Our Services
Our psychologists are are highly qualified experienced health care providers who specialists in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychological and mental health problems. We work with adults, teenagers and families and are trained to provide a range of evidence-based techniques and therapies to improve your psychological functioning.
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All our therapies are individualised for maximum efficiency and effectiveness, acknowledging that all people and all problems are unique. As such, we do not use a ‘one size fits all’ approach to therapy. We will take the time to get to know you and tailor your therapy appropriately. We work with you to understand your difficulties and then give you practical, science-based strategies and skills to overcome them. We will often recommend exercises or provide reading material for you between sessions that will maximise your progress
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At Balanced Living Psychology we service three key groups;
Adults
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Treating a variety of issues, challenges and disorders for individuals and couples
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Workplace stress and career mentoring including Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
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Report writing (forensic & family law)
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Workcover and insurance cases, SIRA and WDO accredited
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Teenagers
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Treating a variety of issues, challenges and disorders with a specific focus on Eating disorder
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Principal Psychologist Dr Christina Farrell recently completed Doctoral research into the impacts of social media on teenagers and works with clients on these concerns
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Organisations
Consulting, workshops and Presentations:
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Consulting on mental health strategies, change management and organisational restructuring
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Employee Assistance Program, delivering solution focused counselling for employees. Focused upon improving productivity and reducing negative impacts to both work and employees
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Schools and community groups on teenagers and the internet/social media
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BALANCED LIVING PSYCHOLOGY SPECIALISE IN THE ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF A RANGE OF ADOLESCENT AND ADULT ISSUES:
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Addiction (drugs, alcohol, technology, gambling)
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Adjustment Disorder
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Anger Problems
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Anxiety & Phobias
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Behavioural Problems
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Bipolar Disorder
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Body Image
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Couples Therapy
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Depression
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Difficulty coping with Medical Conditions
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Eating Disorders
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Family Stress including separation and divorce
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Grief & Loss
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Hoarding Disorder
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Learning difficulties
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Life coaching and career challenges
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
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Panic Disorder
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Personality Disorder
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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Relationship Problems
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Self Esteem and Self Development
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Self Harm
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Sleep Problems
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Stress Management
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Suicide
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Trauma
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Workers Compensation and Employee Assistance Programs
Although these are the more common issues people see a psychologist for, you may be experiencing another problem you’d like to discuss with one of our psychologists.
Types of Therapy
We specialise in providing evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Schema Therapy and Maudsley Family Based Therapy (MFBT).
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All of these approaches are widely accepted around the world to treat a wide range of problems. They have been extensively researched and shown to be effective in clinical trials (in which the treatment’s effectiveness is compared against the results of having no treatment or against other treatments, such as medication).
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All these therapies have a practical problem-solving approach, and focus on teaching people the skills to help them find solutions to their problems.
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (CBT)
CBT is a well validated treatment for a wide range of difficulties including depression and anxiety. CBT emphasises the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Negative or unhelpful thoughts can cause self-destructive feelings and behaviours. CBT is about becoming aware of these unhelpful patterns and then challenging them to create more helpful thoughts, which can help to improve mood or reduce anxiety. CBT also aims to increase behavioural skills to better manage difficulties, such as behavioural activation,problem solving, goal setting, relaxation training, communication skills and exposure therapy.
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CBT focuses on ways to implement strategies into your daily life to improve your mental health and reduce psychological difficulties. CBT is typically delivered within 10-12 treatment sessions and works especially well for clients presenting with acute psychological difficulties.
EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITISATION AND REPROCESSING THERAPY (EMDR)
EMDR treatment focuses on the resolution of emotional distress arising from trauma and is the primary treatment for PTSD. It is also used as a treatment for disorders where earlier emotionally traumatic experiences are related to the person’s current distress. Hence it is used in the treatment of phobias, panic attacks, depression, substance abuse, complicated grief, and personality disorders. EMDR works more rapidly and is less distressing to patients compared with exposure-based therapy. In 2013 the World Health Organisation and the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health (Phoenix Australia) both endorsed EMDR as evidence-based treatment for PTSD
ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT)
ACT is an internationally recognised and validated therapy model that focuses on letting go of fusion or attachment to thoughts, embracing the present moment, and engaging in effective patterns of behavioral action to move toward value-based goals. The idea is that life can be painful, and attempts to reduce pain through control and avoidance only result in additional unnecessary suffering. The ultimate goal of practicing the basic principles of ACT is to build a rich, vibrant, and meaningful life while accepting the inevitable pain that comes with it. ACT is a good adjunct to CBT therapy for clients experiencing depression, anxiety and a range of other psychological difficulties.
DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (DBT)
DBT is a skill-based behavioural therapeutic approach that has demonstrated strong research support for the effective treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which often involves self-injurious behaviors, dichotomous thinking, and labile moods. DBT is often recommended for clients presenting with acute difficulties with regulating his/her emotions and high levels of distress. DBT interventions and skills are encapsulated within four modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
MAUDSLEY FAMILY BASED THERAPY (MFBT)
Maudsley Family Based Therapy is the evidence based treatment of choice for young people struggling with an eating disorder, who are restricting food and/or losing weight. It harnesses parents as a vital resource in supporting their child’s recovery. Siblings can also be included in treatment. The Maudsley approach is a Three phase intensive outpatient treatment program where parents play an active and positive role in order to: Phase 1:Help restore their child’s weight to normal levels expected given their adolescent’s age and height. Phase 2: Hand the control over eating back to the adolescent, and in Phase 3: Encourage normal adolescent development through an in-depth discussion of these crucial developmental issues as they relate to their child.
SCHEMA THERAPY
Schema Therapy looks at core themes within a person’s life to help them break negative, rigid and unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving. Schema Therapy is an integrative therapy, incorporating powerful elements from a number of therapeutic frameworks, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy. Several controlled trials have demonstrated Schema Therapy and its components to be an evidence-based treatment for a large range of chronic problems including depression, PTSD, and personality disorders