Dr Sarah Valentine

ABOUT

Sarah is a clinical psychologist with a great deal of experience working with adults with a range of diagnoses and presentations. In particular, Sarah has a special interest in supporting people with a personality disorder, those experiencing emotional dysregulation or problematic patterns of behaviour (incl. self-harm and suicidality), those with a complex trauma presentation or people with more specific trauma and dissociative symptoms. 

BOARD-APPROVED SUPERVISOR AND MENTOR

Sarah has worked in a variety of settings in the private and public mental health sector, as well as having worked in private practice since 2010. She has been a board-approved supervisor for a number of years and has directly supervised dozens of psychologists (and other health professionals), from intern/provisional psychologist level, to clinical psychology registrar, through to more senior and experienced therapists. For the last decade, Sarah has worked as a manager and clinical lead and is currently also employed as the Allied Health Manager at a private psychiatric hospital in Melbourne. Sarah is passionate about supervising and mentoring clinicians from both a psychology perspective but also in navigating the business aspect of private practice.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc (Hons)) 
• Postgraduate Diploma of Clinical Psychology (PGDipClPs)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES

Sarah takes a client-centred, trauma-informed approach, and approaches her therapy with warmth and validation whilst at the same time gently pushing for change and growth in a direct but empathic way. She tends to utilise a variety of evidence-based techniques, including:

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) 
• Mindfulness-based strategies
• Schema Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

• Registered Psychologist (Clinical) with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS)
• Member of the Clinical College of the Australian Psychological Society