Meet Our Team

Jodie - Practice Manager

I am the Practice Manager for CatholicCare’s Therapy Services, Mediation, and Clinical Care team. I am a values‑driven leader with more than 16 years of experience across the community, mental health, employment, disability, and social services sectors.

I am passionate about empowering teams and supporting staff development to ensure individuals and teams reach their full potential while delivering high‑quality, impactful services to clients. I lead with a strong focus on people, culture, and purpose—prioritising collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and professional growth.

I am committed to fostering a professional, optimistic, and solutions‑focused environment that is psychologically safe, supportive, and empowering. I believe that when staff feel valued, supported, and engaged, they are best positioned to provide meaningful and effective services to clients. Creating workplaces where teams thrive, enjoy their work, and make a positive impact is central to my leadership approach.

I hold a Bachelor of Business and a Master of Business Administration.

Shane - Operational Lead

I have over 15 years’ experience working across community services, welfare, disability employment, and counselling operations. I value connection, collaboration, and walking alongside others, and have worked closely with schools, NGOs, Headspace, hospitals, and a range of community and government partners. I focus on strengthening the systems, processes, and environments that enable our clinicians and practitioners to do their best work. This includes overseeing service coordination, supporting workforce capacity, and continuously improving operational practices to ensure accessibility, quality, and sustainability across our programs. I am committed to working collaboratively with teams and partners to build services that are responsive to community needs, grounded in dignity and respect, and reflective of our shared responsibility to support the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities.

Karlie - Clinical Lead

APHRA: PSY0002107455

I am a registered psychologist working with clients across the lifespan over the last 6 years. I have a Masters in Professional Psychology and have spent the majority of my career working in the employment sector with vulnerable people identifying and addressing mental health barriers to employment. I enjoy helping people to develop insight, learn about, and begin to overcome their personal and professional challenges working alongside each client to develop a person centred, tailored intervention. I have experience working with anxiety, depression, personality disorders, low self esteem and confidence, communication issues, difficulties with adjustment, clients at risk, and low levels of self-efficacy.

Peter

ACA Member No. 7294 (Membership Level 2)

In 2022, I joined CatholicCare’s counselling team, where I am excited about working with men, women and teenagers across a variety of concerns. As a counsellor, I work with my clients to support them in dealing with life’s challenges, meeting their goals and flourishing in their lives. My therapeutic approach is person-centred and trauma-informed, and holistically integrates mindfulness, compassion, emotion, CBT, strengths based and goal focused work. On a personal level, I bring a strong ethic of compassion, care, respect and open acceptance to building relationships of trust and safety with my clients.

Candelaria

ACA Member No. 24114 (Membership Level 2) and ANZACATA Member No. 54123056 (AThR)

I am a registered counsellor and art therapist, currently working towards becoming a registered play therapist. I have experience supporting children, young people, adults, and families dealing with separation, family and domestic violence, anxiety, depression and trauma. I am especially passionate about working with children and using expressive therapies to help people reconnect, communicate and heal. I offer a creative approach to help individuals express their feelings, work through difficult situations, and build self-confidence. I draw from a variety of therapeutic methods, including art therapy, play therapy, sand tray therapy, narrative therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. Collaboration, trust, and empowering individuals to make their own choices are core values that guide my work.

Sam

PACFA Reg: Certified Practising 29832

As a counsellor, my passion lies in creating a safe and supportive space for clients to foster positive change in their mental health. My commitment is to support my clients to lead lives that are meaningful and fulfilling. I have a Master Degree in Counselling and a background as a pastor for youth and young adults with a Bachelor Degree in Theology. I adhere to a holistic approach that values individual identity and background, using a broad range of therapeutic models and techniques alongside a person-centred approach. I enjoy working collaboratively with clients and am dedicated to providing unwavering support and steadfast presence in their journey towards healing and growth.

Tina

PACFA Reg. Certified Practising 31090

I am a registered and practising counsellor with a strong background in community services, offering a warm, compassionate, and client-centred approach. I support individuals from diverse backgrounds as they navigate mental health challenges and work towards healing, growth, and positive change. I am passionate about helping people reach their goals and realise their potential by understanding who they are, the barriers they face, and how their lived experiences, including abuse and trauma, have shaped them. I work collaboratively with clients, meeting them where they are and focusing on what they want to change. My practice is trauma-informed and person-centred, drawing on a range of therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). I support clients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse, relationship difficulties, and complex family dynamics. I aim to provide a safe, respectful, and supportive space where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered. Where appropriate, I work holistically alongside allied health professionals and community supports to promote resilience, recovery, and long-term wellbeing.

Phil

APHRA. PSY0002825283

Phil brings warmth and empathy to his practice, creating a supportive space where clients feel heard and understood. He joined the team in 2025 as a provisional psychologist after completing a Masters in Professional Psychology in 2024. Phil takes a collaborative approach, helping individuals understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours while using evidence-based strategies from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) to foster meaningful change. He supports clients in managing stress, anxiety, and other challenges by encouraging small, achievable steps toward their goals. Drawing on principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), he helps individuals accept difficult thoughts and emotions without letting them take control, guiding them toward solutions that align with their values. Phil is dedicated to helping clients build confidence, develop resilience, and create positive, lasting change in their lives.

Michele

PACFA Reg. Clinical 24736

I work with individuals over the age of 18 years and have a specific interest in working with those who have experienced domestic violence and/or childhood trauma. I also enjoy working with parents and anyone experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and loss. I use a variety of modalities in my work including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy and Gestalt Therapy, whilst always meeting the client in a person-centred and trauma-informed way. I am trained in the facilitation of Keeping Kids in Mind, Circle of Security and Triple P parenting programs, and have also co-facilitated Tuning into Kids and Tuning into Teens. I am fascinated by people’s stories and feel privileged to be given the opportunity to help them understand themselves and their relationships.

Victoria

PACFA Reg: Clinical 28008

I have a post-graduate degree in Counselling and am trained in various modalities including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Solution Based Therapy and Person-Centred Therapy. I am passionate about working alongside clients, offering a confidential, safe, non-judgemental space. I work with clients in a trauma-informed way, assisting them in developing skills and strategies to assist and navigate their daily struggles and reduce the overwhelm they may be feeling. My approach is led by my clients, focusing on what they bring to the session and adapting my counselling style to align with their individual needs. I have experience in working with addiction, anxiety, depression, complex trauma, family issues and self-esteem issues. My role is to help clients bring effective change to their lives and focus on their wellbeing in all aspects.

Silvia

PACFA Reg. Certified Practising 32482

I am a registered counsellor with a Bachelors of Counselling degree and Master of Social Work degree. As part of my practice framework, I apply various modalities including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Trauma Informed, Art and Play Therapy, Person Centred and Strength based therapies. I have experience working with adults and children who have experienced challenges including domestic violence, trauma, anxiety, depression and social issues. I apply a holistic and collaborative approach to address the issues clients present and work towards building skills to manage going forward. I aim is to provide a safe and non-judgemental environment where clients feel comfortable and safe to explore feelings and thoughts, build capacity and to overcome challenges. I am available for sessions in Tuggerah and Waitara.

Melinda

PACFA 19388

I am a qualified counsellor with a Bachelor of Behavioural Health Science and a Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy. My approach is collaborative, person-centred, and strengths-based, with a strong focus on creating a safe, empathic, and non-judgmental therapeutic space where reflection and personal growth can occur. My practice is informed by narrative, emotion focused, and psychodynamic interpersonal therapies, alongside mindfulness and compassion focused approaches. I am committed to providing an inclusive, gender-affirming, and neuro-affirming environment where clients feel, respected, and supported. I work with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, loss and grief, relationship difficulties, and life transitions such as separation. Therapy focuses on cultivating self-compassion, challenging unhelpful self-talk, increasing self-awareness, and strengthening resilience to support meaningful change.

Brandon

PSY0002929933

Brandon is a provisional psychologist with a warm, kind, and attentive approach to client work. He brings a deep curiosity to each session and takes the time to fully understand what is happening for his clients, offering his full presence and care throughout the therapeutic process. Brandon integrates Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques with mindfulness-based approaches to help alleviate suffering and support meaningful change. He is passionate about walking alongside clients as they make progress, build insight, and move toward greater wellbeing.

Emma

ACA Member No. 24165

I am a qualified counsellor grounded in a humanistic, person‑centred, and trauma‑informed approach, integrating somatic and mindfulness‑based practices. Drawing on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and related evidence‑based modalities, I support clients to create meaningful and sustainable change while honouring their unique lived experiences. In my practice, I provide a safe, respectful, and collaborative therapeutic space where clients are supported to move at their own pace. I have a particular interest in the relationship between trauma and addictive behaviours and work with clients to deepen self‑awareness, enhance emotional regulation, and cultivate self‑compassion. My approach recognises the interconnectedness of mind and body, promoting healing, resilience, and personal growth.

Karen - Operations Administrator

I value my role within the therapy services team, with a focus on operational administration, as it allows me to contribute to work that is both meaningful and impactful. While I am not providing therapy directly, I play an essential role behind the scenes supporting psychologists, counsellors, and clients by helping ensure services run smoothly, efficiently, and with care.From managing client intake and schedules, maintaining confidential records, and responding to enquiries with empathy, each task contributes to creating a safe, organised, and welcoming environment. I take pride in being a calm and dependable first point of contact, helping clients feel heard, supported, and respected from the moment they reach out. It is deeply fulfilling to know that my work helps make counselling and therapy services more accessible, efficient, and person-centred. I am proud to support professionals who make a meaningful difference in people’s lives and to contribute, in my own way, to the wellbeing of others.