Location: Fairfield

Dr Bronwyn Leigh
Director – Clinical Psychologist & Parenting Consultant
B.A. (Hons), DPsych., MAPS, CCLIN

Bronwyn is unable to accept new referrals at this time – please make contact with another of our psychologists to make an appointment

Bronwyn enjoys working with parents and infants during this very tender and important life phase. Her goal is to support mothers and fathers as they navigate through the challenges that arise at various points in their perinatal journey.  She is the Director of the Centre for Perinatal Psychology.

Bronwyn is concerned with issues spanning the perinatal period from planning of conception, through pregnancy and in the postpartum. Her primary interests are in attachment relationships, perinatal depression and anxiety (Mums and Dads) and infant/toddler social and emotional development. Bronwyn sees people who are struggling to adjust to a new life as well as those who are unwell with a mental health diagnosis. She has a long-standing interest in fertility issues, assisted conception and perinatal loss. Bronwyn actively supports single parents and same sex families.

Bronwyn is deeply interested in exploring ways to facilitate joyful parenting and a secure, loving bond between parents and infants and to assist parents manage their crises of confidence in parenting their baby. Bronwyn devised the Mindfully Parenting Your Baby group program and regularly runs it in community houses in Melbourne. Mindfully Parenting Your Baby is a postnatal program for parents and their babies, which focuses on mindfulness and reflective parenting skills. She is also a Registered Circle of Security Parent Educator.

Bronwyn is co-author of Towards Parenthood: Preparing for the Changes and Challenges of a New Baby.  Towards Parenthood is a self-help workbook supporting soon-to-be and new parents prepare for the emotional changes and challenges of parenthood. It strengthens your relationship with your baby and your partner, while providing coping strategies to help you transition to your new role. Adjusting to the demands of parenting is challenging for us all – this book can help.

Bronwyn provides both short and long-term therapy. She uses various therapeutic approaches and tries to understand the problems families bring by considering all family members.

Parents are welcome to bring their baby to sessions.

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Nikki Zerman
Clinical and Counselling Psychologist
B.A.(Hons.), MPsych, MAPS CCLP CCOUNP

Nikki is a Clinical and Counselling Psychologist with specific interest and expertise in working with men, women, couples and parent/infant dyads on a range of issues during the perinatal period. Her focus is on supporting parents’ mental health and emotional well-being while also helping parents to develop positive attachment relationships with their infants and strengthening their parental reflective capacity.

She has specialised in perinatal and infant mental health for fifteen years, and specifically focuses on all stages of the transition to parenting, from planning to have a child up to three years postpartum.

Nikki works with clients on a range of issues that occur at this significant time our lives.  Specifically this may include infertility, perinatal (ante & postnatal) mood disturbance, birth trauma, adjustment to parenting, grief and loss, parent-infant interactions and attachment as well as maintaining a healthy couple relationship in the transition to parenting.

Nikki works collaboratively with clients and utilises a range of therapeutic approaches individualised to clients’ needs.  She uses short and medium term therapy strategies using a combination of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy. She also draws on systems and attachment theory to better understand the dynamics of the family and enhance relationships. In addition, Nikki has regularly provided training to therapeutic and support staff in the field of perinatal and infant mental health.

Parents are encouraged to bring their baby to sessions.

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Diana Cornish
Clinical Psychologist
BBSc, PostgradDipPsych, MPsych (Clin), MAPS

Diana Cornish is a clinical psychologist with a special interest in women’s mental health issues, particularly during the perinatal period. Diana has worked across various mental health’s settings for over fifteen years including community mental health, inpatient, outpatient and private practice (specifically with mothers and infants). Diana has particular interest in mothers experiencing post-natal episodes of OCD, anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. Diana has also experience and training in working in the areas of infertility and perinatal loss.

Diana believes it is a privilege to work with mothers, infants and their families at this crucial stage of life. She approaches therapy with a non-judgemental and collaborative perspective. She draws upon a variety of therapeutic approaches to understand and work with mothers, including Attachment theory (Circle of Security), Reflective Parenting, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (CBT), Schema therapy and other mindfulness based therapies. She is committed to assisting families to build and strength bonds in order to alleviate parental distress and to learn effective strategies that promote health and wellbeing.

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