Location: Richmond

Fiona Lacy 
Counselling Psychologist
VAPP, MA(CounsPsych), BA(Hons), GradDipFamilyTherapy, 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 and IPI.  Fiona supervises psychologists with an interest in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and Infant Observation.

In her private practice, Fiona provides medium to longer-term psychotherapy for adults.  Fiona is guided by contemporary psychoanalytic ideas.  Psychotherapy is a process of enquiry and exploration.  The therapist and patient work together to make sense of and work through conscious and unconscious internal struggles that may be contributing to painful difficulties in the patient’s life and relationships.

Fiona has a long-standing interest in assisting new mothers to adjust to motherhood, which is a sensitive time of transition both individually and within the family. In addition, she has an interest in perinatal work with mothers and their infants.  Often the birth of a child can activate earlier difficult 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 can provide the opportunity to create new possibilities in the present for the parent and infant.

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 sees individuals who have eating and body image concerns, which 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 LGBTQ+ 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.

(more…)

Larissa Lagerewskij
Clinical and Perinatal Psychologist
BA (Psych), M.Psych, MAPS, MAPS CClin, GradCertCareerDevt

Graduate Certificate in Career Development
Circle of Security Facilitator
Professional Pilates Practitioner, Diploma of Pilates Movement Therapy
Practitioner of Applied Mindfulness, Australian Institute of Applied Mindfulness
Gottman Method Couples Training Level 1
EMDR Advanced Training, Therapist Training

Larissa is a warm, compassionate and neuroaffriming Career Counsellor and Perinatal/Clinical Psychologist who enjoys preparing women and their partners for pregnancy, for birth and for post birth. She has a wholistic approach to wellbeing focusing on physical and emotional wellbeing. Enhancing the quality of relationships is a cornerstone of therapy.

Larissa has a strong interest in career development in the context of the family and how career development can support mental health.

She also enjoys supporting
– the neurodivergent community
– same sex families
– families of different cultures

Larissa’s focuses on supporting the transition to parenthood addressing perinatal anxiety and depression to ensure healthy social and emotional development of children.

Larissa sees women and their partners who are anxious about:
– becoming and being pregnant
– preparing for becoming a parent
– coping with the birth process
– adjusting to the role of being a parent
– reflecting on career development as a parent
– transitioning to work after becoming a parent
– managing the juggle of work, life and family

Larissa has an empowering and attachment based approach to perinatal and infant mental health.  She embraces a trauma informed and neuro-affirmative approach with reflective parenting. She uses a variety of evidence based therapies including CBT, ACT, Mindfulness and Compassion focussed therapies to nurture self-understanding in conjunction with solution focused and strength based approaches.

Larissa takes on a body-mind approach in therapy. She is a Diploma qualified Professional Pilates Practitioner Level 2 with Pilates Association Australia and has been teaching Pilates Movement Therapy since 2006.  She provides a personalised approach to Pilates, preparing mums for childbirth psychologically and physically and supporting the healing process post birth.  Larissa provides a space for focussing on breath awareness, strengthening and releasing pelvic floor muscles and physically/psychologically preparing the body for birth.  Pilates has been found to reduce labour pain intensity, the length of the active phase and increases satisfaction with the childbirth process (Ghandali et al, 2021).  Post birth she also focuses on strengthening muscles to support the demands of motherhood.  Larissa is a strong advocate of the healing power of movement.  Pilates movement therapy is available in person and online.

Larissa offers short and long term therapy to assist women, their partners and families to understand and address their concerns.  Appointments are available via Telehealth and in person appointments can be arranged.

(more…)