Space to be heard.
Time to be understood.
You may be carrying more than others realise. Perhaps familiar patterns feel difficult to shift, relationships take more out of you than you would like, or you are trying to make sense of your own experience.
You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Together, we can explore what brings you here and consider support that is appropriate for you.
You can be managing—
and still finding
things hard.
just as it is.
Perhaps you keep things moving on the outside, while feeling overwhelmed, disconnected or unsure of yourself underneath.
You might find yourself revisiting conversations, anticipating other people’s reactions, or wanting closeness while also finding it difficult to trust. Perhaps you have spent years adapting to expectations that do not quite fit how you think, feel or experience the world.
Or perhaps there is no clear explanation yet. Just a sense that something deserves attention.
Whatever brings you here, there is room to talk about it without needing to minimise it, justify it or find the perfect words.
Thoughtful psychology.
A person-to-person
approach.
Vanessa Challinor
Registered Psychologist
AHPRA registration PSY0002346088
I’m Vanessa Challinor, a registered psychologist. My approach is collaborative, considered and grounded in respect for your individual experience.
I bring experience working with neurodivergence, personality difficulties and attachment-related concerns. I aim to understand not only what is difficult now, but also the experiences, relationships and circumstances that give it context.
My work draws on approaches including schema therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), where appropriate. Schema therapy explores longstanding patterns in how we understand ourselves and relate to others. DBT brings together acceptance and change, with skills that can support emotional regulation, managing distress and navigating relationships. We can discuss how these approaches may relate to your needs and preferences.
Assessments & professional experience
Alongside therapy, my professional work includes psychological, personality, forensic risk and functional capacity assessments, as well as expert witness reports. I am also an advanced behaviour support practitioner and have delivered internal and external training in organisational wellbeing, working with complexity and vicarious trauma.
Whether you are seeking therapy or an assessment, we can begin by clarifying what you need and whether my services are an appropriate fit.
How your enquiry details are handled
When you send an enquiry, we collect your name, email address, phone number (if provided), appointment preference and any message you choose to include. These details are used only to respond to your enquiry and discuss whether Vanessa’s services may suit you. They are not used for marketing and are not sold or shared with third parties, except where required or authorised by law.
Enquiries are stored securely with our website hosting provider and are accessible only to Vanessa. Please avoid sharing detailed or sensitive health information through this form; this can be discussed directly and confidentially.
If you do not go on to become a client, your enquiry details are deleted within 12 months. If you do, they become part of your confidential clinical record, which is kept for the period required under Victorian health records law.
We handle personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), and the professional obligations of a registered psychologist. You may ask to access or correct your information, or raise a privacy concern, by emailing vanessa@themindmatterspsychology.org or calling 0416 747 455. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (oaic.gov.au) or the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner (hcc.vic.gov.au).