Paragon PsychConnect

23/07/2025

🟣 Next week is National Pain Week in Australia… and your voice matters.

In 2024, over 8,000 Australians living with chronic pain shared their experiences in the National Pain Survey.

Their voices helped policymakers see the real impact of pain, a condition that’s often invisible, yet deeply felt.

This year, we need to keep that momentum going. Let’s show that your challenges are all our challenges.

📝 Add your voice to the 2025 National Pain Survey and help drive real change:
👉 https://chronicpainaustralia.org.au/painchanger/

10/07/2025

We were way too busy indulging in chocolate to post on time… but better late than never, right? 😅

This week, we’re celebrating World Chocolate Day (a couple of days late) with a sweet blog exploring the surprising link between chocolate and mental health… plus a few cheeky photos of Brucee the Meerkat living his best chocolate-fuelled life.

🍷🧀🍫 From Pinot Palooza to Planet Cocoa, Brucee's chocolate adventures remind us to savour life’s little pleasures.

👉 Click here to read the full blog and discover why chocolate might just be good for your brain (in moderation!): https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/happy-world-chocolate-day-2025-from-the-team-at-paragon-psychconnect/

08/07/2025

🐭 Therapy doesn’t have to be all serious… sometimes it includes a scavenger hunt!

At Paragon PsychConnect, we’ve hidden tiny mouse decals around our office – behind doors, on skirting boards, and in other unexpected places. Why? Because even when life feels heavy, there’s always room for a little fun.

Spotting these cheeky critters helps ease nerves, adds a playful twist to your visit, and reminds us all that joy and healing can go hand in hand.

✨ Click here to read about our Hidden Mouse Hunt, and why therapy might come with a smile (and maybe a prize!):
👉 https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/finding-the-hidden-mice-a-fun-twist-to-your-therapy-visit/

03/07/2025

Struggling to sleep? Before you spend thousands on the latest gadget, hear this: better sleep doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

In our latest blog, a psychologist shares why sleep isn’t a performance sport, and how the most powerful tools for rest are simple, natural, and often free.

💤 Learn what really works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to sleep, plus how our SOMNI Sleep Therapy Program can help.

👉 Click here to read Before You Buy Another Sleep Gadget: https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/before-you-buy-another-sleep-gadget/

02/07/2025

🐾 July 3rd is World Meerkat Day, and here at Paragon PsychConnect, we’re proudly meerkat-obsessed!

From the way we work as a therapy mob, to our Meerkat Anxiety Therapy Programs, these curious creatures are woven into everything we do.

🌍 Did you know World Meerkat Day was founded right here in Australia by Taronga Western Plains Zoo in 2018?

And in a special twist of fate, we were given the honour of naming one of the Gorge Wildlife Park’s meerkats — Keyta.

✨ Click below to read Keyta’s story so far and why meerkats mean so much to us:
👉 https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/keyta-the-meerkat/

24/06/2025

Is your glass really full – or is it just fizzing? 🫧

Overwhelm isn’t always about the task at hand, it’s the emotional “fizz” we add on top: guilt, worry, shame, self-criticism.

This playful but powerful blog explores how everyday stress can bubble over, and how to let things settle with simple, practical tools.

👉 Click here to read Never Mind the Fizz and learn how to spot overwhelm before it spills: https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/never-mind-the-fizz/

22/06/2025

We are thrilled to welcome Hannah Long to the Paragon PsychConnect team!

Joining us in June 2025, Hannah began her psychology career in the field of sleep health nearly six years ago, and it remains one of her key passions today.

Over those six years she has supported individuals across both private and public sectors, working with diverse people supporting the spectrum of mental health and wellbeing.

Hannah loves the area of Health where psychology intersects with physical and social. She enjoys working with clients across the age range (12 to 99!) from all backgrounds.

Hannah meets people where they are and works alongside them. Her therapeutic interventions are individual centred using a practical approach that sometimes moves out of the square.

Hannah is a massive book nerd – you’ll often find her spending her weekends lost in epic fantasy tales. She is also a devoted coffee lover, and her favourite morning ritual is enjoying a great brew while taking her dog for long walks.

When Hannah is not deep in a book or fuelling her caffeine habit, she loves spending time with friends and family, going on adventures through the Adelaide Hills, and trying (with questionable success) to be a good plant mum.

You can book an appointment with Hannah at https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/contact



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_wq4c_Fwrc&t=4s

Hannah began her psychology career in the field of sleep health nearly six years ago, and it remains one of her key passions today. Over those six years she ...

18/06/2025

Is every low mood a disorder?

Or have we started pathologising the natural ups and downs of life?

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking piece, a psychologist reflects on grief, resilience, and the growing concern around over-medicalising depression.

💬 “Medication has its place — but it shouldn’t be the first or only step.”

👉 Click here to read more about the balance between treatment, therapy, and simply being human: https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/are-we-over-medicalising-depression/

16/06/2025

We are thrilled to welcome Hugh Gockowiak to the Paragon PsychConnect team!

Hugh is a compassionate and experienced psychologist who has been helping people for more than six years. He’s worked in a variety of areas, from consulting and research to public health, and has a background in disability support and mental health.

Hugh is passionate about using proven, evidence-based approaches to help people improve their lives and reach their goals.

He understands that everyone is different, which is why he works with each person to find the best strategies and methods that fit their unique needs.

Hugh believes that therapy isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” process - it’s about finding what works for you, and he’s there to guide you every step of the way.

Outside of work, Hugh loves cooking - especially making wood-fired pizzas from scratch (a new favourite hobby of his!).

He also enjoys playing electric guitar, working off the pizzas in the gym, and playing tennis when he can.

When he’s not busy with hobbies, Hugh enjoys spending time with his partner and their two dogs, who keep him on his toes and bring plenty of joy to his life.

You can book an appointment with Hugh at https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/contact



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUR6S-mFz90

Hugh is a compassionate and experienced psychologist who has been helping people for over six years. He’s worked in a variety of areas, from consulting and r...

11/06/2025

Too many men delay seeing a doctor - often until something serious is going on.

This Men’s Health Week (9th to 15th June), the theme is ‘See your GP’ because regular check-ups aren’t just about fixing problems, they’re about preventing them.

Having a regular doctor means better care, earlier detection, and someone who actually knows you.

It’s not a weakness - it’s a smart move for your future.

👉 Click here to read more about why seeing your GP could literally save your life: https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/why-seeing-your-gp-could-save-your-life/
🩺 Men's Health Week is celebrated around the world every year in June.

🩺 It is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on men's health and to talk about how they can live happier, healthier lives.

🩺 It is a special week where men and boys are encouraged to prioritise their health and wellbeing. For the rest of their lives.

09/06/2025

Why do so many men put their health last – until something breaks?

Psychologist Chris Robinson shares the real reasons men often struggle to prioritise their mental and physical wellbeing – and what needs to change.

With years of experience supporting men from all walks of life, Chris knows it’s not about weakness. It’s about wiring, expectations, and old habits.

This Men’s Health Week, let’s open the conversation. Because support isn’t soft … it’s smart.

🎥 Watch now to hear Chris’s insights.
🩺 Men's Health Week is celebrated around the world every year in June.

🩺 It is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on men's health and to talk about how they can live happier, healthier lives.

🩺 It is a special week where men and boys are encouraged to prioritise their health and wellbeing. For the rest of their lives.

08/06/2025

In a world that tells men to “tough it out,” it’s no wonder so many feel like they have to hold it all together in silence.

This Men’s Health Week, we’re flipping the script. Mental health isn’t weakness, it’s maintenance.

Just like you’d service your car before it breaks down, your mind deserves that same care.

Therapy isn’t just “talking feelings.” It’s clarity, strategy, and support, on your terms.

👊 You’re not broken – you’re human.

Please click here to read more about get back in the driver’s seat of your own wellbeing: https://paragonpsychconnect.com.au/mens-mental-health-a-straight-talking-guide/
🩺 Men's Health Week is celebrated around the world every year in June.

🩺 It is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on men's health and to talk about how they can live happier, healthier lives.

🩺 It is a special week where men and boys are encouraged to prioritise their health and wellbeing. For the rest of their lives.