Kara Choi - Clinical Psychologist & Board Approved Supervisor

Welcome!

I am so glad to connect with you.

To help you get to know me a little, I thought I’d share a few things that guide my life and approach to work:

  • I believe that having strong relationships where you feel connected - truly understood, safe, and secure - is what creates deep life satisfaction.

  • I believe that understanding your history and its impact on you today (your thoughts, values, emotions, behaviours) provides powerful agency - a sense of choice and control over how you want to be, and this in turn bolsters your mental health.

  • I believe in the wisdom of prevention. I believe it is possible to prepare well for significant life transitions of marriage and parenthood, and that we don’t have to wait for things to become difficult or painful to work on our relationships. Seeking support is strength and a valuing of yourself and your relationship, not weakness.

  • I also believe that whilst there is an ideal to how the world and our relationships could be, real difficulties exist - both systemically in society and sometimes within our own and others’ capacities. I believe in the importance of acknowledging these limitations whilst moving towards self-compassion and focussing on areas that you can control.

If you are wanting to connect further to see how I can come alongside you as you navigate different seasons in your life, I personally invite you to reach out.

With warmest regards,
Kara

Therapeutic Approach

My therapeutic approach is warm, respectful, and collaborative. I believe in the importance of creating a safe space where individuals and families feel supported to share their vulnerabilities and empowered to make changes. I utilise an attachment-based, trauma-informed, and integrative approach to therapy, drawing from a range of evidence-based practices including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Family Systems Therapy, and Mindfulness-based therapy including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Qualifications

  • Master of Clinical Psychology - Macquarie University

  • Postgraduate Diploma of Professional Psychology - Macquarie University

  • Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) - University of New South Wales

Experience

I have over 10 years of experience working with new parents, adults, and families (including children + adolescents) in a range of settings including specialist perinatal counselling services, community and hospital settings (child and youth mental health, perinatal and infant mental health, adult mental health, tertiary family residential service for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties), primary and high schools, university clinics, and private practice. I am a trained facilitator of the Circle of Security Parenting program, and have also trained in the 1 2 3 Magic Parenting and Cool Kids Macquarie University anxiety programs.

Publication

Choi, K. J., & Kangas, M. (2020). Impact of maternal betrayal trauma on parent and child well-being: Attachment style and emotion regulation as moderators. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(2), 121–130. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000492

Memberships & Registrations

  • Registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

  • Registered Medicare provider

  • Member of The Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA)