Penny Marshall
Principal Clinical Psychologist Newcastle
BASc, PGDipPsych, GDipPsychotherapy, MPsych (Clin), MAPS, FCCLP
Penny is a clinical psychologist with a warm, caring and authentic style and she enjoys working collaboratively with her clients and those who support them. She is especially passionate about working with women and their families in the perinatal period, because of the great impact support can have during this important time.
Penny has experience working with individuals presenting with a wide range of emotional issues as well as serious mental health conditions. She is experienced in working with: postnatal depression and anxiety, grief and loss, fertility issues, relationship problems, attachment and bonding issues, stress, depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder, low self-esteem, body image concerns and disordered eating, return to work issues, career concerns and general adjustment issues across the lifespan.
Penny has extensive experience as a clinical psychologist across a number of settings including: private practice, hospitals, NGOs and the university sector. Penny’s interest in perinatal work was sparked when she completed some of her training at the Parent Infant Research Institute (Austin Hospital, Melbourne). She went on to work as a Clinical Psychologist at the Gidget Foundation (Sydney) as well as working in perinatal psychology in private practice in Sydney for a number of years. Penny was previously employed at Hunter Primary Care, where she worked with women in the perinatal period, as well as adults, adolescents and children presenting with a wide range of different issues.
Penny has completed a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology as well as postgraduate training in Psychotherapy. She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society , a fellow of the Clinical College of Psychologists, and is registered (with clinical endorsement) with the Psychology Board of Australia. Penny is a Board Approved Supervisor of Psychology Registrars, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, and is experienced in providing individual supervision and group work.
Lauren Ell
Clinical Psychologist Newcastle
BPsych (Hons), MPsych (Clin)
Lauren is a clinical psychologist who has a warm and flexible approach, in which she works collaboratively with clients to achieve their goals. She has been working in the Newcastle region supporting those with emotional difficulties and mental health concerns since 2013.
Lauren has previously worked at Hunter Primary Care, where she supported clients with difficulties across the lifespan, and specifically with women and infants in the perinatal period. She finds perinatal work particularly rewarding due to seeing the significant improvements clients can make at such a challenging and rewarding time in their lives. In the context of the perinatal period, Lauren is particularly interested in supporting clients presenting with anxiety, attachment issues, difficulty adjusting to parenthood and managing traumatic experiences.
Lauren is experienced in working with adults, adolescents and children presenting with a wide range of difficulties, including: anxiety; depression; adjustment disorder; relationship issues; grief and loss; trauma, OCD and parenting difficulties. Lauren uses a range of therapeutic approaches including: cognitive behavioral therapy; acceptance and commitment therapy; dialectical behavioral therapy and attachment based parenting support.
Lauren has completed a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours and a Master of Clinical Psychology, and she is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (with clinical endorsement). In addition to university study, Lauren has also completed Circle of Security training, which allows her to facilitate parenting programs in emotion coaching and attachment.
Kaitlyn Miller
Clinical Psychologist Newcastle
MPsych (clinical), BPsych, MAPS, FCCLP
Kaitlyn is a clinical psychologist who is passionate about empowering people to develop resilience and to live with vitality. She has a warm, non-judgemental therapeutic style and works in partnership with her clients and their support-people to bring about positive change.
Kaitlyn has been working as a psychologist in various capacities since 2011. She has experience in the public, private and NGO sectors. She has knowledge working across the lifespan, treating a variety of issues including, depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, drug and alcohol issues, attachment difficulties, and grief and loss.
Kaitlyn particularly enjoys working with people in the perinatal period, having supported women and families with the many challenges of this life stage. Kaitlyn has also provided specialist trauma education to midwives and early childhood nurses in her previous role at a major Sydney hospital.
Kaitlyn utilises a range of evidence-based treatments, including cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, motivational interviewing and solution focused therapy. Her treatment approach is trauma-sensitive, practical and tailored to each individual.
Kaitlyn has completed a Masters of Clinical Psychology, with distinction, and a Bachelor of Psychology. She is a Member of the Australian Psychological Society, a Fellow of the Clinical College of Psychologists and is registered (with clinical endorsement) with the Psychology Board of Australia.
Pip Johnson
Clinical Psychology Registrar
B Psych (Hons), M Psych (Org), M Research, M Psych (Clin)
Pip is a Clinical Psychology Registrar who is passionate about supporting women on their journey to becoming and being a Mum. Pip has an interest in all things “birth” and has trained as both a childbirth educator and a birth doula. These experiences give Pip insight into the complexities that can surround birth and the importance of the Mum’s emotional and mental state leading into birth. Pip has an interest in using this experience to support women who experience childbirth related anxiety or trauma.
Prior to becoming a Clinical Psychologist, Pip spent over 10 years working as a Psychologist in the corporate sector. This experience has provided Pip with an understanding of the stressors in work environments, both as they relate to parents and more broadly. Pip understands the challenges working parents face when returning to the workplace following parental leave, and in balancing their work and family commitments.
Since moving into Clinical Psychology, Pip has worked across the lifespan and in multicultural settings. Pip has supported individuals with a range of mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychosis, anger management, stress, and low self-esteem.
When working with clients, Pip draws from a range of evidence based therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, positive psychology, and mindfulness-based interventions. In doing this, Pip takes a non-judgemental, collaborative, and highly empathic approach to create a safe and supportive environment for her clients.
Pip has completed a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours, a Master of Organisational Psychology, a Master of Research, and a Master of Clinical Psychology. Pip has been a registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia for 10 years and is currently working towards her clinical endorsement.
Jenny Geddes
Clinical Psychologist Newcastle
MPsych (clinical), BSc (Hons. Psychology), MAPS
Jenny is a clinical psychologist and a researcher who is passionate about helping people improve their mental health and wellbeing. She has an honest, caring and person-centred approach, and works collaboratively with clients to build skills to navigate the transitions they experience in the perinatal period. Jenny understands the challenges that women may experience during this time, including the high expectations to be able to do it all. Jenny has a particular interest in supporting women with multiple births and understands the unique challenges that parents face having more than one baby at a time.
To navigate the big changes to self, and the existing family unit, Jenny assists women to adapt to a new normal by focusing on adopting positive coping strategies and identifying realistic approaches to parenting, without losing their own identity in the process. Jenny also understands that the key to mental health and wellbeing is being able to access to support when it is needed. Jenny is an active proponent of telehealth and e-health, and is experienced in developing online tools and resources to continue to support health and well-being outside of sessions.
In a career that spans 19 years, Jenny’s focus has included lifespan adjustment issues, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, grief and loss, child and adolescent mental health, and substance use issues. Building on a strong foundation of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, motivational interviewing and the application of mindfulness based stress reduction techniques, Jenny has extended her skills into acceptance and commitment therapy and compassion focused therapy.
Jenny holds a BSc (Hons. Psychology) and a Master of Clinical Psychology from the University of Newcastle and is a board approved supervisor with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Ruby Hooke
Clinical Psychologist Newcastle
BPsych (Hons), MPsych (Clin)
Ruby is a warm, compassionate and direct Clinical Psychologist who believes that the role of the therapist is to help people feel heard, understood, and empowered to make change. She believes that all people have the capacity to improve their own lives: “the tree is in the acorn”. Ruby understands that pregnancy, birth and parenting can bring the most intense happiness as well as the most intense stress, anxiety, anger and sadness. She is a passionate advocate for women, parents, children and families.
Having worked in the public mental health system since 2014, Ruby has experience working with those presenting with severe struggles with their mental health. In this capacity, Ruby has worked with those experiencing significant perinatal mental health issues, anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, personality disorders and life crises. Ruby is skilled in assessing individual’s needs and tailoring effective treatment approaches tp their needs. Ruby has an interest in working with those experiencing chronic health issues, as she was previously worked in oncology in a role supporting people and their families through cancer diagnoses.
Ruby is skilled in a variety of Cognitive Behaviour Therapies (CBT, ACT, DBT, Schema Therapy) and Eye-Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy. She has a sound knowledge of human development, early life attachment and the impact of trauma, and this informs her therapy. EMDR is an evidence-based treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and helpful for anyone who feels like their past is getting in the way of their present and/or future. EMDR can be helpful for those wanting to process difficult or traumatic birth experiences, or manage other difficult events which are interfering with their pregnancy or postpartum experience.
Ruby studied on un-ceded Awabakal land, graduating the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Psychology and a Master of Clinical Psychology. She is a board approved Supervisor of Psychology Registrars, Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency.
Rachel Lizdenis
Clinical Psychologist Newcastle
BPsych (Hons), MPsych (Clin)
Rachel is a warm and compassionate psychologist who has a special interest in supporting parents in their experiences of conception, pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. She uses a strengths-based approach to help her clients grow, adapt and thrive as they navigate the joys and demands of parenting. Rachel works with parents who simply need support during this period and also parents who experience mental health concerns such as postnatal depression and anxiety. Rachel has worked extensively with adolescents and adults experiencing mental health conditions including major depression, anxiety, OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorders, substance use problems, adjustment disorders, grief and loss, and relationship issues.
Rachel is committed to working collaboratively with her clients in order to provide targeted interventions that are in line with the client’s personal goals and values. Some therapies that Rachel uses include cognitive behaviour therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, motivational interviewing, emotion focused therapy and exposure response prevention. Rachel has also received training in the treatment of perinatal anxiety and depression and incorporates attachment-based relational approaches into her work to help parents navigate the challenges of pregnancy and parenthood.
Rachel offers a warm and supportive place for her clients to work through their difficulties and develop the skills needed to move forward. Her approach is trauma-sensitive, goal focused and collaborative. She works closely with general practitioners, obstetricians and psychiatrists to allow for the best possible collaborative care.
Rachel has completed a Bachelor of Psychology with first class Honours and a Master of Clinical Psychology, and is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (with clinical endorsement).
Larissa Elliott
Registered Psychologist Newcastle
BPsych, MTeaching (School Counselling)
Larissa is a registered psychologist and teacher who is passionate about providing support to parents and their families during the perinatal period. She has a warm and friendly family-centred approach and provides a safe and nonjudgmental environment for her clients. Larissa hopes to empower her clients and their families to discover adaptive coping strategies and set realistic goals during this rewarding yet challenge stage of the lifespan. In her work with her clients Larissa uses treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), family systems therapy and attachment based therapies.
Larissa’s experience spans across general psychology settings and educational psychology settings, and through her years of experience as a school counsellor she has developed a passion for working closely with families. In more recent times, Larissa has become interested in supporting mothers, fathers and their babies in the critical early years. Aligned with this passion, Larissa has pursued specific mental health training in the treatment of perinatal anxiety and depression.
Larissa’s background of working as a school counsellor for the Department of Education in Sydney has informed her family centred approach. Larissa has worked in a wide range of schools across age ranges and with culturally and linguistically diverse school communities. She has extensive experience working with children (and their families) with behavioural issues and disabilities, including: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Mild-Severe Intellectual Disability, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Working with parents of children with disabilities and behavioural challenges continues to be one of Larissa’s interest areas.
Larissa completed a Bachelor of Psychology and a Master of Teaching (School Counselling). She is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia.
Susanna Rossi-Leach
Practice Manager
Susanna is our wonderful Practice Manager, and she is the first person you will reach at Forest for the Trees Perinatal Psychology. Susanna will assist you with the process of starting sessions with one of our Psychologists, as well as following up on client administrative concerns throughout the treatment period.
Susanna is a highly experienced administrative assistant, and prior to working as a Practice Manager she worked as a Revenue Officer in the legal sector for over ten years. Susanna manages client appointments and queries in a friendly and helpful manner, and we also couldn’t do without her around the office making sure we’re organised and everything runs smoothly.