Deborah has a Bachelor of Social Work and a Masters Degree in Advanced Social Work Practice and is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker. She has worked in Social Work for over 20 years with the majority of her experience in Public Hospitals (tertiary, metropolitan and rural) and in Community Health Centres. This has involved supporting clients within specialist teams (Oncology, MFMU, Renal Units, Statewide Infant Hearing Service) as well as Generalist counselling and assessments amongst adults of varying ages, genders , cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Interventions have been varied but include grief and bereavement, adjustment to diagnosis, relationship breakdowns, domestic violence, parenting issues, carer stress, anxiety and depression, isolation. Deborah also has previous management experience and is passionate about assisting with workplace stressors, impact of restructures, loss of employment. She has also have worked in the private sector supporting clients through EAP referrals and Mental Health plans. She also has a wealth of lived experience and wisdom regarding the impact of relocation , mobility, parenting and neurodiversity and is also keen to support clients who hold a faith perspective on life. She has worked with many First Nations people and those of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds and passionate about matters of social justice and equity. Deborah has a respectful, holistic and flexible approach.

Kara’s counselling style is compassionate, empathetic and empowering. In addition to her counselling skills, Kara brings a wealth of experience from her diverse background in education and community work, including secondary and adult education, and working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Kara's clinical practice is holistic, trauma-informed, culturally safe and person-centered. Integrating lived experiences with evidence-based therapies, she addresses the whole person to foster healing, capacity building, and resilience. Drawing from a diverse range of modalities such as Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Mindfulness, Kara creates a collaborative and empowering environment for her clients. Kara special areas of interest include Trauma, PTSD/CPTSD, ADHD/Neurodiversity, Life Transitions including Loss/Injury/Illness/Work Issues, Women’s Wellness, Adolescent and Young Adult Issues, Anxiety, Stress Management, and Self-Empowerment. Kara enjoys working with a diverse range of people, aged 13 to older adults and is a safe and inclusive practitioner for LGBQTI+.

Mariusz has practiced psychology since 2019 and has gained general registration after graduating from the Master of Psychology (Health) program at the University of Queensland (UQ) in 2022. Mariusz aims to provide an empathic and accepting space for clients to explore their lived experiences, thoughts, and feelings, and to collaboratively work with them on addressing their individual therapy goals. He applies a scientist practitioner approach to psychology, using evidence based therapeutic interventions including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focussed Therapy, and Mindfulness. Mariusz offers psychological services for adults (aged 18+) accessing individual therapy through: • Medicare • WorkCover QLD • QPS Self-Refer • Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) • NDIS self-managed and plan managed funding • Private health Mariusz has experience in working in a variety of healthcare settings including private practice, hospital, and health promotion programs and delivering psychological services to clients from a variety of backgrounds including Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and LGBTQI+ clients.

Counsellor, Clinical Hypnotherapist, EFT Practitioner

Ross is joining the team at Magnolia House as a Provisional Psychologist for two days a week and has a background in youth work, combined with his skills as a case worker. He has been a Provisional Psychologist since June 2022, completing his degree in Behavioural Sciences (Psychology) at Queensland University of Technology and his graduate diploma in Advanced Psychology at Monash University. Ross has previous experience working with children and adolescents as a case worker with youth justice and as a youth worker in the residential care setting. He is passionate about working with individuals of all ages, particularly those with complex mental health, trauma, neurodivergence, and intellectual disability. Ross employs an empathic approach to clients. He uses a holistic and collaborative approach to therapy working closely with families and therapeutic stakeholders to ensure the best outcomes for the individual. He has a solid foundation of psychometric assessments and intervention techniques that are ever-evolving as he progresses further along his provisional pathway.

Vish graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Social Work in 2012. He joined The Do Network in 2021, first as a Social Worker and later adding the role of Executive Officer, and joined KCPsych as a Director/Social Worker in 2022. He is based in the Toowoomba area but travels widely to service metropolitan and regional clients. Vish spent more than 10 years working across the Child Protection continuum in rural and remote locations in Western Australia and Queensland before settling in Toowoomba. While working in Child Protection, Vish was elected to a leadership role with the Together Union, where, as an activist, he sought to improve the working lives of Child Safety staff across Queensland and to improve outcomes for children, young people, and families engaged with the child protection system. Vish has extensive experience working with people from first nations and people from culturally diverse backgrounds. He frequently travels across Queensland to undertake interviews and assessments for the Queensland Children’s Court and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. This includes Social Assessments Reports and Family Reports. With a focus on the client’s well-being and functioning, Vish also supports private clients and NDIS participants. He has a particular interest in working with families where a person has experienced a disability, mental health illness, or other social problems. His expertise also extends to supporting older children and adolescents during their development through high school and into adulthood. Vish has a particular interest in supporting children, adolescents, and emerging adults who have experienced being placed in the out-of-home care system, as well as children and young people whose parents are separating or have separated. Vish is also a certified NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback trainer.

Cathy graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy in 1978. She was a bonded scholarship holder and was sent to work at Wolston Park Hospital discovering a love of psychiatry that has lasted her whole career. She developed a keen interest in rehabilitation outcomes for people with schizophrenia with a particular focus on community integration, employment and being a parent with mental illness. After completing her bond period she left Australia to work in an acute mental health unit in a hospital in South India. Here she was introduced to systemic family approaches. Returning to Australia, she moved into the community sector, running day centres in metropolitan areas. This was work she delighted in as it gave full rein to her interest in working with people with long-term serious mental illness. As the delivery of mental health services changed, Cathy began work as a mental health case manager, while continuing to offer occupational therapy consultation to clients seeking a return to work. Her caseloads continued to reflect her interests in parenting and community integration. Cathy became an authorised mental health practitioner and gained recognition as a person with high levels of knowledge about capacity, driving and accessing generic community services for clients. She was a sought-after supervisor, often accepting staff identified as having difficulties at work, many of whom went on to become valued members of staff. When Cathy moved to working in an acute inpatient setting in Queensland, she needed to find a new way of conducting functional assessments. She discovered the Cognitive Disabilities Model incorporating the Allen Cognitive Levels. She did a workshop with Delaune Pollard and began to incorporate this evidence-based approach in her practice. Delaune mentored her through this process and then invited her to deliver workshops about the CDM. Now Cathy travels all over Australia and New Zealand delivering workshops. Because of COVID she now delivers workshops online as well. She is recognised as a lead practitioner in Australia for the CDM. Needing a break from routine case management and wishing to expand her skill set, Cathy took a year’s secondment to work as a research assistant at the Queensland Centre for Schizophrenia Research. Cathy spent 10 years managing her husband’s medical practice. This gave her the opportunity to understand many of the co-occurring medical conditions common in people with serious mental illness, such as diabetes. With the advent of the NDIS, she also learned about managing a private practice which gave her confidence to start her own occupational therapy company. From her work with parents with a mental illness, Cathy became interested in the functional cognitive impacts of parents with cognitive disabilities. In partnership with a psychologist, this led to the development of a system for assessing the capacity of people with functional cognitive impairments to parent, along with recommendations for the disability supports and training required for successful parenting. This work is done in the child safety system in Queensland. Throughout her career Cathy has sustained her interest in research and evidence-based practice. She has published articles and presented at occupational therapy conferences. She is a contributor to a series of textbooks on the Cognitive Disabilities Model and the Allen Cognitive Levels. Since beginning work in the NDIS space Cathy has received many referrals to work with autistics. She identifies as a neurodivergent person and practices in a neurodivergent, affirming way. She uses a systemic family approach and is occupationally focused. She is aware that much of the disability experienced by neurodivergent and mental health clients is trauma based and she has completed extensive training to be able to support people with trauma histories. Cathy is committed to keeping up to date with knowledge as it develops. She does this by researching the latest developments in a specific area and checking for updated evidence about an area of practice. She uses her clinical experience to determine the relevance of evidence to a specific client. Cathy maintains membership of OT Australia including a range of special interest groups, as well as being a member of the Allen Cognitive Network in the USA and the Child Protection Practitioners Association of Queensland. At a macro level, Cathy is committed to addressing the social determinants of occupational engagement and to recognising and reducing the barriers for people with disabilities in the wider community. As part of this commitment, Cathy is a director on the board of Karakan, a community not-for profit that supports people with mental health challenges, disability, or both, to achieve their goals and build connections within their community to live a more enriched life.

Provisional Psychologist / Psychosexual Therapist Katie BScPsych(Hons) (she/her) is a provisionally registered psychologist with AHPRA and psychosexual therapist. Katie works from an individual centred approach to create an inclusive and supportive space where people can feel safe being themselves. In building a therapeutic relationship Katie prioritises collaborative practices that are gentle, person-centred, and holistic. She utilises evidence-based psychological therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy to help people achieve their goals. Katie offers confidential, respectful, and inclusive therapy for those aged 16+ who are struggling with anxiety, depression, life transitions, conflict, and chronic health conditions. Katie is passionate about supporting neurodivergent individuals to find ways to better embrace their skills and natural talents and avoid burnout. Additionally, Katie has a keen interest in psychosexual therapy that can support individuals with sexual education, intimacy issues, physical difficulties (such as erection difficulties), relationship problems, changes in desire, and sexual pain. Relationship patterns, individual struggles (such as shame and guilt), and exploration of gender, and sexuality are also explored within psychosexual therapy. Her approach to psychosexual therapy is sex positive, LGBTIQA+ inclusive, kink and poly-friendly, and sex work positive.

Natalie is an accredited mental health social worker who has over 20 years of experience in both the private sector and public hospital settings. She has a keen interest in using the counselling relationship to create warmth and empathy to encourage her clients to feel safe enough to be able to create change. Natalie has extensive experience working with parents experiencing distress after the birth of a child, including postnatal depression, birth trauma and the loss of a child, and parenting concerns. She has a keen interest in supporting people of all ages around self-esteem, relationship challenges, depression and anxiety, and the effects of trauma. Some of the therapies Natalie uses are EMDR, Schema therapy, ACT, attachment-based approaches, and trauma-informed CBT. This list is ever-expanding as she finds new things to bring into the therapy room.

Upasana Gurung is an accredited social worker providing therapeutic services, with a remarkable ability to connect with her clients. Her approach to all clients is empathetic, genuine, non-judgmental, trauma-informed and person-centered. She holds more than thirteen years of cumulative experience in social work, human services and community development work in and outside of Australia. After graduating with a degree of Masters of Social Work at Griffith University, Upasana pursued a career in child protection and mental health sectors in rural QLD. These opportunities paved the way for her to work with people of different genders, cultures and ages. Upasana specializes in working with children, teenagers and young adults, with particular interest in neuro-diversity. She is a certified Play Therapist and can also provide assessment and treatment for eating disorders and body image issues as a certified ANZAED Eating Disorder Credentialed Therapist. Eclectic in approach, Upasana borrows from CBT, DBT, ACT, Schema and Sensorimotor approaches. Upasana continues to provide therapy to young people whom present with severe and complex mental wellbeing complications. On her days off, Upasana finds joy and peace in the creative arts, engaging in local theatre and vocal performances, while also using her down time to focus on professional development to ensure her clients are provided with personalized evidence-based strategies.

I am a registered clinical psychologist with a passion for making a difference in the lives of those I work with. I hold postgraduate qualifications in clinical psychology from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. After completing my studies, I moved to Toowoomba, where I now reside and practice. I have experience working with youth and in community mental health settings, where I have supported people in overcoming various challenges. I work across the lifespan providing therapy with children, youth, adults, and families dealing with a range of mental health presentations such as depression, anxiety, and trauma. My approach to therapy is typically empathetic, warm, and relaxed while remaining professional. I am committed to a client-centered and holistic practice, integrating cultural, physical, social, and psychological aspects to promote health and wellbeing. I primarily use elements from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Metacognitive Therapy (MCT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and I incorporate other therapies as appropriate.