Hilary Sanders,MAPS

​BA (Humanities & Social Sciences), GradDip (Psychology), MPsych (Counselling Psychology)
 
Senior Psychologist
 

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Life has its ups and downs… it can be beautiful one minute, heartbreaking the next, and everything in between! The uncertain nature of life can be exciting, yet also anxiety-provoking. The latter is especially true since the pandemic, which has globally disrupted our wellbeing and stability. Taking care of our mental health has never been more important. 

You might be here for yourself, your child/teen, or someone else you care about. Either way, I applaud you for taking the first (or hundredth!) step on your therapeutic journey.

I understand it can be daunting. If this rings true for you or your loved one, I can assure you of this; I offer warmth, authenticity, respect, and a genuine interest in getting to know you and your story.

Therapy is a safe, neutral space to freely express yourself, unpack thoughts/feelings/experiences, and learn & practice new skills. I thoroughly enjoy creating this space for people.

How do I work? I prioritise the therapeutic relationship (between us), as this forms the foundation for our work together, and research shows it can be healing in and of itself. I adopt a holistic approach to understanding a person (‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’), and draw upon various evidence-based theories and techniques* to tailor my approach to suit the person. There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to therapy! To ensure my approach “fits” well for you, I actively seek your collaboration and feedback. 

*For those interested in some psychology jargon: My approach incorporates Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Family Systems, Exposure and Response Prevention, Attachment and Trauma-informed practice, and Psychodynamics.

In terms of my experience, over the past 10+ years, I’ve been active across various mental health settings, such as family & parenting support, fertility services, crisis counselling, suicide prevention, school wellbeing, and child protection. I currently devote my time to private practice.

At Hopscotch and Harmony, I broadly support adolescents, adults, parents and families facing a range of mental health issues (e.g. anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, self esteem) and relationship issues (e.g. intimate, family, social). I welcome these areas of concern, and I particularly enjoy devoting my energy and professional development to the areas of special interest listed below.

I would like highlight I’m LGBTQIA+ affirmative, culturally sensitive, and embrace neurodiversity. Our differences make us unique and should be celebrated!

Professional Highlights and Memberships:

• Master of Psychology (Counselling Psychology)
• Post-graduate Diploma of Psychology
• Bachelor of Arts (Humanities and Social Sciences)
• Full registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Counselling Psychology Registrar

Areas of Interest:

• Sexuality & gender identity
• Expecting/new parents (perinatal period)
• Family dynamics / parent-teen communication
• Self harm & suicidal ideation
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
• Social anxiety
• Perfectionism
• Quality of life across the lifespan​