Dr Bernadette Bywater

Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), P.G.Dip (Psychology), Doctor of Clinical Psychology

Clinical Psychologist

Internal Family Systems Therapist

Psychology Board of Australia Approved Supervisor

Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician

EMDR Therapist

Bernadette is fully booked and not taking new clients

Bernadette is a registered Clinical Psychologist (Registration PSY0001049044) and Board Approved Supervisor. She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS, Membership No. 034478), a Fellow of the Clinical College of the APS, a member of the Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Association of Australia (EMDRAA) and a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician (Australia and New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders). She was first registered as a Psychologist in 2002 and has completed postgraduate training in a range of scientifically supported therapies. Bernadette has worked in various hospital, community and forensic settings, including specialist services for the treatment of eating disorders and as a consultant for bariatric surgery clinics. In addition to private practice, Bernadette also provides clinical supervision to other psychologists for clinical consultation and as a Board Approved Supervisor.

Bernadette offers treatment for a range of adult issues including the following:

Anxiety disorders including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Health Anxiety, phobias
Depression including Post Natal Depression, low mood
Post-traumatic stress resulting from single incident trauma or a series of traumatic life-events including childhood trauma
Eating Disorders including Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa and Binge eating
Adult survivors of childhood abuse - including emotional abuse, trauma and neglect
Adult children of parents with mental health difficulties
Adjustment to major life events or transitions e.g. parenthood, divorce, retirement
Workplace conflict and issues effecting career progression
Issues effecting LGBTI people
Life goals and direction
Relationship difficulties
Parenting issues
Supporters of people with mental health difficulties

Therapeutic approach

Bernadette’s approach to therapy is warm, supportive and collaborative. She will work with you to develop a thorough understanding of your strengths and difficulties and what you would like to be different. A key part of her approach is making sense of the context and intention underneath symptoms in a way that is not blaming or shaming. Bernadette is skilled in the application of a wide range of scientifically-supported therapies that are selected based on the needs of each client and does not follow a one size fits all approach. She is committed to ongoing training and clinical supervision to ensure that the therapy she provides is of the highest quality. Bernadette draws on her personal practice of meditation to inform her clinical work and ability to be fully present with the people she works with.