Mark

Mark is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. He has worked internationally and in Australia, across private practice, hospitals and institutional settings. Consistently engaging clients with diverse mental health presentations gives him a wealth of clinical skills and experiences, the privilege to continuously hone his clinical skills, engage in lifelong learning and refine the application of evidence-based treatments within each setting he provides psychological services.

As a registered psychologist, he is committed to working through the complex issues faced across the lifespan by his clients and engaging with culturally and linguistically diverse communities effectively. Given the range of mental health presentations and mental health comorbidities he is presented with, he applies a multi-modal approach, which draws on the strengths of different evidence-based approaches to assist his clients.

Primarily, the modality he uses is called Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy. However, within a multi-modal approach, the principles and techniques from modalities such as Exposure Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Reminiscence Therapy, Non-directive Play Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Solutions Focused Therapy and Mindfulness, are incorporated depending on the specific mental health presentation.

A core emphasis in his work is the therapeutic alliance. This alliance between the therapist and the client has a greater impact on improved outcomes than simply applying the most effective evidence-based therapies to address a client’s mental health issue. Elements that are necessary in the therapeutic alliance include a recognition of the client’s values, wishes, goals, aspirations and keeping the client’s objectives and needs at the forefront. He believes that the most effective treatment approaches are personalised.

Mark welcomes clients of all walks of life, all ages across the lifespan, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and types of presentations. This has included providing therapy, interventions and assesment for conditions that range from addictions, mood and thought disorders, trauma, grief and loss, sexual abuse, schizophrenia, phobias, work, study or life stressors, and emotional dysregulation, amongst other mental health presentations.

He is also committed to working with NDIS participants with psychosocial disabilities as part of their NDIS plan towards the achievement of specific goals and objectives. This may include capacity building work in the context of building lifelong skills and development in the areas of communication, social interactions, confidence around mobility and motor skills, learning, self-care and self-managment. Well-being, quality of life and the subsequent impact on mental health outcomes is a priority.

Mark embeds within his therapeutic style, empathy, openness, unconditional positive regard, being congruent with oneself and being clear about boundaries. The therapeutic alliance is always the first priority as this ensures a therapeutic environment where both the client is encouraged to make a commitment to growth. It is a place where the client can feel heard and retain a sense that this is a space to air their concerns confidentially while taking into consideration their and others’ safety.

Mark also welcomes clients where whose first language is Bahasa Malaysia and French.