Alison Lenehan

Alison has worked in mental health for almost twenty years as a clinician, trainer and private practice psychologist specialising in emotion dysregulation and associated presentations. Alison has trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) where she completed intensive training with Behavioural Tech, Dr Marsha Linehan’s organisation from the US. She utilises a range of trauma informed approaches and solution focused approaches. Whilst Alison is trained in Maudsley Family based therapy, she prefers to utilise an Radically Open DBT to help her clients who present with issues of over-control (including those with an eating disorder).
Alison holds current registration as a Board Approved Supervisor and is a member of the Australian BPD Foundation (a group of volunteers passionate in promoting services for everyone impacted by Borderline Personality Disorder). She is an approved Victims of Crime counsellor and sees clients under NDIS (when self-managed or via a Plan Partner). Alison has worked using the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, and has been coached on one of her cases by Dr Bruce Perry, leader and founder of the Child Trauma Academy in the US. Alison’s skillset is focused around those who present with all types of diversity (including neuro and gender diversity) or those who have historically found it difficult to connect with a psychologist. Alison helps those with ADD/ADHD to regulate their emotions enough to improve functioning and engagement with life. Alison views her role as helping to move the healing process along for her clients by teaching them the skills to understand their behaviour and motivation to seek fulfilment in life. Alison seeks to build a person’s self-belief that change is possible.

What to expect when working with Alison

Alison’s aim is to create a therapeutic safe place that promotes growth for her clients on their journey towards living a purposeful life. Warmth and unconditional positive regard underpins everything she does. Alison is an ‘open book’ in therapy and is known to value honesty in the therapy room. Alison strives for change (real, tangible change) as she genuinely believes in her client’s ability to live a life worth living and loving.
 

Areas of expertise
Child trauma and related Complex PTSD
Single incident trauma
Personality Disorders
Complex presentations
Anxiety
Depression
Adolescents
ADD/ ADHD
Autism, high functioning Autism
Perfectionism
Self-harm
Suicidality

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