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EMDR THERAPY
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychological therapy designed to help people process and heal from distressing memories, trauma, and other overwhelming life experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess stored memories, reducing their emotional intensity and impact. EMDR therapy is widely recognised for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and phobias, and is recommended by leading mental health organisations worldwide. At Connected Minds Psychology in Collingwood, Melbourne, our EMDR-trained practitioners support clients to safely work through trauma and move towards recovery, resilience, and wellbeing.
Our EMDR-Trained Practitioners
We are proud to have experienced psychologists at Connected Minds who are trained in EMDR therapy.
Dr Stephanie Louise, PhD., MAPS
Board Approved Supervisor
Pronouns: She/Her
Stephanie is a director and co-founder of Connected Minds, Clinical Psychologist an Adjunct Research Fellow at Swinburne University of Technology. With a PhD in mindfulness for mental health, Stephanie is passionate about positive psychology and helping people navigate their way toward a healthy and meaningful life. She utilises a range of therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), EMDR, and Schema Therapy. Stephanie also has a special interest in perinatal mental health. Stephanie has developed wellbeing and resilience training programs that have been used in organisations within Australia and around the world.
Lucy Cochran, MPsych.
Pronouns: She/Her
Lucy is a Registered Psychologist with an engaging and warm interpersonal style. She has a client-centred approach and helps people live more enriched lives based on their individual values and strengths. Lucy uses a range of evidence based therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassionate Mindfulness, EMDR, Schema Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy. Lucy has a special interest in helping people with general anxiety, social anxiety, stress, perfectionism, low mood, trauma, sleep, adjustment difficulties and performance. She is particularly interested in helping people recognise their inner critic and finding a more compassionate way to thrive. Lucy conducted her Masters level research on unhelpful smartphone behaviours.
Chris Baumgartner, MPsych.
Pronouns: He/Him
Chris is a Registered Psychologist with experience across a range of public and private mental health settings. In his practice, Chris aims at assisting and empowering individuals that are seeking deep and abiding change. Chris’ warm, approachable manner has assisted people from a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds, always allowing space for humour and self-expression. Chris’ therapeutic approach centres around curiosity, open-mindedness, and authenticity, and focuses on the psychological roots of a person’s suffering. For some individuals this will involve examining early life events and recurrent behavioural patterns with an emphasis on self-exploration and self-discovery. Chris is proficient with a range of different treatment modalities including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Schema Therapy, EMDR, and Mindfulness, allowing him to utilise an integrative treatment approach. Chris is experienced assisting clients experiencing depression, anxiety, panic, social anxiety, relationship distress, performance anxiety, grief, loss, interpersonal difficulties, self/existential dilemmas, workplace difficulties, and career transitions. Prior to becoming a Psychologist Chris spent over 15 years working in the finance industry, as well as nearly a decade competing in semi-professional
sport.
Monica Perkins, MPsych.
Pronouns: She/Her
Monica is a Registered Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar. She is passionate about mental health and wellbeing and has a warm, gentle, and non-judgemental therapeutic style. Monica has a particular interest in working alongside clients with developmental and post-traumatic stress, anxiety and panic disorders. Monica practices from a trauma-informed lens within a collaborative and person-centred framework, with the goal of supporting clients to live authentic and enriched lives. When not working at Connected Minds, Monica works in public health with members of the LGBTQIA+ community, supporting and affirming gender diverse and neurodivergent people. Monica celebrates individuality and has an eclectic style drawing on a number of evidence-based techniques such as Schema Therapy, EMDR, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Kate Gwyther, MPsych., MAPS
Pronouns: She/Her
Kate is a Registered Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar. She takes a person-centred approach, putting her clients' values and goals at the forefront of each session. Kate aims to create a calm and judgement-free therapeutic space that allows for authenticity and connection. She draws from a range of evidence-based therapeutic techniques including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, and Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). Kate has a research background, where she focused on the mental health and wellbeing of populations including elite athletes, young men, and individuals with psychosis. When she’s not at Connected Minds, you may find Kate on a walk with her dog, reading at the beach, or making pasta at home.
Donna Reilly, MPsych.
Pronouns:
Donna is a registered psychologist who aims to build a safe and collaborative therapeutic relationship with her clients. She does this through meeting clients where they are, without judgement, just openness and curiosity. She enjoys working with clients to find meaning and purpose in their lives by living in accordance with their values.
Therapy doesn’t have to be serious all the time, therefore, Donna takes a relaxed approach to sessions, sometimes using humour to share in the lighter side of life.
Donna works with older adolescents and adults to manage some of life’s challenges. She appreciates working with people from all walks of life and feels grateful to always be learning from the clients she engages with. Donna has particular interest working with anxiety, depression, relationship/interpersonal challenges, stress, trauma, navigating self-identity and building self-esteem and perinatal mental health. Donna utilises evidence-based therapies including CBT, ACT, DBT and Schema Therapy, whilst weaving in an interpersonal approach.
Bryan Lee, MPsych.
Pronouns: He/Him
Bryan is a gentle and good-humoured Clinical Psychologist. He is committed to promoting a safe, supportive and compassionate therapeutic space where clients feel heard and respected. Bryan focuses on developing strong collaborative relationships with clients and is passionate about helping them build an enriched life driven by their personal values. Bryan has experience working with adults and adolescents from diverse cultural backgrounds, addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, grief and adjustment difficulties. He has also worked in various private and public health settings, including the Royal Women’s Hospital, where he worked with women experiencing perinatal mental health issues. Bryan has a special interest in assisting clients with health and social anxiety, and is committed to working with diverse client groups. He utilises several evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy and EMDR.
Aliya Chalmers, MPsych., MAPS
Pronouns: She/Her
Aliya is a kind and compassionate Registered Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar who grew up on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra) and currently lives in Naarm (Melbourne) on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations. A proud Aboriginal woman with Scottish and English ancestry, Aliya is committed to improving culturally sensitive and informed mental health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse individuals and other marginalised identities who are often misrepresented within mainstream society. Aliya has worked with young people, adolescents, and adults across community organisations and private settings, supporting people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma/complex trauma, sleep issues, identity challenges, neurodivergence, personality vulnerabilities, and relationship difficulties. Her therapeutic approach focuses on creating a culturally safe, collaborative space where clients can explore their experiences, navigate challenges, and enhance their holistic wellbeing. She takes a client-centred, strengths-based approach meeting people where they’re at and walking alongside them in alignment with their values. Aliya draws on a mixture of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, including Trauma-informed cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Social and Emotional Wellbeing model (SEWB), Mindfulness, Schema Therapy, EMDR, and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT).
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Catherine Charleson, MPsych.
Pronouns: She/Her
Catherine is a warm, good-humoured and collaborative Registered Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar. Catherine takes a culturally responsive and trauma-informed approach to her practice and is committed to providing a safe and non-judgmental space for her clients, and to forging authentic relationships with them. Catherine is passionate about helping people live according to their values and loves collaborating with clients to identify their goals and ways to work towards them. Catherine utilises evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, EMDR and Solution Focussed Therapy, and enjoys tailoring therapy sessions according to individual client needs and preferences. Catherine has a particular interest in the Social and Emotional Wellbeing model, and recently worked with young Aboriginal people and their families in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. When she is not at Connected Minds, Catherine works as a Registered Psychologist at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS). Prior to becoming a psychologist, Catherine had a 15-year career in government and public policy. Outside of the therapy room, Catherine loves chasing the sun, salt water and fresh air with her partner and kids, and spends an inordinate amount of time chucking the ball to her misbehaved dog at the park.