Melanie Ferry

What is your background?

I always had my heart set on psychology, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed exploring the different areas that the field can take you. Throughout my training I’ve worked with a wide range of clients from pre-primary children to older adults, in many different settings from private practice, university clinics, hospitals and forensic settings, with presentations such as anxiety, depression, trauma, personality disorder, cognitive impairment, ADHD, and Autism. My training includes neuropsychology which is a field that focuses on the brain. In these settings, I’ve worked with patients following stroke, brain injury, or those with a neurodegenerative process.

My therapeutic style really depends on the person sitting with me but tends to be a blend of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). These approaches are client-centred and have a strong evidence base across a wide range of presentations that often bring people to seeking therapy.

Why do you like working with children and families?

For me, I find working with young people and their families extremely rewarding. Being a parent comes with so many challenges and at times this can feel daunting or isolating. For the children and young people, when things aren’t going so well at home, school or within themselves – this can feel overwhelming and it can be hard to put into words or know how to get things back on track. In therapy, when you start to see things shift, and young people/parents, start moving back towards their goals and feeling more confident that they can cope better with what’s in front of them – it’s an incredible feeling to see clients succeed. I’ve also really loved how different families have found creative and individualised ways to approach and implement therapy. I learn something new from each family I meet.

What are your strengths?

I would say my strengths sit in being able to establish connection and a strong therapeutic relationship with my clients. To me, when therapy feels like a safe, collaborative, affirming and sometimes even fun place to come and share, things just work better. Key aspects of my previous roles included stakeholder relations so I see this translate into clinical work as being open to a holistic approach, where appropriate, so the family unit or additional health professionals can be involved or engaging with the young person’s school or teachers.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Sometimes my house feels like a bit of a zoo with my two kids, two cats and two dogs zooming around, but it’s a lot of fun! I like to take the dogs (a giant one who thinks she is a lap dog, plus an actual little lap dog) and kids out and about on walks and adventures, and getting some travel in where we can.