Meet our Practitioners.

Dr Amy Bloxham

Practice Director and Psychologist

Amy holds a Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology. Amy has worked internationally both in the UK and in Australia. She brings over 16 years of clinical experience in mental health services and has been a qualified Psychologist for 14 years. 

Prior to working in private practice in the Northern Rivers NSW, Amy specialised in acute mental health services for Queensland Health and previous to that, she worked in Harley Therapy, London and various roles within the NHS.  

Amy prides herself on being able to engage and develop therapeutic relationships with those from varying backgrounds, economic, spiritual and cultural experiences. Amy is open to working with those who identify as LGBTQI+. 

Amy practices within an integrative framework, incorporating evidence based techniques such as Compassion Focussed Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Psychodynamic ideas. She has a continued interest in pursuing and developing her skills in other diverse areas and thus draws upon other modalities such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and other mindfulness based approaches. 

Amy has worked with a large spectrum of client difficulties, ranging from mild to the more complex. The length of therapy that has been offered has ranged from short to longer-term therapy dependent on client need and the approach undertaken. Amy particularly values a long term approach whereby a client is able to hold onto the importance of their weekly therapy space and what it means for them.

Amy very much values a collaborative therapeutic relationship and using the therapeutic relationship to enable change. She aims to gently enable you to explore, process and engage with distress to ultimately feel more of a sense of understanding, feel more in control and start to adjust to your life journey in a way that feels more soothed, fulfilled and whole.

Amy offers a warm welcome and admires you taking that courageous step in making the first appointment to explore the distress you are going through. 

Amy is located at our Brunswick Heads and Kingscliff practice.

Approach

•     Humanistic/person centred

•  Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

•     Psychodynamic

•     Compassion Focussed Therapy (Trans-diagnostic approach)

•     Mentalisation

•     Interpersonal

•     Attachment/relational

 Areas of interest

• Abuse, addiction, anger, anxiety/stress, depression, dissociative disorders, Eating, Family, Grief/loss, Identity, Mood, Obsessive Compulsive disorders, Personality disorders, Relationships, Psychosis, Peri/post natal, Phobias, Sleep concerns, Somatic, Trauma, Transition to parenthood

• Young people 16+ and adults.

• Perinatal non-directive counselling (Medicare registered practitioner)

Accreditations

• BSc Psychology (Honours) 2001.

• DPsychCoun (Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology) 2009.

• Fully registered as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority (AHPRA).

• Member of Australian Psychological Society (APS).

• Registered with Medicare and Private Health Funds.

• International - registered with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and British Psychological Society (BPS)

• Fee $230 per 50 min session

Jess Sutton

Clinical Psychologist

Jess is a Clinical Psychologist with over seven years experience on the Gold Coast specialising in acute and chronic mental health services in the community and with individuals experiencing mental health crisis in the hospital setting. Jess has worked with individuals from many walks of life with mild to complex presentations. 

Jess appreciates that taking the step to see a psychologist can be daunting for some, she hopes to ease any concerns about this through her warm, empathetic and open therapeutic style. She places value in creating a space where you feel heard, safe, and comfortable to share about yourself and your challenges. In this space Jess uses a collaborative approach to achieve your goals, enable change and also learn about you as a person. Including your values, strengths and areas you wish to build upon. 

In session Jess will encourage you to reflect, explore, discover, learn and try new ways of thinking and being. Jess has training and experience in various forms of therapy and draws on the most relevant aspects of these for each client’s unique goals and needs. She will share strategies and tools to help you recognise, understand and manage any discomfort in order to overcome obstacles now and in the future.

Jess is looking forward to meeting with you and supporting you on your journey of self discovery and change at a pace that is individual to you.

Jess is located at our Kingscliff practice.

Approach

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

• Strengths Based Therapy

• Positive Psychology

• Acceptance Commitment Therapy

• Trauma informed care

• Schema therapy 

• the Suicide Prevention Strategy 

• Project Air Strategy for treatment of personality disorders 

 Areas of interest

• Mood concerns including anxiety and depression, Bipolar and Psychotic disorders, Life transition, Resilience building, Stress management, General Relationship / interpersonal difficulties, Trauma, Sleep difficulties, Grief and loss, Personality disorders, Impulse control difficulties - including addiction, self harm, suicidality, anger. 

• Adults 18+

Accreditations

• Fully registered Psychologist with clinical endorsement with the Psychology Board of the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority (AHPRA).

• Member of Australian Psychological Society (APS).

• Registered with Medicare.

• Fee $230 per 50 minute session.

Kathleen Mckinnon

Clinical Psychologist

Kathleen completed her Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours and Master of Clinical Psychology at Griffith University. Kathleen has a range of experience working with clients across the lifespan and in different settings including acute outpatient mental health, education, inpatient mental health, and private practice. She is also trained and experienced in cognitive and diagnostic assessment.

Kathleen is passionate about providing a safe space where clients can be curious about their own experiences in order to achieve personal growth and contentment in life. She understands therapy can be daunting, and takes a collaborative, warm, and empathic approach. She utilises a range of therapeutic styles to gain a holistic understanding of the client and their needs in treatment.

Kathleen has an interest in attachment, neurodiversity, and intergenerational trauma. Kathleen has conducted research exploring the role of adult attachment style and trait mindfulness on emotion regulation skills, and on the role of colonisation and intergenerational trauma on the developmental outcomes of First Nations children.

Kathleen believes we are shaped by the interaction between our unique being and our environment, and understanding how these forces interact can unlock insights that foster self-compassion and personal growth.

Kathleen is based at our Kingscliff practice.

Approach

• Humanistic/person centred

• Attachment/relational

• Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

• Schema Therapy

• Mindfulness and relaxation

• Positive psychology. 

 Areas of interest

• Anxiety disorders and OCD, depression and mood disorders, neurodiversity, trauma, relationship and interpersonal difficulties, parenting, self-esteem, adjustment difficulties, grief and loss, stress management, and resilience building

• Young people 16+ and adults.

  Accreditations

• Fully registered as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority (AHPRA).

• Member of Australian Psychological Society.

• Registered with Medicare.

• Fee $220 per 50 minute session.