Lilydale Clinic

Akshay

Akshay is a general psychologist, and has a Master of Counselling Psychology from Latrobe University. Akshay has experience in the delivery of counselling services to individuals, couples and families. Akshay works with a variety of presenting issues that include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, conflict, parenting difficulties, family violence, stress, substance abuse, family separation, adjustment issues, trauma, grief and loss.

Akshay has worked across a range of settings including child and family counselling services, correctional services, community health, and relationship support services. Akshay incorporates multiple therapeutic frameworks in his counselling practice, that include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-focused therapy, Schema Therapy and Mindfulness therapies.

Andrew

Andrew is a registered clinical psychologist with a Masters in Clinical Psychology from La Trobe University. He has experience working with adolescents and adults in the public mental health sector and in private practice.

Andrew has worked with individuals and groups presenting with a range of issues including: anxiety and depression, stress, specific anxiety disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, chronic pain, grief and loss, trauma, relationship issues, and mood disorders. Andrew has a special interest in working with adults on the Autism spectrum.

Andrew uses a flexible therapeutic approach tailored to the individual client, encouraging feedback and collaboration. He utilises various treatment methods including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT). Andrew strongly believes in working with clients to empower them to achieve their goals, and live happier and more fulfilling lives.

Greg

Greg is a clinical psychologist who has been practicing in the eastern region for over 20 years.

Greg works with clients across most age groups, from primary school children to older adults. Greg works in most areas of mental health including Anxiety, OCD, Depression and other mood disorders, Grief, Behavioural issues, Stress management, Relationship issues, and Chronic illness.

In particular he specialises in working with people who experience chronic or persistent pain. For more information, please see the Pain Management section of our website.

Michael

Michael has completed a Bachelor of Social Science (Major in Psychology), a Bachelor of Arts (Hons in Psychology) and a Graduate Diploma in Family Therapy.

Michael is a nationally registered psychologist and family therapist. He is also a full member of the Australian Psychological Society. He has experience working with anxiety, depression, stress management, relationship difficulties, grief & loss, anger management, personality disorders and a specialty in suicide prevention. These counselling services are offered to individuals, relationships and family groups.

Michael has worked in the community, primary school and private settings and has a counselling orientation which draws upon psycho-dynamic, cognitive, mindfulness, emotion-focused and existential theories. Michael’s therapeutic focus is on a collaborative client/ therapist relationship using an integrative, multidimensional approach that promotes change and development. This allows the client to explore their world in more detail; to understand how they view themselves and to see themselves more clearly. In turn, they will have the ability to make informed choices on how best to deal with situations and find more appropriate ways of living in an integrated way.

Miguel

Miguel is a Senior Psychologist at Yarra Valley Psychology & Counselling. Miguel has extensive experience in counselling and psychotherapy with individuals, relationships and families. A fluent Spanish speaker, Miguel has lived in the Eastern Suburbs since arriving in Australia, from South America, in 1975. Now married with five children, Miguel has earned a Bachelor of Behavioural Sciences Degree with Highest Class Honours from La Trobe University. Post Graduation, Miguel completed a two year Clinical Internship. Miguel employs a range of therapeutic approaches, specifically selected to match individual client needs. Miguel integrates Cognitive Behavioural and Interpersonal Therapies in his clinical practice. In particular, Miguel has had extensive training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and Mindfulness Training (MT). Since 2004, Miguel has been researching the application of Positive Psychology in clinical practice. In addition, Miguel specialises in Marital Therapy and Family Therapy, with post graduate certification in both fields.

Sessions can be held in English and Spanish.

Therese

Therese Duckett has been a Psychologist for 18 years. As a General Psychologist she has had extensive experience working with a range of client issues including depression, anxiety disorders, stress, Acute Stress Disorder, PTSD, grief and life transitions. In the past 5 years she has been working with people diagnosed with dementia and their families and carers. She has worked in a private capacity for many years but also with other organisations including Palliative Care, Dementia Australia, GP North (Tasmania) and West Vic Division of General Practice. She is ecclectic in her approach and draws on many modalities (CBT, Mindfulness, Gestalt etc) depending on the client issues being presented .

Trinette

Clinical Psychologist – M.Phil (Clin Psych), M.A (Applied Psych)

Trinette has over 7 years of experience in the field of mental health. She has worked with Yarra Valley Psychology since October 2016.  Some of the issues Trinette can help with are Depression, Bipolar, OCD, Anxiety, Phobias, Adjustment Difficulties, Anger Management, Assertiveness Training, Grief, Post Traumatic Stress, Life Transitions, Relationship Issues (Individual). She completed her postgraduate training in Clinical Psychology at the prestigious National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Bangalore, India in 2011. She then worked for over four years at a 750 bedded multi- speciality private hospital in Mumbai. After moving to Melbourne, Trinette trained at the Royal Children’s for four months while completing the Transition Program.

Trinette works with clients above 16 years of age. Her style of work is eclectic depending on the clients presenting concerns and work collaboratively with clients to reduce the distress they experience. She mainly works from a Cognitive Behavioural perspective and draws from Schema Therapy and Acceptance-Commitment Therapy. Trinette’s style of work helps clients to achieve an awareness of their thoughts and its subsequent effect on their emotions, behaviours and physiological responses.  She has a special interest in working with clients and their families who present with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). She gained a lot of experience in this area while completing her postgraduate training and working clinically with OCD inpatients and outpatients. Trinette has also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy and routinely uses it with clients experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Having worked both overseas as well as Australia she is culturally sensitive and informed.

Vanessa

Vanessa Rankcom has a Clinical Masters from the University of Melbourne, and a certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy from CBT Australia. Her therapeutic approach is predominantly Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, with use made of third wave therapeutic approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy (MT).

She works with clients with a range of presenting issues including Anxiety and Phobias, Depression, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Panic disorder. She has worked effectively with clients facing grief and loss, adjusting to life transitions, and struggling with low self-esteem and difficulties in interpersonal relationships and parenting. Her client group ranges from early adolescents to the elderly.

Kelsey

Kelsey has completed a Bachelor degree in Psychological Science, a Graduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Counselling and a Masters degree in Counselling. She is currently registered as a Level 2 Counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). She has also trained in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Therapy, which has equipped her with a variety of behaviour modification skills . She has worked within the mental health field for approximately 3 years, including individual counselling, volunteering for the Wellways and ARCVic helplines, and conducting intake at YVP.

Her training has provided her with practical experience in delivering a range of different treatment modalities including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Mindfulness. She sees clients presenting with a range of mental health concerns and personal challenges including stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, work issues, low self-esteem, life transitions and pain management. Kelsey works with clients from all stages of the lifespan but has a preference for counselling children, adolescents and young people (10-30 years).

Kelsey has a particular interest in working with individuals who have experienced trauma (physical, emotional and sexual) and who are suffering from physical illness, stress and adjustment disorders. She is a professional member of the Blue Knot Foundation – National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma, and is currently undertaking further training in trauma-informed care and interventions.

Jessica

Jess has completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology at Deakin University in 2016 and, having completed all coursework, is due to graduate with a Masters of Counselling from Monash University in 2020. She is currently a student member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).

In her time at YVP, Jess has been involved with intake, the schools program and the group therapy program. This has allowed Jess to work with individuals across the lifespan but she has a preference for counselling children, adolescents and adults (10+).

Jess primarily utilises Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI), but is flexible in her approach, ensuring that therapy is tailored to each client. Jess has worked with clients presenting with a range of mental health concerns and personal issues, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, life transitions, work-related issues and relationship issues.

Megan

Megan has completed a Bachelor of Science degree, a Graduate Diploma of Psychology and also holds both a Master of Counselling and Master of Professional Psychology degrees. She has worked in the mental health field for 3 years in counselling, crisis support and research.

Megan uses a person-centred, strengths-based approach to counselling and has experience in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, Mindfulness, Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD and Motivational Interviewing (MI).

Her specific areas of interest include relationship issues/breakdowns, eating disorders, anxiety, depression (including post-natal depression), trauma and PTSD. However, she is able to work with a range of different personal challenges including stress/motivational issues, grief and loss, self-esteem/body image issues, family violence issues and addictions (gambling, alcohol & minor drug-use issues).

Megan also has widespread experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults (5-25).

Megan is currently registered as a Provisional Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and is a current member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

Brittany

Brittany has completed a Bachelor degree in Counselling and a Diploma in Youth Work. She is a new graduate and has worked in the mental health field for approximately one year including individual counselling and conducting intake at YVP.

Her studies have equipped Brittany with practical knowledge and experience in a range of therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.

Her primary areas of interest include, but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, stress-related issues, phobias and low-self esteem. Whilst she is particularly experienced in working with children and adolescents, Brittany is interested in working with individuals from all stages of the lifespan.