Location: Richmond

Fiona Lacy 
Counselling Psychologist
MA(CounsPsych), BA(Hons), GradDipFamilyTherapy, MVAPP, MAAPi

Fiona has been working as a psychologist for 30 years, the majority of this has been in private practice in Melbourne. Fiona works with women in their developmental journeys through the significant changes in their lives, including the transition to motherhood.  Fiona also has experience working with fathers in their preparation for and adjustment to fatherhood.

Fiona has engaged in intensive training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy with the Victorian Association of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists (VAPP).  Fiona also teaches and is an Infant Observation seminar leader in the Training Program of the VAPP.  Fiona supervises psychologists with an interest in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and Infant Observation.

In her private practice, Fiona provides short and longer-term psychotherapy for adults.  Fiona is guided by contemporary psychoanalytic ideas and works with individuals to gradually explore thoughts, feelings, and experiences in order to open up pathways for new possibilities.

Much of Fiona’s clinical work has focussed on assisting new mothers to adjust to motherhood, and to attend to painful issues that may arise in family relationships during this sensitive time of transition and change.  Fiona has supported many parents who have experienced the pain of pregnancy loss, unexpected pregnancy termination, the loss of a child, and traumatic birth experiences.

Fiona has worked extensively with individuals who have experienced troubling or traumatic experiences and events in their own childhoods. This has led to a particular interest in attachment difficulties, postnatal depression, dissociative disorders, and post-traumatic stress.  Often the birth of a child can activate earlier traumatic experiences in the parent’s own history, and this can be confusing and overwhelming.  Psychotherapy can assist the parent to understand how earlier experiences are interacting with their feelings about parenting, and provides the opportunity to create new possibilities in the present.

Fiona sees individuals who have eating and body image concerns and works with them to improve their relationship with their physical selves.  Eating and body concerns can emerge, or re-emerge, during pregnancy and following the birth of a baby.  Working with a therapist can assist to make sense of, and provide some relief from, these anxieties and concerns.

Fiona has extensive experience working with members of the LGBTIQA+ community and has supported many individuals and couples in their journey to create Rainbow Families.

Fiona is committed to providing non-pathologising psychotherapy for individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and identities.

Babies are welcome in sessions.

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