INTRODUCING MAT (HE/HIM)

Hey there, I’m Mat, I am a clinical psychologist, Psychology Board of Australia-approved supervisor, and advanced accredited schema therapist.

I offer psychology sessions in Footscray, Melbourne. Not far from middle-footscray station. But I also offer online, telehealth sessions.

​

My journey into psychology was driven by a desire to understand people on a deep level and to make a meaningful impact on their mental health, inspired by my early observations of its effects on those around me. One of my greatest joys as a psychologist is the opportunity to connect deeply with my clients—understanding not just the challenges they face but who they are as a person.​

​

I see myself as a warm and collaborative psychologist. I want you to feel heard, understood, and supported, but I also want our sessions to be useful to you. That’s why I like to keep a balance between structure and flexibility—making sure we set goals while also adapting to what you need in the moment or session by session.

As far as psychologists go, I’m pretty relaxed and easy-going in sessions. You can expect warmth, compassion, and a bit of humour (when appropriate, of course). While I maintain professional boundaries (because they exist for important reasons), I don’t think that means the sessions have to feel clinical or impersonal. I bring my personality with me because it is important you know AND feel that we are just two imperfect human beings trying to figure some things out together as a team.

I’m all about open, honest conversations where you feel comfortable to be yourself. Psychology sessions can be challenging, and I might challenge you at times. I do this because compassion isn’t just about being kind, sometimes it means challenging a person to grow or to shift their approach to reach their full potential.

Who I Work With

I mostly work with adults, young adults, and teenagers. I really enjoy helping people who feel like they’ve been stuck in the same patterns for a long time.

The people I work with are often looking for therapy for anxiety, perfectionism, low mood, challenges in their relationships, or constant self-doubt and inner criticism. If you’ve spent a lot of time feeling ‘not good enough’ or carrying a heap of shame, I get it, and I want to help.

Some clients want deep, reflective work to understand themselves better, while others need practical strategies to get through the day. Either way, I ensure our sessions are tailored to your needs and have some goals we are working toward.

How I Work

My approach blends understanding and shifting long-term patterns with building practical skills. 

For clients wanting to do some deep, longer-term work, I use Schema Therapy, which looks at how your early experiences have shaped the way you think, feel, and act today. It is an approach that focuses on what your ‘buttons’ are and how you cope with them. It also focuses on trying to meet your emotional needs. It doesn’t mean just ‘talking about stuff’ or dwelling on the past, it is hard work and involves a lot of hard, emotional work.  This can be really helpful for shifting long-term struggles, especially if you’ve felt stuck for a while.

Sometimes you won’t want or need that deeper, longer-term work, and that is okay. Instead, you might want to focus on immediate, practical tools to help you right now. I often use Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for this, an approach that focuses challenging unhelpful thoughts, direct tools to manage emotions, and actions you can take to improve your wellbeing.

Whether you seek immediate strategies or deeper work, I always incorporate practical things to help you manage emotions, challenge unhelpful self-talk, and move towards what’s important to you.

It's also important for your to know I am a trauma-informed psychologist.
 

What to Expect in our Sessions

If you’re nervous about starting therapy, that’s completely normal. But remember, I’m just a person like you. I don’t have everything figured out, and I’m not here to judge. My job is to listen, understand, and help. We will be doing the work TOGETHER.

Therapy is driven by you, so I check in each session to address your immediate needs while also working towards our long-term goals.

Some people come for one session and that’s enough. Some people like to come for ten sessions. Others come for longer term support. In any case, we can find out what works for you.

If you’re ready to understand yourself better, address what’s been keeping you stuck, and find new ways to cope, I’d love to work with you.

Please reach out using the enquiry form to get in touch.