Michelle Chesno

Michelle is a very experienced therapist with a wide range of expertise. Michelle came to psychology after beginning her career as a social worker, and has over 15 years experience as a clinical psychologist and 20 years experience as a therapist. Michelle describes herself as integrative and creative in her approach to therapy, and draws on systemic and psychodynamic as well as cognitive and behavioural therapies. She works with individuals, couples and families.

Michelle has run her own successful private practice and consultancy for ten years, where she worked with a wide range of issues including trauma, depression, anxiety, loss and bereavement, relationship issues, couple counselling, child and family therapy, workplace issues, adjusting to life transitions, challenges and change, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, unexplained physical complaints, sexual difficulties, sexuality issues, attention deficit disorder and substance abuse issues, among others.

A particular area of interest for Michelle is long term therapy and working with difficulties of childhood origin. She has considerable experience working with the long term effects of childhood abuse and trauma, as well as with other long term patterns related to early experiences.

In addition to working with adults, Michelle has considerable experience working with children and families. She has worked with hearing impaired children and children with Autism spectrum disorders, providing assessment, play therapy, parental counseling and family therapy. She has also worked as a programme co-ordinator for an organization focused on child and youth development. At present, in addition to private practice she works in the public sector providing assessment and treatment to adolescents and their families for disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and self-harm. Prior to that Michelle worked in Juvenile Justice with adolescents and their families, providing therapy aimed at reducing offending behaviour in adoloescents.

During her career Michelle has held a number of other roles outside private practice: she initiated and established a counselling service in the card division of a major bank, specialising in employee counselling and staff development and consultation; she worked for a non-government organization dealing with domestic violence and abuse; she has worked in child protection and child welfare arenas; and she has worked in the criminal justice system focusing on the rehabilitation of adult offenders and providing support to their families.

Michelle has also worked as a supervisor of psychologists in a number of settings and has provided education and training to mental health professionals.

Other areas of interest for Michelle are issues related to minority stress, and working with the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Throughout her career, Michelle has always been involved in community development and the promotion of mental health and in human rights advocacy.

Michelle sees her key strength as forming good relationships with her clients and colleagues. She draws on a depth and breadth of training and experience in her therapy, which gives her flexibility, insight and appreciation of complexity. She is passionate about her work and has a strong interest in helping people develop to their fullest potential.

Michelle is fully registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, and is a member of the Clinical college of the Australian Psychological Society.

Qualifications
Bachelor of Social Work, a Bachelor of Psychology, and a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology.