My name is Stacey Cotton. I am a Clinical Psychologist and I work primarily as a Psychotherapist in individual psychotherapy. 

In my daily clinical work, I practice from a psychoanalytic psychotherapeutic framework. I typically work with individual adults 16yrs and older; men and women. 

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy can help with; 

- Depression and anxiety (including post natal depression and anxiety)

- Trauma, grief and loss

- Life transition and adjustment

- Eating disorders and body image

- Relationship difficulties, including difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships

- Personality difficulties and disorders

The aim of psychotherapy is to help people develop a deeper understanding of themselves by making connections between conscious experience (e.g., outside world; including symptoms experienced), with the unconscious ‘internal’ world (e.g., deeper, unknown anxieties, fantasies, illusions, tricks, and or disturbances). The process of making these connections takes time. However, overtime, the process can not only be relieving, but  give rise to a deeper understanding of a persons’ more entrenched or repetitive patterns, which negatively impact on growth. 

The main requirement of psychotherapy is to speak as openly and freely as possible. This allows the process of making the unconscious conscious and to improve affect tolerance. In another way, this means as we become aware of and embracing our emotional experiences.  This allows both the development of a trust between therapist and patient, but it also enables the process of ‘making sense’ and a deeper understanding of the individuals' experience. In time, it would be hoped that a richer, deeper, solid and more authentic sense of sense self begins to emerge. 

It is important for psychotherapy sessions to occur regularly. Depending on circumstances, this can be on a fortnightly basis, however it typically occurs at a weekly rhythm. 

Psychotherapy can be brief (under 12 sessions), with the aim to improve understand and provide symptom relief. However, for those who are seeking more lasting change, regular sessions over a longer period of time would be beneficial. 

I typically meet the patient for one to two sessions to see if there is a good match. This is determined by therapist and patient. After thorough assessment, a treatment plan is discussed. Goals are identified and worked towards until relief is achieved. 

The time that I devote to psychological reports is small, however I am available for assessment and reports for a variety of purposes including VISA/Immigration and Psychological reports for court purposes, including mediation.  

Please see the CONTACT ME section of this website to discuss working together.