Katie Leavey
Senior Clinical Psychologist
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” - Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
Taking new clients: Yes
From: approximately early to mid-June
Consulting days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Client age: 14+
Areas of interest
-
Anxiety, panic attacks, phobias
-
OCD
-
Depression
-
Difficulty regulating emotions
-
Adjustment to life changes and transitions
-
PTSD
-
Interpersonal difficulties
-
Self-esteem issues
I have been interested in psychology for as long as I can remember and most of my working life has been dedicated to understanding and supporting people experiencing mental health challenges. I have been working in private practice at The Glow Centre since 2019 and prior to that, I worked for many years in community services in the UK and Australia, assisting people with a variety of complex needs. I enjoy the challenge of the constantly evolving science that is psychology, and strive to continuously grow and learn to keep up to date with the latest developments and research.
I will work collaboratively with you on the things that are important to you and I will stay focused on our goals. My preferred approaches are CBT, DBT, CPT and Schema Therapy, and I will tailor my approach to your specific needs.
Supporting Your Own Growth: How You Can Help Make Therapy Successful
Therapy is most effective when it's a collaborative effort. Here are a few ways you can actively support your own healing and make the most of our time together:
-
Attend Regularly
Consistency builds momentum and helps us maintain focus on your goals. If life gets in the way, we’ll work together to stay on track. -
Know What You Would Like to Work On
You don’t need to have everything figured out, but having a general idea of what you’d like to focus on—whether it's reducing anxiety, healing from past experiences, or improving relationships—can help guide our work together.. -
Be Willing to Reflect and Explore
Many emotional struggles have roots in past experiences or recurring life themes. Being open to exploring these origins can increase self-awareness and create new possibilities for healing. -
Be Open to New Ways of Thinking
Lasting change often involves trying out new perspectives and behaviors. This can feel unfamiliar at first, but your willingness to experiment with new approaches is a powerful part of growth.
Qualifications
-
Master of Clinical Psychology
-
Bachelor of Science Psychology (Honours)
Let's get to know Katie
Q. What is one of your favourite psychology approaches and why?
A. It's very hard to choose just one as different approaches are effective for different problems. But if I had to choose one it would be Schema Therapy. I love how it explores patterns across the lifespan and how our ways of coping may no longer be serving us. It can incorporate strategies from many other therapeutic approaches, and highly values the client/psychologist relationship, which I believe is very important for successful therapy.
Q. What drew you to a career as a psychologist?
A. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a psychologist and chose it as a subject as soon as I could in high school. I am passionate about understanding people, and wanting to help them improve their lives.
Q. Do you use psychology strategies in your everyday life?
A. Yes! I believe in lifelong learning and growth. I am always reflecting and utilising psychology to assist me, especially as I navigate the demands of parenting 2 little people!
Q. Favourite food?
A. I pretty much like anything I don't have to cook myself, but my absolute favourite would be my mum's lemon meringue pie.
Q. Do you have any pets?
A. Sadly no pets currently, but I have been mum to 3 staffys in the past.
Q. What do you like to do in your spare time?
A. I love spending time with my family and try to make sure there is plenty of time for this. I can be obsessive about music, so don't get me talking about my favourite bands or I may not stop. I am an avid reader, especially anything to do with psychology. Recently, I have been getting back into Pilates and running, which is very challenging but feels good.