PsychAssist - Psychologist and Mental Health Training

25/06/2025

EMDR is being heralded as 'life-changing' for mental health treatment. But what is it?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that helps people heal from difficult or upsetting experiences, like trauma, anxiety, or bad memories. It works by helping the brain process these experiences in a new, less distressing way. Many people find EMDR helps them feel calmer, more in control, and less stuck in the past. It’s a safe and effective therapy backed by research. To read more about EMDR, ABC News featured an article (link attached). If you would like to book in for a pscyhology appointment to find out more, bookings can be made for our Ringwood location on https://psychassist.com.au/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-25/emdr-therapy-for-mental-health-treatment/105453498

Celebrities like Miley Cyrus are speaking about the benefits of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. But what is EMDR and its role in psychological treatment?

06/11/2024

Continuing on from my post a few days ago regarding our common thinking traps, now that we know what thinking traps are it's time to look at them for what they are - BIAS! We can't stop thoughts entering out minds but we can decided to see them for what they are - BIAS! Start by imagining that every thought presents us with 1 idea, view or conclusion among many. This takes the absolute and power out of the original thought. Then come up with 5 other posible ways to look at the same situation. By doing this we can look at things in a calmer, more realistic frame of mind and take the power back from the thought. 💭

04/11/2024

What are thinking traps? They're thought patterns that make us feel worse!
Remember that the way we think impacts how we feel, and vise versa. The thoughts that we spend time with make a big difference to not only how we feel, but also to the thought patterns that come after it. The list below are some of the most common types of thinking traps that happen to everyone - and guise what? They're normal and are more likely to happen when we are feeling low in mood or anxious. Understanding them and starting to notice them is the first step to taking the power out of them!

23/10/2024

I think my child is having panic attacks. What should we do?

A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or anxiety, often accompanied by physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, and dizziness. These attacks can occur unexpectedly or in response to specific triggers, typically lasting for a few minutes but causing significant distress. Here's a great article from on how to help your child if their having a panic attack https://www.generationnext.com.au/2024/10/i-think-my-child-is-having-panic-attacks-what-should-we-do/

21/10/2024

Let's talk about Fear.... where does it come from?
Fear comes from inside you: your mind, your beliefs, your thoughts. But an awful lot comes from outside you - from your past, your environment and perhaps your culture. Fear often comes from our natural instinct to protect ourselves. It can be triggered by past experiences, such as a traumatic event, or learned from observing others. For example, if someone sees another person get hurt, they may develop a fear of that situation.
Fear can also arise from the unknown. When we face uncertainty, our minds can imagine worst-case scenarios, leading to anxiety. This is especially true in new or unfamiliar situations, like starting a new job or moving to a new place.
To manage fear, start by acknowledging it. The first thing I work with my clients with is to practice deep breathing to calm yourself - give it a try! You'll be amazed at how you can start to think clearly once you slow your breathing rate!

18/10/2024

The Vicious Cycle of Instant Relief.....

The vicious cycle of instant relief begins when we seek quick fixes to feel better. This could be eating junk food, scrolling on social media, or using substances. These actions provide temporary comfort but often lead to guilt or regret afterward. When the initial relief fades, we may feel worse than before, prompting us to seek out the same quick fixes again.

This pattern can create a loop where we rely on instant gratification instead of addressing underlying issues. Over time, the temporary solutions may harm our health, relationships, or productivity. The more we chase quick relief, the less we cope with stress in healthy ways.

Breaking this cycle requires awareness and a shift toward healthier coping strategies, like exercising, talking to someone, or practicing mindfulness. By choosing long-term solutions over instant fixes, we can improve our overall well-being and escape the cycle of temporary relief.

16/10/2024

Challenging our thinking involves questioning and reframing negative thoughts by examining the evidence. Start by identifying a specific thought, such as “I always fail.” Next, gather evidence for and against this belief.

Look for Contradictory Evidence: Recall past successes, even small ones, that contradict the thought. For example, remind yourself of times you achieved goals, no matter how minor.

Evaluate the Source: Consider whether this thought is based on facts or assumptions. Are you overgeneralizing from one experience?

Consider Alternative Explanations: Think of other reasons for your feelings or experiences. Perhaps a failure was due to external factors rather than personal inadequacy.

Practice Balanced Thinking: Reframe the thought to something more realistic, like “I may struggle at times, but I can learn and improve.”

By consistently challenging our negative thinking with evidence, we can develop a more balanced perspective, leading to healthier emotions and behaviors.
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15/10/2024

A downward spiral of low mood starts with feeling sad or stressed. Small problems seem bigger, and negative thoughts take over. This can lead to wanting to be alone, which makes loneliness grow. Hobbies and activities that used to bring joy become uninteresting. Sleep and eating patterns change, often worsening the mood. As these feelings deepen, it becomes harder to see a way out. Hope fades, and the cycle continues, making it tough to break free - we get in a rut! But while this shows how we can get stuck in a rut, it also shows us a way out.

13/10/2024

Identifying thought patterns is crucial for understanding how they affect your emotions and behaviour. Start by keeping a thought journal where you record your feelings and the thoughts associated with them. Look for recurring themes or phrases, such as negative self-talk or catastrophic thinking.

Next, pay attention to triggers—situations or events that lead to specific thoughts. Ask yourself questions like, "What am I feeling right now?" and "What thoughts are running through my mind?" This can help you become more aware of your automatic responses.

Look for cognitive distortions, such as all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, or jumping to conclusions. These patterns can skew your perception and contribute to negative feelings.

Once you identify these patterns, challenge them by asking for evidence supporting or contradicting your thoughts - we will need to touch on this on another post!

10/10/2024

Positive Thinking? Is that the key to get our mindset right? We are told so often that what we think will change how we feel, this is true to a certain degree but it doesn't end there. The crucial bit of info missing is that it works both ways, and then throw into the mix the impact of the things we do - our behaviour. This all means that thinking differently isn't the only thing to focus on. When we feel down, it's really hard to be motivated and to do the things we enjoy - all of which are mood boosters! And then by not doing those things, we feel even worse - it's a vicious loop. Breaking this loop is easier to do if we understand all the components that go together and act on it early. Easier said than done hey? Look out for tips in upcoming posts to help.

08/10/2024

Low mood is just not in our head! It's also in our bodystate, relationships, our past and pesent, our environment and our lifestyle! It's basically in everything we do and don't do including the things we eat, our thoughts and our memories... How complex is that?
Our brain is continually trying to make sense of things but only has a certain amount of clues to go off; such as our body (heart rate, temperature), our senses (what we see, hear, touch), our memories of similar experiences and our thoughts. It tries to piece all these things together to come up with a best guess about what is happening and what to do about it. That 'guess' can sometimes be an emotion or a mood. It's the meaning that we make of that emotion and how we act which are the important ingredients to notice.
Low mood can be temporary, but if it persists, it might indicate a more serious condition like depression. It’s important to recognise that experiencing a low mood is normal and doesn’t mean someone is weak or flawed, but ongoing low mood might need some assistance to make sense off. If this is the case for you, reach out for some professional help like a psychologist or counsellor to work through your low mood.

07/10/2024

Supporting someone with a mental health problem involves empathy, understanding, and active listening. Here are some key ways to help:

Listen Actively: Encourage them to share their feelings without judgment. Just being there to listen can provide immense comfort.

Validate Their Feelings: Acknowledge their experiences. Let them know it’s okay to feel what they’re feeling, and that their emotions are valid.

Be Patient: Recovery can take time. Avoid pushing them to "snap out of it" or rush their healing process. Offer consistent support, even if progress seems slow. And don't try to 'fix' them.

Encourage Professional Help: Suggest seeking help from a psychologist or counsellor if they haven’t already. Offer to assist them in finding resources or even accompanying them to appointments.

Check In Regularly: Simple messages or calls to ask how they’re doing can show you care and keep them connected.

Educate Yourself: Learn about their specific mental health issue to understand what they’re going through better.

Promote Self-Care: Encourage healthy habits like exercise, proper sleep, and hobbies that they enjoy.

Ultimately, being a supportive presence can make a significant difference in their journey toward better mental health.
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