Meet our counsellors
Our Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) staff are dedicated, diverse, and experienced psychologists, social workers, and reception staff, who provide a welcoming, professional environment.
Manager
Orania Tokatlidis
Pronouns: she/her
Orania Tokatlidis
BBSc (Hons), MPsych (Clin), GDipBus (OrgChange&Dev), MAPS CClin
A clinical psychologist, Orania has worked for over twenty years in public mental health services, state government and tertiary education, and acted as clinical consultant to services including universities, hospital networks, emergency services and private organisations. Her areas of interest are facilitating wellness and work life balance, mental health, effective service delivery, organisational change, and supervision for health professionals.
Email: orania@unimelb.edu.au
Senior counsellors
Allison Macdonald
Pronouns: she/her
Allison Macdonald
BSc, BEd(Couns), MA (Couns Psych), MAPS, CCOUNS
A counselling psychologist who has worked in universities for over 20 years, Allison is interested in working in a collaborative and holistic way with clients, drawing on a range of therapeutic approaches including person-centred, cognitive behavioural, emotion-focused, as well as mindfulness and strengths-based approaches. She has a particular interest in resilience and wellbeing.
Sarah-Ann Tay
Pronouns: she/her
Sarah-Ann Tay
BA (Hons), MPsych (Clin), PhD, MAPS
A clinical psychologist, Sarah has practised in public mental health and research settings with a particular expertise in youth mental health. She enjoys meeting people from diverse backgrounds to assist with depression, anxiety and stress management, grief and loss, trauma, and adjustment to life changes. Sarah is dedicated to working collaboratively with her clients, drawing on their strengths and innate wisdom to engage more fully and meaningfully in life. She utilises evidence-based approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Reception
Sofie Longhurst
Pronouns: she/her
Lana Vallely
Pronouns: she/her
Counsellors
Travis Addison
Pronouns: he/him
Travis Addison
BPsychSci (Hons), MPsych (Clin)
A clinical psychology registrar, Travis enjoys supporting his clients to create meaningful change in their lives, better understand themselves, and achieve their goals. Travis draws on a range of therapeutic approaches including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and psychodynamic therapies to help clients with a range of issues including depression, anxiety, grief/loss, stress, and interpersonal difficulties. Travis’ areas of interest include issues related to identity and personality, ADHD, interpersonal/relationship difficulties, and working with people from the LGBTIQA+ community.
Lua Bruckhoff
Pronouns: she/her
Additional languages: German
Additional campus: Southbank
Lua Bruckhoff
AMHSW (Accredited Mental Health Social Worker), G. Cert Psychology, Bsc Theatre Arts
A mental health social worker and member of the LGBTIQA+ and Iranian community, Lua uses evidence-based therapies and has particular interest in the areas of grief and loss, religious and racial trauma, culture shock, anxiety, and relationship stresses. Lua is passionate about supporting clients to reconnect with a sense of meaning and purpose even when life gets challenging and tailors her approach to suit each client.
Ceylan Çelen
Pronouns: she/her
Additional languages: Turkish
Ceylan Çelen
BA, PhD (Clinical), MAPS
A general psychologist, Ceylan has worked in Turkey, USA, and Australia across a range of settings including hospitals, private clinics, and university counseling centers. Ceylan believes building a working alliance with her clients is the most important component of therapy. Some of the presentations that she works with include anxiety, depression, relationship problems, adjustment issues, and personality disorders. Additionally, she has expansive experience working with people from diverse backgrounds that go through immigration and acculturation stress. Ceylan utilises Psychodynamic approaches and Dialectical Behavior Therapy in her work.
Effie Chen
Pronouns: she/her
Additional languages: Mandarin
Effie Chen
BAppSci (Psych), MPsych (Clin), MSc(Psych)
A clinical psychologist, Effie has worked in government, work rehabilitation, and private settings. She is passionate about helping young people improve their lives and accept themselves. She uses a variety of therapeutic approaches in counselling, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Schema Therapy.
Daniel Costin
Pronouns: he/him
Additional campus: Southbank
Daniel Costin
BSc, P. Grad. Dip. Psych., DPsych (Clinical), MAPS, FCCLP
A clinical psychologist with over 15 years of experience, Dan works at the intersection of psychological and somatic practice and can assist with most types of presenting concerns. He has extensive training in Deep Brain Reorienting and other body-based trauma-healing approaches, and additional interests in LGBTIQA+ affirmative psychotherapy, fine arts and music students' wellbeing, and cross-cultural mental health.
Tamara Coupe
Pronouns: she/her
Additional campus: Werribee
Tamara Coupe
DPsych (Clin)
A clinical psychologist with experience in public, private, corporate, and educational settings, Tamara uses evidence-based therapies to help clients with issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, and adjustment. She enjoys helping clients overcome challenges and engage fully in life.
Stephen Gault
Pronouns: he/him
Stephen Gault
BA(Hons), MPsych (Clin), LLB(Hons)
A clinical psychologist, Stephen was a senior psychologist at Austin Health for many years, prior to working at CAPS. He draws on a variety of therapeutic approaches in counselling, employing ideas and techniques from psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, emotion focused, and mindfulness therapies.
Rebecca Gomo
Pronouns: she/her
Rebecca Gomo
GradDipPsyc, BA (Hons), MPsych (Clin)
A clinical psychologist, Rebecca is experienced in working with young people and adults in community mental health, higher education, and private practice settings. She is passionate about providing a safe and affirming space for people of all backgrounds and has significant experience working with people from the LGBTIQA+ community. Her approach draws on a range of evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Harry Hsieh
Pronouns: he/him
Additional languages: Mandarin
Additional location: UMSU
Harry Hsieh
BPsychSci (Hons), MAPsych (Couns), MAPS
A general psychologist, Harry is passionate about working collaboratively with clients for the best outcome. He has worked in a range of community, private, and educational settings, with interests in depression, anxiety, stress management, grief and loss, and trauma. Harry utilises approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Schema Therapy, and tailors these to fit the individual client's needs.
Ally Hughes
Pronouns: she/her
Ally Hughes
BA (Hons), MPsych (Clin)
A clinical psychologist experienced in working with children, young people and adults, Ally considers it a privilege to assist people seeking support with difficulties such as depression, anxiety, stress, relationship problems, psychosis, trauma, personality disorder and substance use. She uses a strengths-based framework and evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and schema therapy.
Clare Kentmann
Pronouns: she/her
Clare Kentmann
BA (Hons), BCom, MPsych (Clin)
Clare is a clinical psychologist who enjoys working collaboratively with clients to understand their situation and support them in making positive changes. Prior to joining CAPS in 2016, she worked in public and private mental health services including Orygen Youth Health and headspace.
Rodrigo Latorre
Pronouns: he/him
Additional languages: Spanish
Rodrigo Latorre
MPsych (Clin), PGDip Soc Hlth
A clinical psychologist, Rod has nearly 20 years of experience and offers a respectful style and a professional process. Rod prioritises building a positive relationship with his clients to provide an encouraging and comfortable space. He draws from several therapeutic approaches, techniques, and strategies to collaboratively design interventions that benefit his clients.
Yuyang Liu
Pronouns: she/her
Additional languages: Mandarin
Yuyang Liu
BSc (Psych), MA (Couns Psych), MSW (Social Work)
A counsellor and social worker, Yuyang has worked in universities in China, the US, and Australia. She prioritises holistic support for students, utilising person-centred and strength-based approaches combined with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and narrative therapy techniques to help with anxiety, depression, study stress, and relationship difficulties. As a member of both international student and LGBTIQA+ communities, Yuyang has particular interest in the wellbeing and unique challenges faced by these groups.
Bridget Moller
Pronouns: she/her
Bridget Moller
BA (Hons), DPsych (Clin)
A clinical psychologist with significant experience in public mental health and research settings, Bridget has worked in Australia and overseas. She has extensive experience in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a broad range of mental health issues. With a grounding in evidence-based practice, Bridget has a client-centred and collaborative approach to therapy. She also has a strong interest in youth mental health and emerging mental health issues.
Jean Popomilkov
Pronouns: she/her
Jean Popomilkov
BBSc (Hons), MPsych (Clin), GDip AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs)
A clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience in public mental health, alcohol and other drug services, Jean has extensive experience in the delivery of a range of psychological evidence-based interventions. Her area of interest is LGBTIQA+ issues, and as a member of the LGBTIQA+ community, understands the unique challenges and issues facing LGBTIQA+ individuals.
Sanaz Saeedahmadi
Pronouns: she/her
Additional languages: Persian (Farsi)
Sanaz Saeedahmadi
MPsych (Clin), BPsych (Clin)
A general psychologist, Sanaz is experienced in working with people across the lifespan and in a range of clinical settings. She is passionate about supporting clients who experience anxiety and mood disturbance, neurodevelopmental conditions, adjustment difficulties, parenting concerns, and stress. Sanaz has training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and schema therapy. She uses a client-centred, collaborative approach to supporting people to create positive changes in their lives and achieve their goals.
Catherine Serpell
Pronouns: she/her
Catherine Serpell
BSocSc (Psych), BASc (Hons), MPsych (Clin)
A clinical psychology registrar, Catherine enjoys creating a supportive space for clients to explore their challenges and move toward meaningful change. She draws on a range of therapeutic approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help clients with a range of issues including eating/body image concerns, stress, adjustment, anxiety, depression, and relationship difficulties.
Pinar Thorn
Pronouns: she/her
Pinar Thorn
BPsychSci (Hons), GradCert (Health Promotion), MPsych (Clin)
A clinical psychology registrar, Pinar has worked with a diverse range of people, experiencing a variety of life challenges, in hospital, community, and research settings. She is passionate about creating safe spaces and building strong partnership with her clients to develop greater self-understanding and practical skills to cope. Pinar utilises several treatment modalities including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills training, and psychodynamic therapies.
Intern counsellors
Intern counsellors are provisional psychologists completing their final year six-month placement in a master's or doctoral clinical psychology program. All intern clinical work is supervised by experienced counsellors. Available appointments include an 'Intern' designation.
- Joe Baker
- Mark Brosas
- Raissa Donadon Berne (Additional languages: Portuguese)
- Tim Hamblin
- Nadine Roseboom
- Brooke Zoccoli