Modals
Dr Melissa Harrison - Director/Principal Clinical Psychologist
About
Melissa is an Endorsed Clinical Psychologist and works primarily in the assessment and treatment of mild to moderate mental health disorders. She has particular interest and expertise in the treatment of anxiety and adjustment disorders. Melissa provides psychological assessment and consulting services in relation to various medico-legal matters (court reports, Workers’ Compensation). Melissa has accrued over a decade of experience in psychology and counselling services. She has previously worked in counselling roles for child abuse and neglect, sexual assault, corrections, vocational rehabilitation, general and private practice.
Qualifications:
Doctorate of Psychology (Clinical)
Bachelor of Social Science (Psych) (Hons)
Bachelor Behavioural Science (BBSc)
Certificate in Professional Management (Cert Prof Man (Open))
Certifications:
Registered Clinical Psychologist – Psychology Board of Australia
Member of the Australian Clinical Psychology Association
Accredited Psychology Board of Australia Supervisor (Principal and Secondary)
Dr Justin Harrison - Registered Psychologist
Couples and Family Counsellor
Couples and Family Counsellor
About
Dr Justin Harrison is Principal Couples and Family Counsellor, and a Social Science Researcher with Nudge Psychological Assessment and Consulting
Justin has spent a significant portion of his career working in public and private school settings both in counselling and assessment roles. Justin has also assisted young people as a student tutor, wilderness guide, karate instructor, and mentor.
Prior to his current role, Justin worked for government departments (e.g. Child Protection) as well as NGOs (e.g. Relationships Australia, Early Childhood Intervention Service), developing a sound knowledge of program management and organisational issues in medium to large organisations.
Justin lectured in Cognition, Developmental Psychology, and Introductory Psychology with Charles Sturt University for almost a decade.
Qualifications:
PhD (Psychology)
Bachelor of Psychology (Hons 1st Class)
Certifications:
Member of Australian Psychological Society (MAPS)
Member of Society of Australian Sexologists
Peer Reviewed Articles:
Harrison, J. M. D. & McKay, R. T. (2013). Give me strength or give me a reason: Self-control, religion and the currency of reputation. Invited commentary on Kurzban, R., Duckworth, A., Kable, J. W. and Myers, J. in Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
Harrison, J. M. D. & McKay, R. T. (2012). Delay discounting rates are temporally stable in an equivalent present value procedure using theoretical and Area under the Curve analyses. The Psychological Record, 62(2), 307- 320.
Luck, M. J. & Harrison, J. M. D. (2011). Funding Happiness: A study of the arguments against the public funding of life enhancement. Facta Universitatis: Series Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology and History, 10(1), 101-110.
Harrison, J. M. D., & Thompson, A. P. (2007). Evaluation of a Group Behavioural Family Intervention for Parents of Young Children with Developmental Disabilities. In Proceedings of the Australian Psychological Society National Conference 2007; Brisbane, QLD. Book
Book Chapters:
Harrison, J. M. D. (2007a). Family Support in a Transdisciplinary Context, in Davies, S. (ed), Team Around the Child: Working Together in Early Childhood Intervention. QuickPrint: NSW.
Tucker, A., Mazzei, E., Davies, S., & Harrison, J. M. D. (2007). Family Centred Practice, in Davies, S. (ed), Team Around the Child: Working Together in Early Childhood Intervention. QuickPrint: NSW
Conferences:
Harrison, J. M. D. & McKay, R. T. (2012). Worthy Impulses: Is self control really necessary for people to treat one another fairly? 2nd Asian Conference for Psychology and the Behavioural Sciences, 30th March – 1st April, Osaka, Japan.
Harrison, J. M. D. & McKay, R. T. (2010). Time to do what’s right: the relationship between discounting rates and moral foundations. International Journal for Arts and Sciences Conference, 30th 3rd June, 2010, Bad Hofgastein, Austria.
Harrison, J. M. D. (2010). Automaticity, morality and the role of the ideal self. Free Will and Responsibility Symposium, February 2010, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.
Davies, S., Harrison J. M. D., & Luscombe, D. (2006). The Transdisciplinary Team Approach Combining Practice with Theory in the Australian Context. In Proceedings of the Early Childhood Intervention Association National Conference 2006; Adelaide, South Australia. Adelaide: ECIA.
Dr Elissa Klaassen - Clinical Psychologist (Registrar)
About
Elissa is a Clinical Psychologist Registrar. She has experience providing therapy to individuals ranging in age from children to older adults with mild to moderate mental health disorders. Common issues include depression, anxiety, grief and loss, relationship difficulties and developmental issues. Elissa provides assessment and intervention in relation to cognitive, behavioural and emotional issues arising during childhood and adolescence. This includes Educational Assessments.
Elissa draws from therapeutic techniques including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative therapy, Mindfulness-based therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Emotion-Focused Therapy. Elissa is particularly interested in the application of Mindful Self-Compassion to a variety of issues, with a focus on kindness towards the self and others.
Elissa has a broad educational basis (covering the areas of Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Psychology), as well as specialised knowledge in the area of Neuropsychology. Elissa completed her PhD on the subject of cognitive aging using a combined approach including neuropsychological testing and functional neuroimaging (fMRI). This project explored the effect of aging on learning and memory with consideration given to important factors such as fatigue and effort. Elissa has a strong interest in the assessment and treatment of neuropsychological disorders across the lifespan.
Elissa draws from therapeutic techniques including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative therapy, Mindfulness-based therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Emotion-Focused Therapy. Elissa is particularly interested in the application of Mindful Self-Compassion to a variety of issues, with a focus on kindness towards the self and others.
Elissa has a broad educational basis (covering the areas of Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Psychology), as well as specialised knowledge in the area of Neuropsychology. Elissa completed her PhD on the subject of cognitive aging using a combined approach including neuropsychological testing and functional neuroimaging (fMRI). This project explored the effect of aging on learning and memory with consideration given to important factors such as fatigue and effort. Elissa has a strong interest in the assessment and treatment of neuropsychological disorders across the lifespan.
Qualifications:
Master of Clinical Psychology
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Research Master in Neuropsychology (graduated with Cum laude)
Bachelor of Science and Technology (1st class Honours) Double major in Psychology
Bachelor of Science (Neuroscience) Double major in Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Certifications:
Registered Psychologist – Psychology Board of Australia
Member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS)
Member of the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science (ACBS)
Member of The British Psychological Society (BPS)
Publications:
Klaassen, E.B., Evers, E. A. T., de Groot, R. H. M., Backes, W., Veltman, D. J., Jolles, J. (2014). Working memory in middle-aged males: age-related brain activation changes and cognitive fatigue effects. Biological Psychology, 96, 134-143. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.11.008
Klaassen, E.B., de Groot, R. H. M., Evers, E. A. T., Nicolson, N., Veltman, D. J., Jolles, J. (2013). Cortisol and induced cognitive fatigue: effects on memory activation in young and middle-aged males. Biological Psychology, 94, 167-174. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.05.015
Klaassen, E.B., de Groot, R. H. M., Evers, E. A. T., Snel, J., Veerman, E., Ligtenberg, A., Jolles, J., Veltman, D. J. (2013). The effect of caffeine on working memory load-related brain activation in middle-aged males. Neuropharmacology, 64, 160-167. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.06.026
Evers, E. A. T., Klaassen, E.B., Rombouts, S., Backes, W., Jolles, J. (2012). The effects of sustained cognitive task performance on subsequent resting state functional connectivity in healthy young and middle-aged male schoolteachers. Brain Connectivity 2(2), 102-112. doi:10.1089/brain.2011.0060
Stefanovic, A., Brandner, B., Klaassen, E., Cregg, R., Nagaratnam, M., Bromley, L., Das, R., Rossell, S., Morgan, C., Curran, H. V. (2009). Acute and chronic effects of ketamine on semantic priming: modeling schizophrenia? Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 29(2), pp124 – 133.
Freeman, T., Morgan, C., Klaassen, E., Das, R., Stefanovic, A., Brandner, B., Curran, H. V. (2009). Superstitious conditioning as a model of delusion formation following chronic but not acute ketamine in humans. Psychopharmacology, 206(4), pp563 – 573.
Klaassen, E. B., Plukaard, S., Evers, E. A. T., de Groot, R. H. M., Backes, W. H., Veltman, D. J., & Jolles, J. (2016). Young and Middle-Aged Schoolteachers Differ in the Neural Correlates of Memory Encoding and Cognitive Fatigue: A Functional MRI Study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10, 148. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00148
Poster presentations:
Klaassen, E., Evers, E., de Groot, R., Veltman, D., Jolles, J. (2011). Episodic memory encoding in middle age: effects of ageing and cognitive fatigue on brain activation. Annual meeting for the international society for neuroimaging in psychiatry, Heidelberg.
Klaassen, E., Evers, E., de Groot, R., Veltman, D., Jolles, J. (2011). Age differences in brain activation associated with verbal learning and fatigue. School for Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Day 2011, Maastricht.
Klaassen, E., Evers, E., de Groot, R., Veltman, D., Jolles, J. (2010). Fatiguing the brain: the effect of induced fatigue on brain function during working memory. International Neuropsychological Society conference, Krakow.
Klaassen, E., Evers, E., de Groot, R., Veltman, D., Jolles, J. (2010). Fatiguing the brain: the effect of induced fatigue on brain function during working memory. School for Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Day 2010, Maastricht.
Klaassen, E., Morgan, C., Cregg, R., Nagaratnam, M. Brandner, B., Curran, H. V. (2007). The role of dopamine and glutamate in superstition: an investigation using ketamine. 20th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Vienna.
Klaassen, E., Hammond, G., Fox, A. (2005). Electrophysiological correlates of preparatory motor processes. International Neuropsychological Society conference, Dublin.
Presentations:
Klaassen, E. Mental Fatigue and Learning. Miniconference: ‘Biopsychological determinants of learning’. November 2011, Utrecht, Open University.Davies, S., Harrison J. M. D., & Luscombe, D. (2006). The Transdisciplinary Team Approach Combining Practice with Theory in the Australian Context. In Proceedings of the Early Childhood Intervention Association National Conference 2006; Adelaide, South Australia. Adelaide: ECIA.
Romney Noonan - Clinical Psychologist
About
Romney is a Clinical Psychologist with experience across a range of treatment settings including Child Protection, Community Adult Mental Health, and Private Practice. He is experienced in working with a broad range of mood and anxiety disorders including Depression, Recurrent Depressive Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, Panic, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Social Anxiety. He also has experience working with Personality Disorders and addictions, and has a strong background in working with trauma.
In working with adults Romney draws on a range of treatment approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. In working with children and families, he has a strong focus on attachment and child development and draws from a range of attachment based models including the Circle of Security, Dan Hughes’ PLACE model, and the ARC (attachment, regulation, competence) model. Romney also has a specific background of working with complex trauma and is trained in both child and adult EMDR protocols.
In 2016 Romney was invited to present at the WA Child Protection Psychology Services Conference on the topic of treating complex developmental trauma and his Master’s thesis, completed in conjunction with CAMHS in 2014, analysed coronial data on child and adolescent suicides in Western Australia. Romney also has a specific interest in the interconnection between mind and body. In his honours year he pursued research interests in psychophysiology, and more recently he has focused on the application of sensory-motor psychotherapy principles in his clinical practice.
Romney is a registered Medicare provider, and is eligible for Medicare Clinical Psychology rebates and is also eligible for rebates under most private health care funds.
Qualifications:
Master of Clinical Psychology, Murdoch University (2014)
Bachelor Arts (Psych, Hons) Murdoch University (1997)
Certifications:
Registered Clinical Psychologist – Psychology Board of Australia
The Australian Psychological Society (APS)
Association for Contextual Behavioural Science (ACBS)
Dr Kelly Botha - Clinical Psychologist
About
Dr Kelly Botha is a Clinical Psychologist whose primary areas of interest and specialization include young adult/adult mental health, performance psychology, neuropsychology and leadership. Kelly completed a Doctorate of Psychology (Clinical) in Australia in 2005. In the course of her practise, Kelly draws from a range of psychological therapies, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Kelly has previously worked with The Marian Centre, YouthLink - Royal Perth Hospital, Perth Clinic, the South African Police Services, and the Department of Child Protection. The combination of Kelly's advanced clinical training in neuropsychology and human behaviour, her experiences as an elite athlete, and her passion for capacity building, teamwork and leadership, make Kelly’s contribution to the field of performance optimization truly unique. Kelly’s involvement in performance psychology has ranged from individual work with professional athletes and senior executives, to contractual and consultant positions with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS), and Netball Western Australia. Kelly’s performance-related work is not limited to athletes; other clientele include world renowned musicians, financial traders, and corporate executives. Kelly has written and taught several undergraduate university psychology modules, and currently mentors individuals located in a range of high performance institutes and organizations around the world. She currently serves as the Deputy Chairperson for the West Australian Athletics Commission, Director on the board of Insight Health Group, and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Qualifications:
Doctor of Psychology (Clinical) - Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA
Criminology I, II, III - University of South Africa, RSA
BA Honours Degree (Psychology) - University of Stellenbosch, RSA
Bachelor of Arts Degree - University of Stellenbosch, RSA
Criminology I, II, III - University of South Africa, RSA
BA Honours Degree (Psychology) - University of Stellenbosch, RSA
Bachelor of Arts Degree - University of Stellenbosch, RSA
Certifications:
Registered Clinical Psychologist - Psychology Board of Australia
Member of The Australian Clinical Psychology Association
Associate Fellow, Australian Institute of Management
Qualified Psychometrist - Registration with The South African Medical and Dental Council, RSA.
The Leadership Circle Certification – Culture Survey
The Leadership Circle Certification – Level 1
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) certified
Member of The Australian Clinical Psychology Association
Associate Fellow, Australian Institute of Management
Qualified Psychometrist - Registration with The South African Medical and Dental Council, RSA.
The Leadership Circle Certification – Culture Survey
The Leadership Circle Certification – Level 1
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) certified
Awards:
Scholarship winner – Accelerated Leadership Performance Program (2016) (Women & Leadership Australia, and the Australian School of Applied Management).
Other Activities and Leadership Positions:
2014 – Present Deputy Chairperson, WA Athletics Commission, WA
2012 – Present Director, Board of Insight Health Group, WA
1995 - 1998 Captain - South African Ladies’ water polo team.
1993 - 1998 South African Ladies’ water polo team.
2012 – Present Director, Board of Insight Health Group, WA
1995 - 1998 Captain - South African Ladies’ water polo team.
1993 - 1998 South African Ladies’ water polo team.
Louise Hadden - Registered Psychologist
About
Louise has a broad range of clinical assessment and counselling experience in mental health, and has worked with children, adolescents, adults and families in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She has worked extensively in child protection and family support, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) delivery, and with clients under Workers’ Compensation legislation. Louise is passionate about optimising mental health and well-being, and adopts a humanistic and strengths-based approach to her practice: Louise is a firm believer that life’s challenges provide opportunities for growth and change, and is dedicated to working collaboratively with clients to achieve lasting change. Areas of clinical interest include mood disorders, adjustment difficulties, grief and loss, and suicide prevention. Louise also works in the areas of stress management, relationship difficulties, health and wellness, personal development and growth. Louise draws on a range of evidence-based treatments including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), attachment-based therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, interpersonal therapy, narrative therapy, psychodynamic therapy, schema therapy and solution-focused therapy. Louise is a registered Medicare provider, and is eligible for Medicare generalist psychology rebates.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) Edith Cowan University (2011)
Postgraduate Diploma (Psychology) Murdoch University (2014)
Postgraduate Diploma (Psychology) Murdoch University (2014)
Certifications:
Associate Member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS)
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A Nudge for me
Individual Counselling
From time to time, everyone experiences difficulties that test their ability to cope and to function effectively. Difficulties can range from stressors such as a loss or sudden life change, to more pervasive mental health issues including anxiety, depression and other diagnosable psychological illnesses.
Nudge offers comprehensive psychological assessment and evidence-based interventions, designed to improve your functioning and quality of life.
Speech Pathology
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Nudge Psychology has partnered with Learning for Life to provide in-house speech pathology and occupational therapy services. Learning for Life offer standardised pre-literacy and literacy-based assessments that provide valuable insight into your child’s literacy development. If your child is having difficulty with their phonological awareness (awareness and manipulation of sounds), spelling and/or reading – the Learning for Life team can offer comprehensive assessment to identify key areas that may be impacting their overall performance.
Learning for Life develop individualised therapy plans for students, in close collaboration with classroom teachers, families and additional health and educational professionals involved in the student’s care. The Learning for Life therapy approach is based on the gold standard of literacy supports using the Sounds-Write program.
Throughcare
Nudge Psychology is pleased to offer Throughcare services to DARA Rehab. DARA is a world-class integrated treatment program boasting outstanding success rates for recovery from addictive behaviours. Located in Thailand, DARA is a highly subsidized program, and one of the world’s most cost-effective rehabilitation solutions. Nudge Psychologists have been identified as meeting the stringent training requirements demanded by DARA in the provision of post-treatment (Throughcare) services to their clients, supporting clients to maintain abstinence, and prevent relapse.
To learn more about DARA’s world-class program, visit www.dararehab.com.
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Group Programs
Nudge Psychologists and Counsellors have considerable experience and particular training in the delivery of group therapeutic treatment and psycho-educational training workshops.
Current group programs include:
Triple P Stepping Stones (for families of children with a disability)
Anger Management Working with Parents of Adolescents Mindfulness Practice (for stress as well as persistent pain)
Profiles
Dr Melissa Harrison - Director/Principal Clinical Psychologist
About
Melissa is an Endorsed Clinical Psychologist and works primarily in the assessment and treatment of mild to moderate mental health disorders. She has particular interest and expertise in the treatment of anxiety and adjustment disorders. Melissa provides psychological assessment and consulting services in relation to various medico-legal matters (court reports, Workers’ Compensation). Melissa has accrued over a decade of experience in psychology and counselling services. She has previously worked in counselling roles for child abuse and neglect, sexual assault, corrections, vocational rehabilitation, general and private practice.
more about Melissa:Qualifications - Certifications - Boards - Background
Dr Justin Harrison - Registered Psychologist
Couples and Family Counsellor
Couples and Family Counsellor
About
Dr Justin Harrison is Principal Couples and Family Counsellor, and a Social Science Researcher with Nudge Psychological Assessment and Consulting
Justin has spent a significant portion of his career working in public and private school settings both in counselling and assessment roles. Justin has also assisted young people as a student tutor, wilderness guide, karate instructor, and mentor.
Prior to his current role, Justin worked for government departments (e.g. Child Protection) as well as NGOs (e.g. Relationships Australia, Early Childhood Intervention Service), developing a sound knowledge of program management and organisational issues in medium to large organisations.
Justin lectured in Cognition, Developmental Psychology, and Introductory Psychology with Charles Sturt University for almost a decade.
more about Justin:Qualifications - Certifications - Publications - Background
Dr Elissa Klaassen - Clinical Psychologist (Registrar)
About
Elissa is a Clinical Psychologist Registrar. She has experience providing therapy to individuals ranging in age from children to older adults with mild to moderate mental health disorders. Common issues include depression, anxiety, grief and loss, relationship difficulties and developmental issues. Elissa provides assessment and intervention in relation to cognitive, behavioural and emotional issues arising during childhood and adolescence. This includes Educational Assessments.
Elissa draws from therapeutic techniques including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative therapy, Mindfulness-based therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Emotion-Focused Therapy. Elissa is particularly interested in the application of Mindful Self-Compassion to a variety of issues, with a focus on kindness towards the self and others.
Elissa has a broad educational basis (covering the areas of Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Psychology), as well as specialised knowledge in the area of Neuropsychology. Elissa completed her PhD on the subject of cognitive aging using a combined approach including neuropsychological testing and functional neuroimaging (fMRI). This project explored the effect of aging on learning and memory with consideration given to important factors such as fatigue and effort. Elissa has a strong interest in the assessment and treatment of neuropsychological disorders across the lifespan.
Elissa draws from therapeutic techniques including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Motivational Interviewing, Narrative therapy, Mindfulness-based therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Emotion-Focused Therapy. Elissa is particularly interested in the application of Mindful Self-Compassion to a variety of issues, with a focus on kindness towards the self and others.
Elissa has a broad educational basis (covering the areas of Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Psychology), as well as specialised knowledge in the area of Neuropsychology. Elissa completed her PhD on the subject of cognitive aging using a combined approach including neuropsychological testing and functional neuroimaging (fMRI). This project explored the effect of aging on learning and memory with consideration given to important factors such as fatigue and effort. Elissa has a strong interest in the assessment and treatment of neuropsychological disorders across the lifespan.
more about Elissa:Qualifications - Certifications - Publications - Poster presentations - Presentations
Dr Christopher Chalon - Organisational Development Consultant
About
more about Chris:Qualifications
Heidi Crow - Administration Support
About
more about Heidi:Qualifications - Awards
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Work With Us
Nudge Psychology is always on the look out for new talent. Psychologist positions are offered on an employee or contractor basis. If you would like to learn more about working with our award-winning team of professionals, send your resume to:
Dr. Melissa Harrison – Director/Principal Psychologist
Applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Nudge Psychological Assessment and Consulting
is a private psychology practice offering services in the assessment and treatment of mild to moderate mental health disorders, relationship counselling, and parental skills training in the management of child behavioural issues.
181 Bussell Highway, West Busselton, Western Australian 6280
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PO Box 594, Capel, WA 6271
08 9716 7373
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