After obsessively reviewing the extensive research paper by Bakermans-Kranenburg, Dagan, Cárcamo, and Van IJzendoorn (2024) on more than 26,000 Adult Attachment Interviews (AAIs), I was excited to share some fascinating insights about attachment patterns and their clinical significance. I tried to keep it short and accessible, but if you are interested in this topic as … read more

Learning to surf, like navigating academia, requires patience, guidance, and the courage to keep getting back up. Here’s what one session with Blue Dot’s Surf Therapy taught me about resilience and growth. The Beginning: Setting Intentions The morning began with a walk along Manly Beach to meet Chris and Gina, who had invited me to … read more

How to BRAVE the Holiday Season The holiday season arrives this year amid global uncertainties and economic pressures that many Australians are feeling deeply. While the festive season traditionally brings joy, it can also amplify our challenges. We’re navigating not just family expectations and complicated histories, but also conversations about rising living costs, climate concerns, … read more

Why Online Therapy Platforms Like BetterHelp Miss the Mark: A Psychodynamic Perspective As a psychotherapist specialising in trauma and attachment, I’ve been watching the rise of online therapy platforms like BetterHelp with growing concern. While increasing access to mental health support is crucial, these platforms often overlook the fundamental aspects of what makes therapy transformative. … read more

Mental Health Day: A Time for Reflection and Action As we mark another Mental Health Day, we must pause and consider the state of our collective well-being. Recent years have presented unprecedented challenges for Australians and humanity in general. Natural disasters are continuing, and the global pandemic’s leftover disruption still affects us. The horror of … read more

  The Revealing Power of the Adult Attachment Interview   As a therapist, I continue to be amazed by the insights that surface when we embark on our self-exploration journeys alongside clients. One experience that proved transformative for me was completing the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) training and becoming a certified coder of the instrument. … read more

The Nuanced Divide: Unpacking Psychotherapy vs. Counseling As a practising therapist and supervisor, I’m frequently asked to clarify the distinction between psychotherapy and counselling. While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there are distinct differences in each approach’s training, theoretical foundations, and overarching aims. At their core, counselling and psychotherapy both involve a trained professional … read more

The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research was recently discussed in articles published by the Guardian and the SMH. The report, which will be released today, will include the views of 34 survivors discussing the justice system in NSW. RMIT questioned victims of sexual assault about what they realised after or during discussing the incident … read more

Orthorexia rates are on the rise. Wellness habits are meant to result in a healthy overall lifestyle, but for some, it sends them along a dark and dangerous road of disordered eating, as psychotherapist Andrea Szasz explains. 

  I am very passionate about childhood and developmental trauma, so I was honoured to be asked to contribute., With love Andi https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/30/survivors-of-childhood-trauma-often-grow-up-believing-they-are-unworthy?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Othe    

Dear Brave Therapy™ Friend, We face challenges every day. While fixing a particular problem helps in any given moment, more obstacles eventually arise, and we’re left feeling overwhelmed, stressed, irritable, and depleted. You’ve probably seen this yourself. Much research has shown that the real path to lasting joy, satisfaction, and inner peace… is to build … read more

Strange Situation, A mother’s journey into the science of attachment I love this book! As a researcher and clinician interested in trauma,  attachment and body-mind connections, I was excited to listen to the audible version of this book. Attachment theory has become part of pop psychology and seems everywhere in popular media. I often hear … read more

How to BRAVE the Holiday Season   The holiday season is the time of the year when there might be some extra relational demands of us. While the festive season is generally a happy time, the reflections and celebrations can also be challenging. There are expectations; from family members with whom we may share some … read more

One of these mornings I woke up with a sense of dread. Feeling the stresses of our ‘new normal’; the way we have to think about wearing masks and hand sanitizers. Feeling the pain of lack of real, face-to-face connection with loved ones. Dealing with the general ‘I am over it’ attitude from basically everyone. … read more

I don’t know how you feel but for me this opening up, going back to ‘normal’ is happening a little too fast. I remember when the lock-down started, I was driving home from exercising, I saw a cat crossing the road in a curve of the road where I have never seen a cat before. … read more