Welcome. I’m Taylor, a psychologist and psychotherapist.
I offer therapy for people ready to engage deeply with their internal world. My approach is informed by psychodynamic and attachment theories, and the belief that within all of us is a drive for healing that’s often been obscured by the drive to survive.
I work with people who find themselves caught in painful patterns. Perhaps you have learned to suppress, comply, or disconnect in order to keep relationships intact. Together, we’ll explore how these patterns developed, make sense of them, and gently consider whether they still serve you. We will connect with your internal and emotional world and build a sense of safety from which change can emerge.
In our work together, I bring presence, care, attunement, and honesty. We will name what happens between us, the moments of disconnect, the impulse to withdraw, the relief in being truly seen. Our relationship will mirror patterns that appear in other areas of your life, and moments of misalignment are not just expected, they are an essential part of the therapeutic process. If I misunderstand you or move too quickly, I will move toward repair. These moments of feeling noticed, named, and emotionally met are where so many of us begin to heal. This kind of attunement is not just a technique: it is the therapy.
My Approach
My style of practice is about learning to be with your emotional self. If we can do this, your feelings become your internal guidance system, rather than your undoing. I treat anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation from a depth-focused lens, that considers these challenges as symptoms of an overall problem rather than a diagnostic label. We look at what the symptom is doing for you emotionally: what it's trying to say, protect, or cover.
Most of the ways we cope now were once smart and adaptive strategies for staying emotionally safe. That could have meant suppressing anger, staying quiet to avoid conflict, or pushing people away before they could hurt us. In therapy, we gently uncover these patterns and understand them with compassion.
In our sessions, we will look at what happens in the moment together. If you find yourself crying when you want to express frustration, going numb in sessions, or feeling anxious at the idea of closeness, that’s not something to “get past.” That’s where we begin.
This work is about slowing down. Noticing. Feeling what’s been tucked away.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”
More About Taylor
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My training in psychology commenced with a Bachelor and Postgraduate Diploma in Psychological Science, followed by a Masters of Clinical Psychology.
Following university level training I sought additional specialised training and supervision to build a skill set that allows me to work confidently with complex emotional patterns, relational difficulties, and trauma, ensuring I can provide therapy that is both effective and deeply attuned to each person I work with.
My ongoing training includes fortnightly clinical supervision and intensive ISTDP training.
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I’ve had the privilege of training in a wide range of therapy approaches. My work is primarily grounded psychodynamic therapies. In particular my preferred approach is Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). This approach help us get beneath surface symptoms and into the deeper emotional patterns that shape how we feel and relate.
Alongside this, I have also trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, and trauma-focused approaches. This additional training serves to strengthen the tools we can use when working psychodynamically for emotional insight, regulation, and mindful processing.
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I’ve worked across a wide range of settings, which has given me the privilege of supporting people through very different life challenges. My experience spans community services, veterans’ support, youth mental health, and private practice. Along the way, I’ve worked with children, adolescents, and adults — including neurodivergent patients and people living with complex trauma, severe anxiety, depression, and personality difficulties.
I have been working privately for several years now, where I work primarily with adults.
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My primary area of academic research has been in the field of Alexithymia.
Alexithymia describes the difficulty many people have in recognising, naming, and expressing their emotions. From the lens I work through, it isn’t a flaw or deficit, but often a protective adaptation — a way our minds learn to shield us from overwhelming or conflicting feelings. While protective, this distance from emotions can leave us feeling disconnected, misunderstood, or unable to fully engage in relationships.
I’ve published several papers in this area, and through the exploration of this topic have come to a deep belief that therapy can support people in reconnecting with their emotional selves.
This work continues to inform my clinical practice, keeping me curious and attuned to the many ways people express — and protect against — their feelings.
Sweetnam, T. J., & Flack, M. (2023). Ready, set, …and difficultly slowing down: What role does alexithymia, emotional regulation and interoceptive awareness play in exercise dependence? Acta Psychologica, 237, Article 103958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.103958
Lyvers, M. F., Sweetnam, T., & Thorberg, F. (2021). Alexithymia, rash impulsiveness, and reward sensitivity in relation to symptoms of exercise dependence in physically active young adults. Australian Journal of Psychology, 73(4), 475-485. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2021.1981747
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I am a Registered Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), which means I meet the national standards for safe and effective practice.
Additionally, I am a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Australia's leading professional association for psychologists. APS supports ongoing professional development, ethical practice, and advocacy for the psychology profession.
Contact
I offer individual therapy to adult clients. I have consulting rooms in Miami on the Gold Coast, and provide a variety of virtual therapy options including early morning and evening availabilities.
I also offer in home therapy support to perinatal patients on the Gold Coast. Travel fees may apply.
Please note that I am not always available for each of these services, but you are still encouraged to reach out if you’d like to work together.
I manage my own website and will get back to you personally.