Associated Psychology Practice, Penrith & Katoomba

13/10/2025

Team Tuesday Spotlight: Emily Liddle, Psychologist

Emily Liddle is a warm and compassionate psychologist who supports adults and teens with a wide range of challenges—including anxiety, low mood, stress, and life transitions. She works with individuals and couples, offering evidence-based therapy in a safe, non-judgmental space.

Emily provides both individual and relationship counselling using approaches such as CBT, ACT, DBT-informed strategies, and motivational interviewing—always tailored to your goals and needs.

You can see Emily in person at our Kingswood practice on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, or via telehealth. She is available to accept new clients via:
✅ Medicare Mental Health Care Plans
✅ WorkCover (SIRA)
✅ NDIS (plan-managed or self-managed)
✅ Private/self-referrals

To book an appointment, call (02) 4722 3137 or email info@associatedpsychologypractice.com 💙

08/10/2025

Name it to tame it - a simple strategy to help your brain recognise that thoughts are not facts!

06/10/2025

Team Tuesday Spotlight: Dr. Grigo Monasterio, Senior (Clinical) Psychologist

Meet Dr. Grigo (Monasterio, a registered Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years of clinical experience. Grigo joined Associated Psychology Practice in March 2025.

He works with individuals aged 18 and over, offering evidence-based, client centred therapy tailored to mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, trauma, addictions, life transitions, and performance-related stress. Grigo blends acceptance and mindfulness with existential meaning-based themes and a compassionate approach that values each person’s journey.

His clinical toolkit includes:
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Grigo sees clients at our Katoomba practice on Wednesday and Friday, in-person or via telehealth. He is accepting new referrals and provides services through:

✅ Medicare Mental Health Care Plans
✅ WorkCover
✅ Compulsory Third Party (CTP)
✅NDIS plan or self-managed clients
✅ Private clients (no referral required

To book a session with Dr. Monasterio in Katoomba, call (02) 4722 3137 or email info@associatedpsychologypractice.com

01/10/2025

For better sleep - make your bedroom a tech free zone

Blue light from phones and TVs can keep your brain awake longer than you’d like. Try setting a “tech curfew” 30–60 minutes before bed.
Charge your phone outside the bedroom, swap scrolling for journaling or gentle stretches, and notice the difference in your sleep quality. 🌌

30/09/2025

Team Tuesday Spotlight: Jeskara Gordon, Senior Psychologist

Jeskara is a highly experienced practitioner, registered since 2008, who has been part of Associated Psychology Practice since 2017. Fluent in both English and Spanish, she brings a culturally responsive approach to counselling individuals (14+) and couples. Her expertise spans Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), Clinical Art Therapy, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP – Master Practitioner.

Jeskara delights in helping clients build motivation, overcome anxiety and fears, and deepen their relationships and transcultural understanding. Whether you're facing life transitions or seeking personal growth, she tailors her support to your goals.

Available Mondays and Wednesdays in Katoomba or via telehealth — caring, collaborative, and Medicare registered. For more info or to book with Jeskara, call us on (02) 4722 3137 or email info@associatedpsychologypractice.com.

25/09/2025

In our latest blog post, Isabelle Peters (Mental Health Accredited Social Worker) shares some things she learned about how to "move gently" when trying to make changes in your day - read on to find out more!

https://app-practice.com.au/move-gently-lessons-in-change-from-donkey-training/

24/09/2025

Create a Wind-Down Routine

Your brain loves habits — so set up a calming routine before bed. Try dimming the lights, sipping a herbal tea, or reading a few pages of a gentle book about 30 minutes before sleep.

Do it consistently, and your body will learn: this is the signal, it’s time to rest. 😴

23/09/2025

Team Tuesday Spotlight: Michelle Grosvenor, Principal Psychologist

Meet Michelle Grosvenor, the Director and Principal Psychologist of Associated Psychology Practice. Prior to gaining full registration as a psychologist in 2005, she worked in Out of Home Care for almost 10 years. She has been the Director and Principal Psychologist since July 2015.

Michelle offers tailored individual therapy using a versatile therapeutic toolkit that includes:
• Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) for PTSD
• Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention (C BIT) for tics and Tourette Syndrome
She is especially skilled in supporting:
• Police officers and first responders using EMDR
• Clients with tics or Tourette Syndrome via C BIT
• Individuals struggling with anxiety, stress, perfectionism, and people pleasing tendencies

Michelle is currently not accepting new referrals. If you're interested in her areas of interest—including trauma recovery, stress management we’d be happy to help you connect with another clinician on our team.

Please call (02) 4722 3137 or email info@associatedpsychologypractice.com for more information.

22/09/2025

🌿 Immediate Therapy Appointments Available for Teens & Young Adults 🌿

Struggling with anxiety, low mood, school stress, relationships, or life transitions? You're not alone — and support is available now.

Individual and/or family therapy available

Associated Psychology is currently offering immediate appointments for adolescents and young adults with our experienced therapists:

Nila Abbasayn- mental health accredited social worker, available for individual treatment for people aged 12 and over and family therapy in Kingswood

Isabelle Peters – mental health accredited social workers, available to see individuals aged 14 and over in Katoomba

The clinicians are skilled in supporting young people and/or families with a range of emotional and mental health concerns in a safe, compassionate, and confidential space.

📍 Face-to-face sessions available
💻 Telehealth options may also be arranged
📅 No long waitlists — book now and start your therapy journey
To find out more or to book an appointment, contact us at:
📞 (02) 4722 3177
📧 info@app-practice.com
🌐 www.app-practice.com

Early support can make a big difference. Let’s take the next step together. 💙

19/09/2025

19/09/2025

We’re usually so good at showing compassion to others.
If a friend is going through a breakup, feeling unwell, or makes a mistake at work—we tend to respond with kindness, reassurance, and support without even thinking about it.

But when we’re the ones struggling? It’s a whole different story. Suddenly that inner critic comes out, picking apart every flaw or mistake, leaving us feeling stuck, drained, or hopeless.

Psychologist Paul Gilbert (founder of Compassion-Focused Therapy) found that one of the most powerful antidotes to that inner critic is self-compassion.

He explains that our emotions run on three systems:
👉 Threat (keeps us safe, but when overactive fuels anxiety + self-criticism)
👉 Drive (pushes us to achieve, but can create stress + pressure)
👉 Soothe (helps us feel safe and calm—yet it’s the one we often neglect)

Practicing self-compassion switches on that soothe system, helping us feel more balanced, safe, and grounded.

Here’s a quick reflection you can try:
💡 “How would you treat a friend?”

Think of a time someone close to you was struggling and came to you for support. How did you respond?

Now think of how you usually treat yourself in the same situation. Notice the difference.

Ask yourself: what would shift if I spoke to myself with the same kindness, patience, and care I’d give a friend?

It’s not about being “soft” or letting yourself off the hook—it’s about giving yourself the same compassion you already give to the people you love. 💙

If you need help with learning how to practice self-compassion, please contact the practice on 4722-3137 to book an appointment with one of the warm & compassionate clinicians on our team at Katoomba or Kingswood.

Warm regards,
Isabelle Peters
Mental Health Accredited Social Worker