Background
Brooke is a Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years’ experience working in a variety of settings where she has developed her interest in perinatal psychology. Brooke has previously worked in community mental health, the Royal Children’s Hospital, student counselling services, Anxiety Disorders Association of Victoria (ADAVIC), Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and the Centre for Biopsychosocial and eHealth Research and Innovation hub (BeRI). Within the research centre, Brooke has worked on various projects such as the Million Minds Mission Project, a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant for the development and evaluation of a digital mental health platform to assist children and adolescents with anxiety, depression, sleep and substance abuse issues. Brooke has also previously maintained a private practice in Geelong for a number of years where she was passionate about treating anxiety, depression, and trauma.
Since completing her studies, Brooke has undertaken further training to become certified as a Neuroscience Practitioner with the International Association for Applied Neuroscience (IAAN), along with completion of supervisor training to successfully obtain registration as a supervisor with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), Psychology Board of Australia. Brooke is a registered supervisor for all types of psychology training pathways and is dedicated and passionate about the teaching and training of psychologists.
Doctoral studies
Brooke has a passion for further education and is currently completing her PhD candidature part-time investigating low-intensity digital mental health (dMH) treatment models for anxiety and depression within an adaptive randomised controlled trial (RCT) design. Within a mixed-methods model, of specific interest in the project is the development of therapeutic relationships within digital mental health, participant and therapist satisfaction with digital mental health interventions, mechanisms of change (such as self-efficacy and motivation), stepped care models of psychological treatment and increasing access to evidence based psychological services in Australia. The overall aim of Brooke’s doctoral research project is to improve our understanding of how to best offer digital mental health (dMH) interventions within the Australian community and how to best train psychology students in the effective delivery of digital mental health interventions.
Current Practice
Brooke currently works as a Clinical Psychologist at Gather Women Space in Seddon and as a Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Federation University in Ballarat. Brooke has worked for a number of years as a Lecturer and greatly enjoys teaching and providing clinical supervision to postgraduate students in psychology.
At Gather, Brooke has recently been fortunate to collaborate with the owner, Gabrielle Nancarrow, on a book Gabrielle has written titled, ‘The Birth Space’ (2021). In this collaboration, Brooke contributed her knowledge about mental health within the perinatal period, drawing upon latest research in the area. In practice, Brooke focuses on providing assessment and treatment for women within the perinatal period, along with adjustment to early childhood parenting. She assists her clients with antenatal and postnatal anxiety, depression, and/or stress, adjustment difficulties, grief and loss, self-esteem and identity issues that may arise during this vulnerable phase of life. Brooke is particularly passionate about the neuroscience of infant and child brain development and early attachment relationships, the management of high expectations, feelings of self-doubt and perfectionism. Brooke also offers treatment for clinical disorders such as anxiety and mood disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder outside of the perinatal period, along with the provision of clinical supervision.
Approach to Therapy
Brooke works collaboratively with her clients, providing a warm, compassionate and client centred approach to ensure that an individualised treatment plan is developed. Brooke values and nurtures the therapeutic relationship with the aim to create a respectful and safe therapeutic environment, one in which her clients feel empowered and understood.
Brooke specialises in the neurobiological underpinnings of talking therapies and incorporates many evidence-based treatment modalities into her practice such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Schema- Focused Therapy, while drawing upon principles of neuroscience and attachment theory to enhance her client’s outcomes. Brooke works in a trauma informed manner and enjoys supporting mothers in parenting from a Circle of Security perspective. Brooke also enjoys delivering treatment in individual and group formats, and she has interests in community education and group programs to enhance mental health and wellbeing.
Professional Affiliations
Registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA)
Endorsed by the PsyBA as a specialist in Clinical Psychology
Member of the Australian Psychological Society, Fellow grade of the College of Clinical Psychologists (FCCLP)
Registered supervisor with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
Registered supervisor for Clinical Psychology Registrar Program with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
Certified member of the International Association for Applied Neuroscience (IAAN)
Member of the Mindfulness-Integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Treatment Training Research Institute (MiCBT Institute)
Member of the Western Infant and Perinatal Mental Health Network (MHPN)
Member of the APS Perinatal and Infant Psychology Interest Group (PIPIG)
Registered The Perinatal Loss Centre
Registered Circle of Security Parent Facilitator
