Hennessy Clinical Psychology

16/04/2026

OCD Therapy Varsity Lakes
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

OCD often follows a predictable pattern. A thought appears, anxiety rises, and a behaviour or mental ritual reduces the discomfort for a short time.

Over time, this can strengthen the cycle and make the thoughts feel more important or threatening.

Evidence-based therapy focuses on gradually changing this pattern. Instead of responding with a ritual, people learn to allow the anxiety to rise and fall on its own.

This shift takes practice, although many people find it leads to meaningful change.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth Australia-wide
Book Online https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read more: https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/therapy-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-varsity-lakes/

09/04/2026

Psychology and Chronic Pain
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD.
Pain is not only physical
The nervous system plays a role

Chronic pain can affect many areas of life, including sleep, mood, and daily functioning.

Research shows that persistent pain often involves changes in the nervous system. This can increase sensitivity to pain signals over time.

Psychological therapy focuses on helping people understand these processes and respond differently. This may include pacing, nervous system regulation, and gradually returning to meaningful activities.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth Australia-wide
Book Online https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read more: https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/psychology-chronic-pain/

01/04/2026

26/03/2026

Anxiety and Grounding
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

Anxiety affects both the body and the mind. You may notice your breathing change, your muscles tighten, or your thoughts become more difficult to slow.

Grounding exercises are simple ways to reconnect with the present moment. This might include focusing on your breath, noticing your surroundings, or gently relaxing the body.

Over time, practising these skills can help support a steadier response to stress. The aim is not to remove anxiety, but to allow the body to gradually settle.

Read more: https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/grounding-exercises-anxiety/

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth Australia-wide
Book Online https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

23/03/2026

Why Are We Kind to Strangers and Mean to Loved Ones?
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

Many people notice they can be patient, polite, and careful with strangers, yet feel more reactive or irritable with the people they love most.

Psychology offers an explanation. Close relationships activate attachment systems and emotional investment. When we feel safe, our social guard relaxes. As a result, stress, fatigue, and frustration can appear more easily in our closest relationships.

Understanding this pattern does not excuse unkind behaviour. Rather, it helps people recognise when emotional regulation, repair, and self compassion are needed.

It is also important to distinguish ordinary emotional reactivity from domestic and family violence. Feeling afraid, controlled, or unsafe in a relationship is never normal and requires immediate support.

With awareness and practice, many people learn to bring the same patience they show strangers into their closest relationships.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth available anywhere in Australia

The easiest way to make an appointment is online:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read further:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/why-are-we-kind-to-strangers-and-mean-to-loved-ones/

21/03/2026

Mindful Self-Care: Simple Things Matter

By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

Even when we are reasonably good at looking after ourselves, it is surprisingly easy to become busy and unintentionally place our own wellbeing on the backburner.

Mindful self-care does not usually require complicated routines or expensive activities. Often the most restorative practices are simple and freely available.

Spending time in nature, pausing for a few slow breaths, enjoying a hobby, reading a few pages of a book, or having a genuine conversation with someone you trust can all help regulate the nervous system and support emotional balance.

These small moments of attention and care gradually strengthen resilience. Over time, they can support both wellbeing and mental health.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth available anywhere in Australia

The easiest way to make an appointment is online:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read further:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/mindful-self-care-simple-things/

20/03/2026

Psychology and Chronic Pain
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD.

Chronic pain is increasingly understood through a biopsychosocial lens. Persistent pain involves biological processes, nervous system regulation, emotional experience, and the broader context of a person’s life.

For many people, chronic pain affects sleep, mood, motivation, work participation, and relationships. Over time the nervous system may become more sensitive, amplifying pain signals even when tissue healing has occurred.

Evidence based psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can support people to develop healthier coping strategies, regulate the nervous system, and reconnect with valued activities.

A multidisciplinary approach involving medical professionals, physiotherapists, and psychologists often provides the most comprehensive support for people living with persistent pain.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth available anywhere in Australia
The easiest way to make an appointment is online:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read further:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/psychology-chronic-pain/

19/03/2026

Gender Differences in Thought and Emotion
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

Men and women often appear to think, feel, and respond differently.
But how much of this is biology, and how much is shaped by experience and culture?

Research in psychology and neuroscience suggests that some small biological influences exist. Hormones and brain activation patterns can influence how emotions are processed.

However, most differences between men and women are surprisingly small.

In fact, studies consistently show that the variation within each gender is far greater than the variation between them. Many brains are best understood as a mosaic of traits rather than distinctly male or female.

Social learning also plays an important role. From childhood, boys and girls are often encouraged to express emotions in different ways. Over time, these patterns can shape how comfortable people feel with anger, sadness, empathy, or connection.

In therapy, what becomes clear very quickly is that each person has their own emotional style. Biology plays a role, but life experience, culture, relationships, and personal reflection shape our emotional world far more than simple gender categories.

Understanding the similarities between people often creates more connection than focusing on the differences.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth available anywhere in Australia
The easiest way to make an appointment is online:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read further:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/gender-differences-in-thought-and-emotion/

18/03/2026

Psychology and Adult Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD)
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD.

Many adults live for years wondering why everyday tasks feel harder than they should. They may struggle with focus, organisation, emotional intensity, or feeling constantly overwhelmed. For some people, the answer is adult ADHD.

ADHD does not disappear when childhood ends. It simply changes shape. Hyperactivity may reduce, yet difficulties with attention, planning, and impulse control can continue into adult life.

Understanding ADHD can be an important turning point. Instead of seeing these challenges as personal failure, people often begin to understand their brain differently and develop practical strategies that support how they think and function.

Psychological therapy can help with time management, emotional regulation, building routines, and strengthening self-compassion. When medication is appropriate, it is prescribed and monitored by a psychiatrist while psychologists provide the therapeutic support that helps people use these strategies in daily life.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth available anywhere in Australia
The easiest way to make an appointment is online:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read further:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/adult-adhd-psychology/

17/03/2026

Humour: More Than Just a Laugh
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD

In psychology, humour is sometimes underestimated.

Yet research suggests that laughter can influence the nervous system, emotional regulation, and social connection. When people laugh, the brain releases neurochemicals associated with reward, mood regulation, and bonding. Cortisol levels may also decrease, which can support stress regulation.

Humour can therefore serve as more than entertainment. It can be a psychological resource.

The most helpful forms of humour tend to be compassionate and self-aware. They invite connection rather than criticism. In both therapy and everyday life, humour can help people step back from rigid thinking patterns and view situations from a broader perspective.

In this sense, humour does not minimise difficulty. Instead, it introduces flexibility, perspective, and sometimes a moment of relief.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth available anywhere in Australia
The easiest way to make an appointment is online:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read further:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/psychology-and-humour/

16/03/2026

Why Are Our Inner Voices So Mean and Critical?
By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist, Varsity Lakes, Gold Coast, QLD.

Many people notice that the way they speak to themselves can be far harsher than the way they would ever speak to another person. A small mistake can trigger a wave of criticism that feels relentless.

Psychology offers an interesting explanation for this. The inner critic often began as a protective response. The brain evolved to detect threat and prevent harm. In earlier stages of life, criticism may have been linked to avoiding mistakes, embarrassment, or rejection. Over time, however, this protective system can become overly active.

The goal in therapy is not to silence the inner voice. Instead, we learn to understand it, relate to it differently, and respond with more compassion and balance.

When people develop mindful awareness, self compassion, and psychological flexibility, that inner dialogue can gradually shift from blame toward balance. Growth becomes possible without the constant weight of shame.

Local therapy in Varsity Lakes
Telehealth available anywhere in Australia

The easiest way to make an appointment is online:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/contact/

Read further:
https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/why-our-inner-voice-is-so-mean/