Director WRFTC, Educational, Developmental and Counselling Psychologist, Family Therapist, Lecturer-in-Charge, ACU Masters in Family and Systemic Therapy

I have been practicing as a specialist psychologist and family therapist for over 40 years. As the Director of Williamsroad Family Therapy Centre, I provide intellectual and clinical leadership and spend time collaborating with colleagues at the leading edge of research in family and individual psychotherapy.  Research is increasingly demonstrating importance of Family Therapy as a core psychotherapeutic practice, and I bring this knowledge and experience to my role as the lecturer-in-charge of the ACU Masters in Family and Systemic Therapy. Consequently, a large proportion of my time is spent teaching, supporting and nurturing the next generation of family therapists. My focus is on bringing precision and excellence to the practice of Family Therapy and facilitating the learning and development of family therapists to be knowledgeable, skilful and provide the best possible clinical services for individuals, couples and families.

In my clinical work, which is an important but smaller part of my professional life, I like to bring couples and families together to find their way through the hardships of life, recover from cascading losses and heal from traumatic experiences.

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Clinical Social Worker, Play Therapist, Family Therapist, clinical supervisor in the ACU Master in Family and Systemic Therapy

For over 25 years, I have specialised in working with Families, individuals, and children, who are experiencing a range of issues; these may include trauma, cascading losses, complex grief emerging from family separation, and domestic violence, which impacts parenting and heightens family tension. 

As well as working systemically with complex dynamics in families, I am also experienced in a range of therapies that include psychodynamic, interpersonal, cognitive behaviour therapy, and I offer psycho education and mindfulness. 

I have a Masters degree in Family Therapy, and I teach and supervise the Family and Systemic therapy trainees completing their masters degree. I am an accredited Mental Health Clinician and currently work in private practice with individuals, couples, children, and families. 

I believe there are times in our life when we become stuck in complex dynamics that we would like to improve. I explore this with individuals and families to assist in relieving the distress and pain, and I offer a safe space to move forward in life. 

I have a warm, caring and thoughtful approach, offering a relational style that my clients often mention allows them to feel comfortable and relaxed from the very first meeting.

Counselling Psychologist, Family Therapist, Specialist Lecturer in ACU Masters in Family and Systemic Therapy, Clinical Educator in the treatment of Addiction and Substance abuse 

I have been a practicing psychologist for over 20 years and hold a masters degree in counselling psychology. Most of my work is in private practice, but I also have significant clinical experience in hospital and community settings. While primarily being a clinician, I have continued to be involved in research projects, as well as teaching, training & supervision. I work with many different presentations, but the particular focus of my clinical work on individuals, couples and families is with the issues they face with substance use and addictions. I am also on the advisory committee of Family Drug Help at the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC).

Mental Health Social Worker, Family Therapist, Intake Clinician at WRFTC

Over the last 20 years I have worked as a counsellor. Most of my experience has been in counselling and supporting parents of young babies. This has led me to an interest in early attachment experiences and how these bonds impact throughout people’s lives and family relationships. I have a Masters in Family and Systemic Therapy, and I now work in private practice with individuals, couples, and families to create possibilities for change in their lives and relationships. I focus on holding in mind my clients’ emotional worlds and the need for a sense of safety for change to occur. My experience as a migrant provides me with a sensitivity to cultural diversity, and the importance of acknowledgment of the differences in worldviews. 

Mental health social worker, Family Therapist, ACU Lecturer in Masters in Family and Systemic Therapy 

My clinical experience over the last 8 years has been in working with children, adolescents adults, and Families. I have a Masters degree in Family and Systemic Therapy, but I am also trained in a broad range of evidence-based approaches, which I use as the need arises. As a family therapist, most of my experience is in hospital outpatient settings and I am now making the transition into private practice. I particularly like working with children, adolescents, and their parents. 

My approach is to explore what is contributing to the pain or difficulty and to understand where each person involved is coming from. I like to make the sessions relaxed, focused, and helpful, but I also want to understand the bigger picture, and I tailor the treatment to the presenting issues. Together with the client(s), we develop practical strategies that ease distress, heal the ruptures, and make life better and more meaningful. I like to provide a space to have those difficult conversations and process emotions. My goal is for individuals to be able to turn to their families or people who care for them during times of stress and find a way forward together, celebrating the unique strengths and growth of each person and family.

Mental Health Social Worker, Play Therapist and Family Therapist 

I have been in private practice for the past 8 years. Before this, I spent 5 years working in women and children’s refuges with people who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault. 

I specialise in working with young children, adolescents, and families using a range of different therapeutic frameworks to support my practice. I am trained in Play Therapy and have a Masters in Narrative Therapy. Narrative Therapy is a systemic therapy that emphasises the stories we develop and carry with us through our lives. These narratives give meaning to our experiences, the significant and ordinary events in our lives, which in turn influence how we see ourselves, our interactions, and our world. Narrative therapy highlights the skills, strengths, competencies and wisdom we possess. ‘The problem is the problem’ and the person is not the problem.

Working collaboratively with parents/carers and guardians to support and guide is at the core of my practice. I acknowledge how stressful and confusing life’s journey can be. 

I have also completed training in Internal Family Systems - a framework that helps people to heal.

Clinical Psychologist, Family Therapist, Lecturer in ACU Masters in Family and Systemic Therapy. 

As a Clinical Psychologist, I have extensive experience working in multiple public mental health services focused on children and adolescents. I consider it to be very important that treating clinicians support vulnerable families when they are presenting with a range of complex emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties, either in their child or family.  

I am passionate about family therapy as a practical framework that best supports children, adolescents, and their families to find their unique ways to heal.  I also enjoy working with couples and utilise a range of evidence-based approaches. The specific clinical issues in which I have extensive experience include emotional and behavioural difficulties in children, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, trauma and complex trauma, school refusal, psychotic disorders, functional neurological disorder, as well as complex comorbid difficulties. 

While my therapeutic style focuses on providing best-practice, I put high priority on supporting individuals and families. I like to help people feel safe and assured that I would be non-judgemental, warm, empathic, and interested in what they have been experiencing.

Leanne Eames

Family Therapist, Lecturer in Masters in Family and Systemic Therapy Course

I have 10 years’ experience with a range of different modes supporting and working with adult individuals, couples and families impacted by substance use and addiction, including seminar delivery, telephone helpline support, structured psychoeducational programs, and counselling and family therapy.

A qualified family therapist, my background as a tertiary level educator and translator means that I bring a range of professional perspectives to the family therapy space. My life experience and lived experience of the impact of substance use on families offer authenticity to conversations designed to engage the resources of all those in the room to explore how a greater sense of ease and connection can most readily be achieved. 

I have a special interest in mentalization-informed systemic therapy.