Hi, I’m Simon
I’m Simon. I’m not your usual psychiatrist. I’m not going to focus on making the right diagnosis and then finding the right medications to make some of the symptoms go away. I’m more curious about what these symptoms represent and might be trying to signal to you. I’m less interested in what’s wrong with you, and more interested in what’s happened to you. While I acknowledge the role of genetics, I believe that trauma, including transgenerational trauma, underlies much of what constitutes mental illness. I believe that we all became how we are today as an adaptation to what has happened to us along the way. These strategies we developed that once helped us to survive, may now be out of date, creating suffering and getting in the way of us reaching our full potential. If you are curious about yourself, interested in connecting with your essential self, and figuring out what’s in the way of that - maybe I can help. I’m here as an ally on your healing journey, which began long before you met me and will continue after our work together is done. I believe that therapy is fundamentally an intimate, safe (boundaried) human relationship. I show up as a real human, with presence, kindness, and care, in service of your growth.
Who I Work With
I primarily work with adults, with a special interest in men’s mental health. I also support people through psychedelic integration, deprescribing, and demedicalizing approaches—helping you uncover the root causes of your difficulties rather than just managing symptoms.
I provide Medicare rebates for psychotherapy as a psychiatrist, and am committed to making psychotherapy accessible to you. Please note that I do not do ADHD assessments, cannabis prescribing, nor primarily medication management. Nor will the focus of our work together be reports for Centrelink, NDIS, work cover.
“Understanding the root causes of suffering allows us to find pathways to healing and re-enchantment with life.”
— Gabor Maté
I have trained in several different therapeutic modalities on my journey as a psychotherapist, and I continue to learn from life, nature, and my clients. I have a strong foundation in psychodynamic and intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. I have also trained in EMDR, CBT and mindfulness-based therapy. My evolution as a therapist has led me down the path of somatic therapy, exploring how trauma is held in the body, with training in Somatic Experiencing and Core Energetics. I am currently training in Hakomi therapy, which is tying a lot of these modalities together. Along the way, I became interested in plant medicine, and have been passionately working in medicine-assisted therapy research, training and supervision for the past decade. I have been honoured to be part of the movement helping this work gain more legitimacy, leading to legal pathways for access here in Australia.
My Approach
What to Expect Working Together
Our work together will focus on creating a safe and trusting relational space where you feel truly seen and heard. I’ll take the time to get to know you—your story, your strengths, and your challenges. I approach therapy with curiosity, compassion, presence,and attunement, which means I’ll be fully engaged and responsive to your needs, helping you feel safe and understood. This approach supports the development of your inner healing intelligence—the natural capacity we all have to heal, grow, and find balance from within.
A key part of the process is helping you feel more comfortable in your body through somatic practices, and with your emotions, so you can develop a deeper connection to yourself. I want you to feel supported as you explore and process your experiences, helping you build resilience and a stronger sense of self along the way.