Lena Johnston

Psychologist

Lena see's clients across the lifespan – children, adolescents, families, adults, and the elderly. Her areas of interest are anxiety, depression, mood disorders, grief and loss, trauma, child-parent bonding, eating disorders, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, stress, pain management, work-related concerns, OCD and other challenges. 

She was born in Germany and migrated to the Northern Rivers 17 years ago. She is well known for creating a warm and supportive environment, embedded in care, compassion, respect, and patience. Her approach is holistic and person-centred.

Lena utilises a wide-range of evidence-based therapies including but not limited to: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Emotion Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy.   

Sessions are available in English and German.

Lena is a registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (AHPRA) and a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi).

Elizabeth Margules

Psychologist

Elizabeth is a warm and dedicated psychologist with extensive experience in the delivery of therapeutic services for individuals, groups, across school, community, and private settings.

Elizabeth is committed to creating a safe empathic space, supporting individuals in enhancing their well-being in response to the unique individual and diverse challenges they face. She applies evidence based treatment programs including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Schema and Psychodynamic approaches. She is further dedicated to providing therapy that is neurodiversity-affirming, ensuring a compassionate and inclusive approach for all.

Specialising in perinatal and early childhood mental health, Elizabeth is passionate about supporting parents through the challenges of the first five years. She is a certified facilitator of the Tuning in to Kids group programs, which help parents strengthen emotional connections with their children through attachment and emotional attunement. 

In addition to her work with parents, Elizabeth is experienced in and dedicated to providing therapy for the treatment of trauma in ages ranging from adolescent (ages 12+) through adulthood. Her therapeutic approach is informed by CBT-T, Schema Therapy, and Psychodynamic techniques to support healing and growth.

Elizabeth holds full membership with the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc. (AAPi), ensuring adherence to high standards of professional practice.  

Dr. Christine Ellisdon

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Christine works with older adolescents, adults and couples. She has special interests in treating anxiety disorders, mood disorders, trauma, relationship issues and self-worth/self-esteem issues. She also has extensive experience in treating grief and loss and adjustment issues and enjoys supporting people through life transitions and spiritual growth.

Christine believes that true psychological therapy is about healing not just symptom reduction. Her approach is collaborative and supportive and invites people to identify and explore the barriers effecting their daily functioning and preventing them from living a fulfilling life.  Christine’s approach aims to empower people through increased insight and understanding while also providing opportunities to develop alternative ways of responding to the difficulties they are experiencing and relating to themselves and others.

Christine uses an integrative approach to tailor therapy to the needs of the person in a manner that honours their inner wisdom and capacity for healing. She is respectful of individual differences while recognising the innate qualities each person possesses.  Christine is experienced and trained in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Schema Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Emotion Focused Couples Therapy. She is registered as an endorsed Clinical Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), a Medicare provider and holds full membership with the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

For further information please go to www.alignedpsychology.com.au

Dana Ben-Israel

Clinical Psychologist

Dana is a registered clinical psychologist with over 12 years of experience working across both public and private sectors.  Dana sees clients (18 years and over) with a range of emotional and psychological difficulties ranging from low mood, anxiety, stress, relationship difficulties and grief.

Dana specialises in perinatal psychology working with clients in the various stages of their journey to and through parenthood including planning, conception, pregnancy, postpartum and beyond. This can involve supporting bereaved parents experiencing grief and loss after miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death.

Dana uses a holistic approach based on a shared understanding of her client’s difficulties and their desire for change. Dana works from an attachment perspective that explores how client’s patterns of interacting and experiencing their world is rooted in their early childhood and repeated throughout their lives. She supports clients to flourish by cultivating a compassionate relationship with themselves and others and feel empowered to prevent their histories repeating in their current lives and relationships.

Dana is skilled and experienced in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Schema Therapy, Mindfulness-based practice, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. She holds clinical psychologist registration with Australian Psychology Board and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and is a member of the Centre for Perinatal Psychology.

To find out more or to contact Dana visit: www.dbipsychology.com.

Prem Dana Takada

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Prem Dana is a Clinical Psychologist with over 4 decades of international clinical psychology consulting and training experience in Europe, Asia, US and Australia. She works with adults with a diverse range of issues including: anxiety, depression, mood disorders, stress, grief/loss, trauma, eating disorders, adjustment issues, relationship/sexual issues, work-related concerns and parenting concerns.

She has a special interest in what makes therapy effective and the process of change. Her approach is based on being attuned and responsive to client feedback while being practical and outcome focused.  In her therapeutic work she  works on the interface between client’s conditioned beliefs and their deep wishes for  themselves, their relationships and their world as a doorway to a better, more empowered, connected and intentional life.

She is available to support the Neurodivergent community and has extensive lived experience in this area.

In addition, Prem Dana has an extensive training in Coaching, Clinical Hypnotherapy, Couple and Family/ Systems approaches, Meditation and Nature-based practises which further inform her evidence-based approaches.

Prem Dana has an Honors Degree (Ist Class) in Behavioural Sciences and a Masters in Clinical Psychology. She is registered with AHPRA as an Endorsed Clinical Psychologist and is a Registered Supervisor and a Fellow of the College of Clinical Psychologists -Australian Psychological Society.

Hanna Meriläinen

Psychologist

Hanna has extensive experience in working across community mental health sectors across Victoria and NSW.

She has previously worked at Cohealth in Melbourne as a Forensic mental health clinician, and The Buttery, a Byron Hinterland-based drug and alcohol rehab. Most recently she has worked as a Youth Justice Psychologist for the Department of Communities and Justice, NSW.

Hanna has extensive experience in working with people with extensive trauma histories, but also, she is experienced in treating depression, anxiety, and emotional regulation disorders.

Hanna sees clients from adolescence to adulthood and is passionate about holistically treating the individuals which considers the physical, social and psychological aspects of wellbeing.

Hanna is trained in Cognitive behavioural therapy, schema therapy, EMDR and attends trainings and workshops to stay up to date with the latest developments in trauma treatment approaches. She holds full registration as a Registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.