conflict, bullying and critical incidents