Meet our trainers

Professional experience.

Suchitra has over 20 years of counselling experience. She uses a range of therapeutic modalities to assist adults experiencing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, relationship concerns and work-related issues.

Suchitra brings comprehensive clinical experience through her work in hospitals, women’s health and community mental health agencies. She enjoys assisting young adults, women and older carers, and is particularly skilled in working with adult survivors of abuse, complex trauma, and carers of adult children with mental illness.

Suchitra is trained in EMDR, a specialised therapy for trauma and has completed studies in Family Therapy and Compassion Focussed Therapy. As an accredited mental health clinician, Suchitra has experience within workers compensation and NDIS schemes and can provide training to support workplaces and communities with their mental health awareness and support. Suchitra is also fluent in Hindi and Tamil.

With her considerable experience, Suchitra is one of Access Psych’s Trainers, providing support and assistance tailored to the specific needs of the training participants.

What Suchitra loves about working in mental health.

“Experiencing adversity and suffering is inherent to the human condition and I find it immensely satisfying to enable a client to realise their potential through this compassionate understanding.”

Interests.

• Certified Yoga and Breathworks Instructor
• Keen gardener

Professional experience

As a Registered Psychologist, Sarah has a wealth of experience working with adults from a range of background to support their mental health. She has also provided Employee Assistance Program services and health coaching, demonstrating her understanding of workplace challenges and mental health impacts on job performance.

When working with clients, Sarah draws from a variety of treatment approaches including CBT, ACT, DBT-informed interventions, and Motivational Interviewing. Prior to this role, she supported adults returning to work after physical and psychological injuries, and from this has gained a particular interest in how we care for our own (and our colleagues’) mental health in a workplace environment.

With an approach grounded in empathy, Sarah also offers her skills as a Trainer with Access Psych. She has previously provided training to peers, focussed on develop skills related to the field of psychology.

Interests

• Bushwalking
• Cooking
• Travel

What Sarah loves about working in mental health

“I really love the privilege of being able to work alongside my clients in their recovery. Working as a team and setting goals together to work towards is really important to me.”

Professional experience

Michael is a counsellor with 15 years’ experience in coaching and counselling within private practice. Employing an accepting and collaborative approach when supporting clients, Michael effectively addresses a range of psychological challenges.

Michael’s clinical interests span a wide spectrum, including depression, anxiety, stress, adjustment issues, work-related concerns, self-worth, anger management, substance-related challenges, grief and loss and supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Tailoring his interventions to meet the needs of his clients, Michael supports adolescents, adults, couples and groups, showcasing his versatility and commitment to providing comprehensive support across various contexts.

With his wealth of experience in corporate support, management assistance and onsite services, Michael is a Trainer with Access Psych, delivering a range of workplace training to support mentally healthy workplaces.

Interests

• Cycling
• Motorcycling
• Spending time outdoors
• Hiking

What Michael loves about working in mental health

“I enjoy seeing my clients transition from discomfort to finding peace, acceptance and positiveness in their life, which impacts all around them.”

Professional experience

Luke is a Registered Psychologist with six years’ experience working in various roles in the mental health industry. His clinical areas of interest include trauma, interpersonal conflict resolution and chronic pain, and he is trained in CBT, ACT, Schema, and DBT. Luke has experience working with clients from 17 to 70 years of age, as well as a wide range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds including indigenous clients.

With an aptitude for facilitating meaningful conversations, Luke also offers his services as a Trainer with Access Psych. Over the past three years Luke has been responsible for presenting a range of external and internal training on a recurring basis, including on suicide risk management, and a range of psychological presentations including Cluster B Personality Disorders, trauma presentations, chronic pain presentations, and neurodiversity.

He has also delivered interactive training on a range of specific assessment and intervention services in the Occupational Rehabilitation space, and mental health in the workplace. His areas of interest for training includes workplace and occupational mental health, psychological safety, conflict resolution, trauma, and suicide risk management and prevention.

Interests

• Soccer
• Running
• Gym

What Luke loves about working in mental health

“I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing someone go from some of their lowest points in their lives to being right back on track. I also love the lightbulb moment when you make a breakthrough with a client, and they learn something about themselves that helps them understand their behaviour and a way to change to a more helpful mindset.”

Professional experience

Kathy is a highly experienced psychologist with 20 years of diverse expertise in behavioural analysis, disability support, infant and child development and frontline workforce support. She has a decade of experience within child and youth mental health services, along with extensive experience working within Aboriginal families in the community, providing shared training and trauma-informed wellbeing for children, youth and adults. Kathy also offers debriefing and containment supports to the frontline workforce, ensuring their wellbeing and effective performance.

With a broad range of clinical interests, Kathy specialises in addressing various mental health issues, such as depression, autism, anxiety, stress, adjustment difficulties, work-related concerns, self-worth issues, complex post-traumatic stress disorder and grief and loss. She is well-versed in utilising therapeutic approaches including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.

Kathy’s rich experience also lends itself to her role as Trainer with Access Psych. With a background in adult education and Masters of Training and Development, Kathy has a strong focus on how systems learn and heal. She has been a trainer for Youth Mental Health First Aid, a guest lecturer for TAFE and University community services students, and has also been invited to speak nationally and internationally on her work with antenatal healing in Aboriginal communities. She currently consults with TAFE Victoria regarding disability-safe, neuro-affirming revision of their training resources.

Interests

• Reading
• Vibrational medicine
• Bushwalking
• Spending time with animals

What Kathy loves about working in mental health

“I believe mind, body and spirit are shared and we must nurture all three to be our best selves. I love the opportunity to support balance and healing.”

Professional experience

Kate is a Registered Psychologist with 20 years of clinical experience. Specialising in the Employee Assistance Program sector since 2012, she recently excelled as a Forensic Clinician, mastering report writing and trauma management.

Known for her warmth, insightful approach and genuine care for others, Kate is a trusted professional who is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those she works with. Kate’s clinical interests include depression, anxiety, stress, work-related concerns, domestic violence, anger management, substance-related issues, chronic pain, grief and loss, LGBTQIA+ support, and autism. Through a combination of empathy, expertise, and creativity, Kate guides clients towards self-reflection and empowerment.

Kate utilises a number of therapeutic approaches to provide support. These include: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, Schema Therapy, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.

With a passion and talent for facilitating meaningful discussions, Kate also offers her services as a Trainer with Access Psych. Her favourite training is Mental Health Awareness, because it helps to reduce stigma, which is a personal mission for Kate.

Interests

• Cycling
• Hiking
• Yoga
• Swimming
• Cooking

What Kate loves about working in mental health

“I love connecting with a wide range of people. I really enjoy understanding different backgrounds and what a person may need to do to reduce felings of distress. Helping them to start to take those steps is the best part of the job.”