The Family Psychology Clinic

14/07/2025

✨ MEET THE TEAM ✨

🌱 Director and Clinical Psychologist - Asher Morrison

Asher has worked with children, adolescents and their families, for almost 20 years. He has worked in a number of settings, primarily in private practice and schools in the Hunter Region and Central Coast. He has extensive experience assessing and treating a broad range of psychological disorders in children ranged from toddlerhood to young adulthood.

Asher is also an experienced and engaging communicator who has presented to parents, teachers and community groups on a wide range of topics related to his field.

Asher completed his Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) in 2005 at Newcastle University and his Master of Psychology (Clinical) in 2007 at the University of Western Sydney. Asher is registered as a clinical psychologist with AHPRA and Medicare, and is a board approved supervisor. Asher provides clinical supervision to both registered and provisionally registered psychologists.

Asher and his wife live locally in the Hunter where they are busy raising four children of their own.

08/07/2025

✨ MEET THE TEAM ✨

Natalie is a registered psychologist with AHPRA and Medicare and completed her Bachelor of Psychology at the University of Newcastle in 2009 and her Masters in Coaching Psychology at the University of Sydney in 2020. Natalie has more than 15 years of mental health industry experience and has worked with people across the lifespan in a number of settings.

Natalie is a psychology board-approved supervisor and enjoys coming alongside and supporting provisional and fully registered psychologists, as well as other professionals working in mental health in developing their skills and navigating the challenges of their role.

Natalie enjoys working with people of all ages and stages and has extensive experience assessing and treating a broad range of psychological conditions, such as anxiety, depression, attachment and trauma, complex challenging behaviours in children, parenting support, completing cognitive assessments, and providing more intensive therapeutic support for those with complex long term psychological difficulties.

Natalie also enjoys supporting people in repairing relational difficulties and developing whole and healthy relationships. Natalie wants to support people to thrive not just survive their circumstances.

Natalie brings a warm, engaging, and welcoming presence to the therapeutic space.

When Natalie is not working, she enjoys spending time in nature and pursuing creative projects with family and friends.

18/06/2025

✨ MEET THE TEAM ✨

Jess completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science in 2016 at the University of Newcastle, a Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced in 2020 at Monash University, and a Master of Professional Psychology in 2021 at the University of Newcastle. She completed her internship program working in the disability sector and has experience working alongside children and young people with a range of different presentations.

Jess is registered as a psychologist with AHPRA and Medicare, and a provider through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). She prides herself on utilising a strengths-based and collaborative approach when supporting children and their families to overcome difficulties and work towards their goals. Jess always endeavours to use a neuro-affirming approach in her work and aims to ensure that all sessions are individualised and tailored to each client.

When she is not working, Jess enjoys playing guitar, being at the beach, and spending time with her friends and family.

11/06/2025

✨ MEET THE TEAM ✨

Since completing her Bachelor of Psychology (Honours Class 1) at the University of Newcastle in 2020, Ashleigh has been working alongside young people and their families within both the school and private sector. In these spaces, Ashleigh completed her internship in 2024 and continues to work as a registered psychologist with AHPRA.

Ashleigh is passionate about empowering and valuing children, teens, and their families through the twists and turns of growing up. She endeavours to create a safe space for individuals to feel heard and understood by using a compassionate and strengths-based approach. Ashleigh also greatly values collaborating with teachers and parents to support them in providing tailored and compassionate support for children and teens as they journey through school.

When she isn’t working, you can find Ash at the gym or out for a run; baking (and eating) anything sweet; doing puzzles; or spending quality time with her husband, family, and friends.

02/05/2025

16/04/2025

✨ MEET THE TEAM ✨

Kate Noble is a Registered Psychologist who completed a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) in 2014. She completed her internship program in 2019, working in both private practice and school settings around the Newcastle and Hunter Region.

Kate is passionate about working collaboratively with children and young people; giving them space to be themselves; exploring the challenges they are facing; and developing helpful strategies in an engaging and fun way. She also recognises that working collaboratively with parents, carers and teachers is also a very important aspect and does so with knowledge, expertise and professionalism.

Kate prides herself in being relational and authentic, utilising an array of different evidenced based psychological approaches; and loves to ensure that strategies developed in session can be applied to real-world situations. Kate also has a strong interest in assessment and diagnosis, and working alongside individuals on the autism spectrum.

When not at work, she loves spending time with her family and friends, and going on adventures with her husband and two young children. Kate loves being on the go, exploring new places, trying new things and meeting new people.

03/04/2025

✨ MEET THE TEAM ✨

Nathan holds a Bachelor of Psychology from the University of Newcastle (2011) and a Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work from the University of Melbourne (2017). He has many years of experience supporting children, adolescents, and parents as they navigate emotional, behavioural, and relational challenges, with a particular interest in working alongside young people impacted by trauma and attachment difficulties. Nathan integrates evidence-based therapeutic interventions—including Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy—through an approach that prioritises connection, collaboration, and responsiveness to each family’s unique needs. He is also a registered Circle of Security Parenting facilitator and is passionate about promoting secure and supportive parent-child relationships.

Nathan is registered as a psychologist with AHPRA, is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA), and is a registered provider through both Medicare and the NDIS. He is also a board-approved supervisor and values the opportunity to support early-career psychologists through supervision.

Born and raised in Newcastle, Nathan enjoys staying active, travelling with his wife and young children, and seeking out great coffee.

28/03/2025

🧠🌈🌳THE BRAIN FOREST 🌳🌈🧠

The Brain Forest is a fantastic resource for children and families. It uses clear, accessible language to explore a number of different neurotypes (different types of brains), and encourages both acceptance and understanding.

It celebrates neurodiversity (the concept that we all have different brains), by highlighting the wide range of unique strengths and needs that exist and how these may present differently for individuals. It promotes inclusivity and suggests some small changes we can make to ensure everyone feels supported and understood, regardless of how we each learn, think, and communicate.

The Brain Forest is a great resource to spark conversations around neurodiversity, and to promote inclusivity by providing children with the language to understand that everyone’s brains are wired differently and that we all have something valuable to offer.

06/03/2025

✨ MEET THE TEAM ✨

We are so lucky to have recently welcomed Nina to The Family Psychology Clinic team as part of her Master of Clinical Psychology program.

Nina is a Provisional Psychologist (AHPRA) who is currently studying her Masters in Clinical Psychology at the University of Newcastle (2024-2025). She will be on clinical placement at the clinic from January 2025 onwards.

Nina is passionate about supporting families, children, teens and young adults. Nina enjoys running group therapy and working with other allied health professionals to best support people. In 2023 Nina completed her honours thesis in child development, focusing on rough and tumble play between fathers and their young children. Nina has prior experience supporting children and families across a wide range of settings, including the disability sector, education, non-profits and mental health.

When not at work, Nina enjoys being outdoors, spending time out on the water either sailing, swimming, diving or surfing with her husband. Nina also loves a morning coffee or smoothie while watching the sunrise.

03/03/2025

Jonathan Haidt’s new book can be an anxious read for parents! The impact that Haidt outlines of a “phone based childhood” on children’s development and mental health is alarming to say the least. Particularly in relation to the impact of social media on girls.

However, there is some practical hope here in this book. Haidt advocates for more freedom and play for children in the real world alongside greater supervision and limits in the online world. Children tend to thrive when they are free to play and explore with their friends in the natural world. It seems that somewhere along the line with the advances in technology we’ve forgotten this and our children have been so much poorer for it. But it’s not too late to claim it back for them!

We’d recommend this book to any parent who is suspicious of the detrimental impact of a phone-based childhood on their children and who is looking to reclaim a healthy childhood for their children.

24/02/2025

✨ MEET THE TEAM ✨

We are looking forward to welcoming Psychologist Sue Mackenzie to our team! Sue will be joining us at The Family Psychology Clinic in March ⭐️

With 30 years of experience as a registered psychologist and school counsellor, Sue has dedicated her career to supporting the emotional, social and academic well-being of children and adolescents. Over the course of her career, Sue has worked with families through a diverse range of presentations including anxiety, depression, learning difficulties, behavioural concerns and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Sue approaches her work with an emphasis on collaborating with families, schools, and other professionals in order to ensure holistic, practical support that fosters lasting positive changes.

Sue is also passionate about supporting the development of other psychologists and is a board approved supervisor who has worked extensively in supervising a number of her colleagues throughout her career.

When not at work, Sue enjoys reading, travel and spending time with friends and family. She has also recently rediscovered an enjoyment of cooking and is learning conversational French.

22/02/2025

✨ OUR SPACE ✨

Our clinic operates in a beautiful, purposefully designed space. Converted from a century-old corner-store building, our space is designed to make children and their families feel comfortable from the moment that they walk in the door. It is also designed to allow innovation and flexibility in the services that we provide.

Our space includes the following features:

🌱A spacious and comfortable reception area

🌱Warm and naturally lit consult rooms

🌱A large therapy room for the delivery of group programs, sensory work, active forms of therapy and group presentations

🌱A large, fully enclosed outdoor area with vegetable gardens and fruit trees for therapy in an outdoor environment

🌱Access to a number of children’s games and activities

🌱Access to a number of technology devices that utilise games and interactive work in therapy where appropriate