Headway Health - Clinical and Consulting Psychology Services

12/05/2026

We are proud that Pallavi Pillay Clinical Psychologist who provides a clinic with HeadwayHealth has been invited to speak as part of the Living Well with Bowel Cancer Forum hosted by the SAN hospital next month.

The forum invites people living with bowel cancer, their families, carers, and health professionals to learn from a multidisciplinary panel of experts who will share practical insights into nutrition, treatment, emotional wellbeing, and radiation therapy. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion, and a light lunch will be generously provided by ICON Cancer Centre Wahroonga.

If you would like to register for this event, please click this link: https://events.humanitix.com/living-well-with-bowel-cancer

05/05/2026

Free THIS WAY UP program to help build our mindfulness skills…

21/04/2026

Psycho‑oncology is field of work within cancer care pioneered by Professor Jimmie Holland that recognises the emotional and wider impacts of a cancer diagnosis on your life. This area of practice and research has grown over recent decades as our treatments for cancer have improved, and we are all now aiming to improve both physical health as well as the quality of life for those who have experienced cancer.

We know cancer impacts how you feel and your emotional responses, and research evidence supports the value of psychological treatments on dealing with a range of common psychological concerns, such as low mood, anxiety, living with uncertainty, sleep, sexual wellbeing, as well as navigating treatments and an array of day‑to‑day challenges that may arise. It also recognised the impact for all touched by the diagnosis – be it a partner, family member or carers who may be struggling too.

21/04/2026

Do you find your thoughts can really get stuck in a loop? It’s not fun.

Many of us can notice our minds replaying past situations, decisions, or conversations (rumination), or fast‑forwarding into negative predictions about what might happen in the future (worry). It’s completely normal we do this some of the time, especially when we’re processing big things. But it can become exhausting if we find ourselves getting stuck in these loops often and its hard when we struggle to shift our thinking. Over time this can increase our stress levels, affect our mood, disrupt sleep, and impact our overall wellbeing.

Evidence‑based strategies are available which can help us ‘turn down the volume’ on unhelpful thinking patterns and build our confidence in managing them. The range of THIS WAY UP programs are easy to access online and are based on proven psychological strategies. They can be used as stand‑alone tools or accessed alongside your existing psychological treatment - take a look: What We Treat - Worry and Rumination

Our team of experienced psychologists have appointments available within a week or two, and will work hard at getting to know you so we can offer relatable, helpful and practical strategies. We are excited to work together and will peronalise interventions to your goals: Talk to your GP or call us to find out how we can help: (02) 9453 3027.

16/04/2026

We know social connection is incredibly valuable for our wellbeing, and for some of us this can be more challenging at some stages of our lives due to our health, life events, house moves, or other changes in our lives. Our local newspapers and community magazines are a good way of finding out what on locally or opportunities to volunteer, and on the Northern Beaches we have the option of attending or assisting with the ‘Belong Club’. Weekly online and in-person activities are offered for free by community care service provider Proveda to encourage people to get involved, meet new people and feel more connected to others. Activities include things like Book Club, Educational Workshops, Walking Groups, Online exercise and meditation classes, a Weekly Quiz, Computer Classes, Bingo and Coffee Meet-ups. Take a look - view the full calendar of events here: Belong Club Proveda:

Join Proveda’s Belong Club for social activities and friendship. Enjoy diverse events thatfoster connection, learning, and community support

02/04/2026

24/03/2026

Register now for a special world psycho-oncology day event – open to all: Thriving With and Beyond Cancer Tickets, Thursday, Apr 9, 2026 from 1 pm to 2 pm AEST | Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/thriving-with-and-beyond-cancer-tickets-1985613620791?aff=oddtdtcreator

24/02/2026

Being smart about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and your emotional wellbeing

There’s a lot of talk about AI at the moment, and many of us are starting to notice that our doctors and psychologists are increasingly asking for permission to use AI‑type assistants to help them deliver care. AI can also be a useful tool when you’re looking for information, but while it can feel like you’re talking to someone, it cannot replace the value of speaking with a real health professional who knows you.

Your safety with AI AI tools (such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot) use clever programs that spot patterns and offer ideas based on what you share but are not always accurate. It’s vital to check whether the information is correct or right for you, and this is especially important when it comes to emotional wellbeing. AI can help with things like brainstorming, learning, organising your thoughts, breaking big tasks into smaller steps, planning routines, staying on track, offering journaling prompts, or supporting therapy goals, but it has limits.

AI can however get things wrong, make things up, or reflect bias from the information it was trained on, so it should not be relied on for advice. If you want to understand any feedback it’s vital you ask for sources and double‑check the information. Please also be careful about turning to AI for reassurance as responses may not be correct or personalised to your situation. AI can sound caring, but it doesn’t understand feelings, so stay curious — and as with any online activity, protect your privacy by avoid sharing personal or identifying details. For more information see: AI and Your Mental Health.pdf

Talk to a real person AI is not appropriate for psychological diagnosis, treatment planning, personal advice, emotional comfort, big life decisions or crisis support. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsafe, reach out to a real person - a friend, your GP, or crisis supports such as Lifeline 13 11 14; BeyondBlue 1300 224 636, the 24 hour Mental Health Telephone Access Line 1800 011 511, and for more immediate help call, call Ambulance/Police 000.

12/11/2025

MBCAction is gaining momentum in it’s many endeavours and has launched the Young Women's Online Support Group together with SoBrave, an Australia wide online group for young women with metastatic breast cancer. Younger women face unique challenges (eg navigating fertility or treatment-induced menopause, managing careers, financial pressures, and young families while undergoing treatment) - and are often more isolated due to their younger age - so this group helps with connection. For more information contact Ros McAuley at rosmcauley@mbcaction.org.au or see:

A voice for metastatic breast cancer Metastatic breast cancer What is metastatic breast cancer? Metastatic breast cancer is cancer that has spread beyond the primary site in the breast or local lymph nodes to more distant sites in the body. The most common places that breast cancer spreads to are th...

28/10/2025

Have you heard of POTS?

POTS cases have been on the rise since the Covid pandemic. The Australian POTS Foundation describes POTS as a “… complex and often misunderstood condition that affects the autonomic nervous system—the system responsible for regulating essential functions like heart rate, breathing, and digestion. When this system doesn’t work as it should, it can lead to a wide range of symptoms that may appear unrelated, making diagnosis challenging”.

We are sharing some updated statistics in the image below sourced from the Australian POTS Foundation (Home Page - Australian POTS Foundation » Australian POTS Foundation Oct 2025) on the impact of POTS in Australia.

POTS can have a debilitating impact on people’s lives, and a team approach to support patients is vital. Learn more about how psychologists can form part of the support team here: POTS Psychology Clinic in Sydney: https://headwayhealth.com.au/pots/