I focus on creating a warm and safe space that allows young people to explore their thoughts and fears, while developing their skills to manage the inevitable challenges that come with life.
My name is Carolina and my pronouns are she/ her. I am a registered psychologist (MPsych, University of Melbourne) who is trained and certified in Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). I have worked across private practice and in school settings for several years and bring that experience to my work as a counselling psychologist specialising in adolescents and young people. Throughout my career, I have worked with a diversity of clients, including those who identify as gender fluid and neurodiverse, clients living with disabilities, refugees who have fled war-torn countries, and young people from across the globe experiencing a variety of mental health challenges.
Throughout my twenties, I experienced my own mental health challenges. Following a sequence of events, I was overwhelmed by the brutal stories my mind was telling me and I suddenly found myself at rock bottom. Before I knew it, I was fearfully sitting in a waiting room to see a psychologist, questioning how I was ever going to get "unstuck" from this mess. I truly believe that my own experience as a client attending therapy has allowed me to empathise, connect and relate to the people I work with now. I can understand the barriers of seeking out help, and I hope to create a warm atmosphere to support my clients through these difficult times.
I completed my Bachelor of Psychology, Graduate Diploma of Professional Psychology and Master of Educational & Developmental Psychology before beginning my career as a psychologist in a private practice setting in Melbourne, Australia. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, I returned to my home country (Germany) where I worked as a school psychologist at an international school in Berlin. Since 2022, I also offer voluntary online counselling services to young refugees.
Having lived and worked abroad, and subsequently experiencing reverse culture shock upon my return to my home country, I understand those who are experiencing difficult transitions in their life. As a school psychologist at a major international school, I spent every day working with a diverse array of students, teachers and parents from all cultures and walks of life. I feel passionate about supporting young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing, and I enjoy seeing my clients' self-understanding deepen with every session.
I would love to meet you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!
I hope to create a therapeutic climate that allows for healing, self-exploration, development of emotional resilience and a focus on value-driven actions. Every session uses a person-centered approach that is tailored to the individual needs of each client.
The foundation of my work lies in Acceptance Commitment Therapy — a multifaceted approach that aims to increase our potential to live a full, rich and meaningful life. An important aspect of my work is to help clients develop psychological skills to cope with difficult thoughts and feelings, and their impacts. I provide clients with effective tools to change the relationship they have with the powerful, and sometimes harmful stories our minds tell us. Being mindful of the chatter in our heads can allow for self reflection and self compassion — two essential processes to developing a healthy relationship with ourself.
I care about offering neurodiversity-affirming care for autistic individuals and other forms of neurodivergence, such as ADHD. I specialise on offering personalised support to manage autistic burnout and cope with the demands of living in a neurotypical world. I believe it is very important to value different kinds of minds and in my work I care about honouring neurodivergent needs, interests and talents.
2019: Private Practice in Melbourne 2019 - 2020: School Psychologist in Melbourne 2020 - 2024: School Psychologist in Berlin (Assessments) 2023- current: Psychologist in Private Practice www.carolina-psychology.com
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology & Philosophy)
Graduate Diploma of Professional Psychology
Master of Educational & Developmental Psychology