About Dr. Claire Mayers Clinical Psychologist

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Coming to see a psychologist can be daunting.  I have my own therapy, with many therapists over the years, and always feel nervous when starting! 

That’s why I offer a free chat so you can suss me out a bit and see if you feel like meeting with me.  It’s important to find the right match. 

 I like to work collaboratively with each person - this is your space and I  to listen to what you need.  From there we create a pathway forward together, that gets you to a place in life that feels better. 

I welcome people of all genders, sexual identities and neurotypes. I am late diagnosed ADHD myself, so have lived experience as well as an academic perspective.

I work with people aged 5 years and above - children, adolescents, adult and older adults. You may or may not have a diagnosis, and might be experiencing: 

Anxiety

 Depression,

Adjustment issues

ADHD

Bipolar Disorder

C-PTSD/Borderline PD

Disordered eating/ED

You might also be experiencing: Relationship difficulties

 Divorce

 How to parent my kids?

Past trauma, including abuse

Gut issues

Vaginismus

Hypochondria

Being the grown up child of a narcissistic parent(s)/emotionally immature parent(s).

My doctoral qualification and my ongoing training is all in evidence based techniques.  I draw from:

CBT

EMDR

Schema Therapy*

Narrative Therapy

Psycho-education

Somatic Experiencing Therapy

DBT

Tapping/EFT

Motivational Interviewing

Compassion and Empathy

* Schema Therapy has recently been studied and shown to be as effective as EMDR for childhood trauma.  I have experienced my clients overcoming  trauma using the flexible and impactful techniques that are a part of Schema Therapy.

I have found, over the years, it is imperative to meet people where they are at, in terms of how ready they are to make changes in their life, or engage with a certain technique.  For example, some really want to do CBT, but balk at the idea of filling out a thought record - that’s ok, we can still do CBT! I like to take a flexible approach and draw from my experience and techniques to craft a unique intervention with each person, that works for them.

I have worked in the field of psychology since 1994.  I got my doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2003 from University College London. I have worked in mostly government settings over the years, for children, adolescents, adults and older adults, from primary care settings through to forensic locked hospitals, and worked with clients with mild anxiety through to those with chronic schizophrenia with a prison sentence. 

I emigrated from England to Australia in 2006, and worked in a CAT team, with Youth Justice community clients, and then at The Royal Children’s Hospital, in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service as the Senior Clinician.

It was while at RCH I started my Private Practice in 2008, to keep my skills up with adult clients.  I had my kids (who are now teens) and demand for my private practice grew to keep me occupied full time.

I love working with my clients, some who resolve their concerns in as little as 2 sessions, and others, we have worked together on and off for years.  Some I saw as kids and have come back to me as adults.  It really is a privilege for people to let me walk by their side through the different stages of their lives, healing and working out the best way forward.

This is what inspires me to keep learning the newest and most effective therapies and techniques, so I can ever more effectively help people to find their best path in life.