Bellarine Psychology

24/05/2026

As we draw a close on Volunteer Week, we're reflecting on some of the little (and not so little) ways our team gives back outside the therapy room.

From fostering neonatal puppies and kittens for the RSPCA and GAWS, to planting trees with Landcare and CoastCare, supporting refugee communities, volunteering to connect people through the MHPN, Park Run, supporting bereaved kids and families through Wombats Wish, Toy Libraries, environmental restoration projects, food relief, community events, film nights, and passion projects quietly happening in the background… turns out our team is pretty incredible.

(Also, special mention to Taco Cat - the 14-year-old foster cat pictured)

What we notice is that most of the time we aren't talking about volunteering as “extra work,” but as something that gives connection, perspective, and fun.

And interestingly, the research backs that up. Studies have consistently found that volunteering is associated with improved wellbeing, greater life satisfaction, reduced loneliness, and even lower rates of depression. One large review found volunteering may positively impact mental health and wellbeing through increased connection, meaning and community involvement.

In a world that often tells us to focus on “self-care,” there’s something powerful about the reminder that caring for others matters too. Humans were never really built to do life alone.

So this Volunteer Week, we just wanted to say thank you to our team, our community, and all the people quietly giving their time, energy and care to make things a little better for others. If you are interested in volunteering there are plenty of options locally - too many to mention - but check out Volunteering Geelong.

(some of our foster cats pictured)

21/05/2026

What you see here is the future of Psychology, and it is going to be in good hands. How lucky are we to have not one but two fabulous provisional psychologists on our team - Congratulations to both Will and Gina on recently graduating from Fed Uni and Latrobe Uni respectively with Masters in Professional Psychology! We really do feel very fortunate to have you on our team and to be a part of your final journey to becoming registered Psychologists.

19/05/2026

Getting the support you need shouldn’t depend on your postcode.

We know how hard it can be to access quality assessment and therapy services in regional communities because many of us grew up in them ourselves. We also know that there are some excellent but overloaded local services. We might have moved away to train and work, but we know what it’s like when the nearest support is hours away, waitlists are long, and families are left trying to work things out on their own.

That’s why our Senior Psychologist Kerrie Cook is heading back to Stawell for a limited 3-day assessment clinic, with some availability still on 11th and 12th of June.

Appointments are available for children, teens and adults across a range of assessment services, including:

• ADHD
• Autism
• Learning assessments
• Cognitive assessments

Our assessments are designed to help build understanding, not just provide a label. We take the time to look at strengths, challenges, learning styles, and support needs, with comprehensive reports that can help guide supports at school, home, work and beyond.

And support doesn’t stop there we also have practitioners with telehealth availability for both assessment and therapy services, helping people access ongoing support without needing to constantly travel long distances.

We’re really passionate about adding to the options for quality, respectful services in our regional communities. If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity closer to home, now is the time to reach out.

03 52562019
reception@bellarine-psychology.com.au

16/05/2026

We’re really excited to welcome Sarah Belcher to the Bellarine Psychology team!

Sarah is an Educational Psychologist who has recently made the move from Melbourne to the coast (smart decision, honestly), and we feel very lucky to have her bringing her experience and knowledge to our local community and our team.

She’ll be supporting children, adolescents, families and schools, and helping us continue to grow quality assessment and support services close to home.

We can’t wait for everyone to meet her

14/05/2026

Feeling overwhelmed, stuck in your thoughts, or finding anxiety hard to manage You’re not alone and you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

Looking for some support locally on the Bellarine?

We are now taking a wait list for our upcoming groups for adults and teens:

Living Well With Anxiety
A supportive 6-week group program in Ocean Grove.

These small-group programs are designed to help participants:
• Better understand anxiety and why it happens
• Learn practical coping and regulation strategies
• Build confidence managing overwhelm
• Connect with others in a supportive environment

We are currently taking expressions of interest and waitlists for upcoming groups. Session times will be based on the best fit for participants.

📞 5256 2019
📧 reception@bellarine-psychology.com.au

Get in touch to find out more or see whether this group may be the right fit for you or your teen.

11/05/2026

08/05/2026

05/05/2026

Just a reminder that we have a new phone number 5256 2019 & the old one will be disconnected soon. Please update your records!

05/05/2026

Today some of our team got together away from the office to press pause on the busy-ness of our everyday work and spent some time doing something we are often encouraging others to do… looking after ourselves first.

We were lucky to have The Guided Breath (thank you Nikki!) take us through a session on breathwork. Exploring the different types of breath practices, when to use them, and how they support regulation and therapeutic responses. We then experienced a guided practice together… and it was great to reflect on how we can use these more in our own lives as well as our work.

It was a good reminder that the work we do relies on our own capacity to be grounded and regulated and that's something that doesn’t just happen.

We then spent time reflecting on the values we each bring and value in the workplace. Interestingly (or maybe not surprisingly), our strongest shared value was connection.

Connection with the people we work with, with each other, and with our community - and a reminder of why days like this matter.

And of course, we wrapped it up the best way we know how… sharing lunch from XO Bowls in Ocean Grove - if you haven't found them yet (they are located in the Smithton Grove complex and do some amazing catering packages - nourishing in every sense of the word.

04/05/2026

We’re coming back to Stawell for our term 2 clinic

We know accessing assessment services locally can be really challenging so we’re pleased to be returning with assessment appointments available with Kerrie Cook, a Psychologist with 20+ years of experience completing comprehensive assessment.

Kerrie will be in our Stawell clinic over June 10–12.

there is plenty of availability for you too.

Kerrie and the rest of the Bellarine Psychology team provide thoughtful, neuroaffirming assessments to help individuals and families better understand strengths, differences, and supports that can make a real difference.

If this has been on your mind for a while, this could be a good time to take the next step.

📩 Reach out to our team for availability and more information
📅 Limited availability

Not in Stawell? We also currently have good availability for assessments in Ocean Grove.