Felicity Linke
Psychologist
Bachelor of Science (Psychology) (Honours) and Masters of Psychology (Clinical)
Pronouns: She/her
Four beliefs that colour the way I work with my clients:
I believe…
That trust, connection and growth thrive within a felt sense of psychological safety.
I believe…
That compassion is a value that can anchor us and be an active force to help us remain present, engaged, and open-minded as we move through the challenges of being human.
I believe…
That pets make some of the best non-judgemental therapists. They are experts at listening deeply, and giving compassion, unconditional love, support, healing, unwavering devotion, and acceptance.
I believe…
That change is a lifelong journey that starts with one small, courageous step.
Get to know me
My secret talent:
My secret talent is my compassion for others (people and the lifeforms with which we share this planet), which I have endeavoured to nurture and develop since childhood.
What’s it like to be in a room with me?
I’m mindful that taking that first courageous step to engage in therapy can feel daunting and a bit scary. I attempt to honour this courage by creating a compassionate, psychologically safe and non-judgemental space for my clients to make sense of their experiences, and to find a way forward that feels authentic and is guided by their chosen values. It is important to me to work collaboratively with clients, acknowledging that they are the experts in their own lives. It is also important to me to maintain a curious and open stance that assists my clients to discover, learn and grow as unique individuals, while drawing on their inherent strengths and resilience. My clients have described me as compassionate, kind, warm, and validating of their life experiences and journeys.
What’s my non-negotiable when it comes to taking care of my own mental health?
Living my values, which include savouring my daily morning coffee, spending time with family (including my chocolate Labrador!) and friends, swimming, eating good food, listening to my favourite music, watching movies on the big screen, and of course, sleeping! Also, living my value of compassion – to myself, to others, and to the myriad of lifeforms with which we share this tiny blue planet.
My life motto:
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from [their] point of view… until you climb into [their] skin and walk around in it.” – Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.
My background and experience
I am a registered psychologist with 23 years’ clinical experience. Over this time, I have worked across public mental health and in private practice. Currently, I am focused solely on working with clients in private practice. I have had a keen interest in parental mental health throughout my work as a psychologist. I have a particular passion for working with parents in the perinatal period, and with adults who have experienced childhood relational trauma. I have a well-developed understanding of attachment theory, and I am a trained Circle of Security parent educator.
I utilise an integrative approach to therapy, offering evidence-based approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focussed Therapy, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, and Mindfulness and trauma-informed approaches. My approach is individualised, collaborative, non-judgemental, and tailored to my clients’ presentations and therapeutic goals. My aim is to empower clients to identify and draw on their strengths to foster a deeper connection with themselves to enable them to become the best version of themselves.
I can help you with:
- Acute stress disorder
- ADHD
- Adjustment to stressful life changes
- Anger management
- Anxiety
- Assertiveness
- Bipolar
- Childhood trauma
- Chronic illness and pain
- Communication skills
- Complex trauma
- Depression
- Dissociation
- Distress intolerance
- Emotion regulation
- Emotional difficulties
- Family issues
- Generalised anxiety
- Grief and loss
- Health anxiety
- Impulse control
- Job or study dissatisfaction
- Life changes and transitions
- Managing birthing expectations
- Men’s mental health
- Mindfulness
- Obsessions and compulsions
- Panic attacks
- Parenting issues
- Perfectionism
- Phobias
- Pre and postnatal mental health
- Pregnancy decision-making
- Pregnancy loss
- Relational trauma
- Relationship difficulties
- Self-development
- Self-esteem, confidence and self-acceptance
- Sexual assault and sexual abuse
- Sleep problems
- Social anxiety
- Stillbirth
- Stress and burnout
- Support for abusive relationships
- Supporting individuals to navigate the impacts of co-parenting (including post-separation/divorce)
- Supporting individuals to navigate the impacts of family conflict, and parent-child relationship difficulties
- Trauma and post-traumatic stress
- Traumatic birth
- Wellbeing and self-care
- Women’s health issues
My therapeutic approaches
Depending on my client’s needs and preferences I use a variety of evidence-based approaches including:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Attachment Theory principles
- Circle of Security Parenting Model
- Compassion Focussed Therapy
- Developmental Theories
- Exposure Therapy
- Family Systems Theory
- Mindfulness
- Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Psychodynamic principles
- Strengths-based approaches
- Trauma-informed approaches
- Written Exposure Therapy