Clinical Services
We offer prompt expert assessment and feedback, and enjoy working collaboratively with others involved in our patients’ care.
I want to thank Julia and the team at The Elizabeth Clinic from the bottom of my heart for helping me to heal from years of abuse and neglect.
I cannot believe how well everything is falling into place and I also wanted to say a massive thank you for all my therapy and helping me to pick up the pieces of my life. I never imagined it could have come back together; and not so well.
I have learnt so much about myself, and why I do and feel certain ways. I just could not have made this type of progress on my own.
Elizabeth Clinic programs and services include:
Psychiatric Consultation
The Elizabeth Clinic has a number of experienced psychiatrists. Drs Feutrill and Devadason are Perinatal and Infant Psychiatrists, specialising in the care of young families. Dr Zanetti is a Perinatal, Infant and Child Psychiatrist and can work with children up to the age of 10 and their families. Dr Bassiri is a general adult psychiatrist with a particular interest in psychotherapy.
We specialise in preconception counselling, parent-infant and parent-child therapy, individual therapy and the use of psychotropic medication in the perinatal period. We are all interested in the parenting experience, and often work with parents that are concerned about their child’s behaviour. Several Elizabeth Clinic professionals are qualified to work with the Circle of Security Parenting Program.
A GP or specialist referral is necessary to see a psychiatrist. If the referral is based on challenges with parenting or the behaviour of children, a referral for both parents and the child is necessary. Most of the time, the work is done with the parents, to help them support their child with their emotional and behavioural issues.
Psychological & Counselling Consultation
Our Elizabeth Clinic specialists provide a wide range of psychological services including individual, couple, family and group therapy. We can offer treatment across the life span with infant, child, adolescent and adult psychologists. We can also provide developmental assessments and complex case management for children.
We have specific expertise and interest in fertility counselling and supporting families with pregnancy after fertility treatment. The Heart and Hope program is an antenatal group program for couples who are pregnant after fertility treatment. It is well recognised that these families have specific concerns in pregnancy and transition much better to parenting with specialised support.
Elizabeth Clinic professionals also work extensively with children in primary school who may be struggling with their emotions, development or social skills.
A referral is not necessary to see a psychologist, but a Mental Health Care Plan written by a GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician will allow access to Medicare rebates. Many private health funds also provide rebates for psychological care.
Paediatric Consultation
Dr Gavin Hutana is a general and rehabilitation paediatrician and is interested in all of general paediatrics. He is a co-director of the service and is seeking to provide a comprehensive paediatric service to families in WA.
Dr Aggie Bakowski is a general paediatrician with training and interest in babies from birth to 4 years of age. She understands the intensity of those early months of parenting and can support the developing relationship between parent and infant, particularly in the context of medical issues. Dr Babowski also provides developmental assessments.
Dr Emma Argiro is a general and developmental paediatrician with extensive experience in public and private sectors. She provides a range of comprehensive assessments and support, often working closely with other health providers.
Dr Veronika Kretzer is a highly experienced general paediatrician with a range of skills specialised for child and adolescent health. She is passionate about working with families with children of all ages.
Adolescents
Adolescence is often a challenging time for young people and family supports. At the Elizabeth Clinic we are glad to offer sessions with Scott Nodwell, clinical psychotherapist and family-inclusive counsellor. He specialises in ADHD across the adolescent and adult age range, and has over 12 years experience working across public and private sectors.
Scott provides support to individual adults, adult couples and young people aged 12 years and above. He has a wealth of experience working with complex needs and mental health challenges, and specialises in executive function (including ADHD), attachment, mood and self-development. He also offers a 6-module ADHD coaching course for school-aged young people (ages 12+).
Scott often works closely with our Paediatric and Psychiatric specialists to provide critical skills and tools. He integrates a range of proven therapeutic modalities to meaningfully support and resource each client and family. He often liaises with educators and workplace supports (when requested) to advocate and co-design support pathways.
Scott is a registered PACFA and AADPA clinician. No referral is required to see Scott, and Private Health funds often offer a rebate for psychotherapy and counselling support.
Several of the psychologists. paediatricians and psychiatrists also enjoy working with teenagers and are accustomed to working with schools and other service providers, to ensure comprehensive care.
Allied Health Consultation
Karen Dare is a senior social worker who has significant expertise in helping young families. She can provide comprehensive assessment and care that takes into account not only the psychological state of each parent but the specific parenting issues and developmental issues for each child. She can confidently work with couples and families.
Karen is able to offer rebates for her sessions under a Medicare Mental Health Care Plan or through private health funds.
Scott Nodwell offers a range of therapies, mental health education, and ADHD coaching for a range of adults, couples and families. He has extensive experience working with complex mental health challenges, and also often works with individuals seeking to hone their time and resource management skills to further enhance their personal and professional range.
Nutrition and Dietetics
We do not currently have a Nutritionist, please check our website regularly for updates.
GP Lactation Consultation
The Elizabeth Clinic is fortunate to have the services of Dr Marnie Rowan. She is a general practitioner with extensive experience in womens’ health and mental health, and has a sessional appointment at KEMH in the Department of Psychological Medicine. She has training and expertise in lactation issues and can provide holistic care from the specific issues of breastfeeding, to the broader mental health and parenting issues.
A referral is not required for Dr Rowan but it is helpful to have another general practitioner involved, so a collaborative treatment plan can be established.
Group Programs
Our group programs are not currently running due to the combined impacts of Covid and elevated statewide demand on specialists. Please monitor our social media and website for updates on 2023 availability.
There are several different group programs at the Elizabeth Clinic that have been thoroughly researched over the years and have been helpful to many families.
To be eligible for the group program an assessment by one of the clinicians is necessary to provide appropriate clinical care and ensure that the program is a valuable addition to the care plan.
All programs are subject to research and evaluation and are conducted by experienced clinicians. There are variable fees associated with each program and with individual circumstances. Please contact the clinic to establish costs and suitability.
CIRCLE OF SECURITY PARENTING
An 8 Session DVD Program
Almost 50 years of research tell us that the early years of parenting will build the foundation for resilience and emotional stability with the development of a strong and loving relationship that every parent wishes to have with their children. The Circle of Security DVD Parenting Program is designed to guide parents in understanding and meeting their children’s needs for love and connection, protection and limit setting. Above all children need to be delighted in and every parent wishes to delight in their children. The clinicians at The Elizabeth Clinic have extensive expertise in running this program, and it can be done individually, as a couple or in small groups.
Please note: The Circle of Security (COS) group is not currently running, however we offer tailored sessions to individuals and couples, delivered by trained COS clinicians.
THE PATHWAYS PROGRAM
The Pathways program has been helping families for more than a decade and provides individual, couple and parenting work all in one. Our aim in this group program is to provide participants with opportunities to think about themselves as a person: as a mother, a partner, a daughter, a friend and as someone who makes a contribution to the world. The way we see ourselves influences all our interactions with the world, so understanding and re-evaluating the beliefs and values that guide us in our different daily encounters is an important step in getting better after becoming anxious or depressed.
Please note: The Pathways group is not currently running, but Elizabeth Clinic professionals are able to offer an individualised series of sessions which deliver the Pathways content.
HEART AND HOPE GROUP
For some families, the journey to pregnancy is complicated by fertility issues. This can take its toll and make it difficult to confidently look forward to becoming a parent. Parents to be can feel isolated and unable to connect with the pregnancy in the way they would like.
Michelle Stuckey, psychologist at the Elizabeth Clinic has experience and training in fertility treatment and parenting, and has created a three session group program to support those who are pregnant after fertility treatment. The group has been highly successful during the pilot phase, particularly for the partners, who too often feel sidelined by the process.
With support and recognition of the special circumstances around each of these pregnancies, the parents-to-be feel ready to embrace their new role.
Please note: The Heart and Hope Group is not currently running, however Michelle Stuckey is able to offer specialised individual support sessions drawing based upon the group’s clinical content.
