Welcome
Website currently under development
Vanessa’s books are now closed and she is no longer accepting new clients.
Clinical Psychologist
Dr Vanessa Mills
Areas of Interest
Adult impact of Childhood Trauma, Body Image Difficulties and Easting Disorders, Family Dysfunction, Post-marriage as well as the general areas of Anxiety and Depression.
BIO
Vanessa is a clinically trained psychologist, with over 20 years of experience as a researcher, lecturer and clinician. Vanessa has trained in Systemic, Attachment, Mindfulness, Cognitive-Behavioural, Acceptance and Commitment and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy frameworks. Most recently, she has undergone training in the emerging area of neuroplasticity with international expert, Dr Normon Doidge (Author of The Brain that Changes Itself and The Brains Way of Healing). This emerging area is focussed on increasing our understanding of the brain’s ability to learn new skills and overcome problematic patterns of thinking and behaviour.
Vanessa has successfully worked with clients from all ages (from 2 years of age to 82) and currently works with individuals age 15+. She is a strong proponent of helping her clients understand themselves and why they struggle, and showing them how they can start taking more control of their own mental health. She emphasises the importance of what it means to be human and incorporates social, cultural and historical influences on mental health as well as the physiological and biological elements. She is focused on providing her clients with the insight and practical knowledge on how to initiate positive change in their lives.
In terms of her areas of expertise, Vanessa applies these techniques to the general areas of depression and anxiety, the ongoing effects of childhood sexual abuse in both adults and adolescents, and is specialised in the treatment of complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Vanessa’s former role as Senior Clinical Psychologist at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Child Protection Services, brings a wealth of experience in managing the individual and psychosocial impacts of child abuse and neglect. She also applies her skill-set to body image difficulties, including Body Image Dysphoria, Binge-Eating Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Further areas of expertise include attachment and trauma in adoptive, foster, and step-families, and adjustment difficulties following divorce and other family disruptions. She has a strong interest in working with adults who have been impacted by the breakdown of long-term relationships. Her focus is on helping such individuals develop the confidence and skills that they need to build a highly satisfying life.
In addition to her work as a clinician, Vanessa is a Visiting Research Fellow in the University of Adelaide's School of Psychology, and maintains an ongoing interest in research . She has supervised many graduate research projects, and has presented seminars, lectures and workshops at conferences in Australia and overseas, and to psychology students. Vanessa has explored many areas of psychology, including attachment issues in blended families, neuropsychological functioning, decision making and cross cultural issues in Defence personnel, and patterns of mental health service use in individuals exposed to trauma. She has authored and co-authored a number of papers, particularly in the areas of cross cultural training and decision making. Vanessa is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society and the APS College of Clinical Psychologists. She is the content mother of a rapidly ageing teenage daughter, is an animal lover and still enjoys going to new places and meeting new people.
Vanessa is now joined by a therapy dog Ezme. Ezme is a beautiful Bergamasco shepherd, Ezme has a lovely calm temperament and is loved by all who meet her.