Pronouns: She/Her
Carissa is a warm and attentive psychologist who strives to create a safe, supportive and collaborative space for clients to explore and reflect as they work towards improved well-being.
Approach
Carissa’s approach to therapy is grounded in building a genuinely supportive therapeutic relationship that is characterised by mutual respect, shared understanding, and collaboration towards meaningful change. She is passionate about working alongside clients to explore difficulties in greater depth, highlight valuable strengths, set meaningful goals, and develop actionable and practical strategies for change. Carissa takes an adaptive approach to therapy that flexibly draws on different therapeutic modalities depending on each client’s needs, goals, and strengths.
Experience and Interests
Carissa’s training and experience has involved working collaboratively with clients across the lifespan individually and in group settings, with a particular focus on young, middle, and older adults across tertiary, community and government settings. She supports clients with a range of concerns including but not limited to low mood and depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, perfectionism, low self-esteem, identity issues, difficulties managing emotions, challenging life transitions, relationship challenges, interpersonal issues, and grief and loss. Carissa incorporates a strengths-based approach in therapy which stems from her strong interest in Positive Psychology, and in particular wisdom, which she investigated during her PhD in context of COVID-19 pandemic experiences for older adults.
Therapies
Carissa draws from a range of therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Mindfulness and Positive Psychology.
How is Carissa Described by Her Clients?
Clients describe Carissa as warm, helpful, empathetic and collaborative. She is committed to creating a non-judgmental, safe space where clients feel genuinely understood and supported.
Carissa Personally
Outside of work Carissa enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling, trying new types of food, listening to audio books, and being in nature.