Services

Individual Therapy

Gain insight into your present-day challenges and understand how early experiences continue to shape your emotions, behaviour, and sense of self. Therapy at Spencer Psychology supports meaningful, sustainable change by helping you make sense of longstanding patterns that may no longer feel supportive or aligned with who you are now.

Spencer Psychology offers individual therapy for adults seeking a deeper understanding of emotional patterns, identity, and ways of relating to themselves and others. Therapy is provided by a clinical psychologist in Perth and focuses on developing insight, emotional awareness, and steadier ways of responding, within a trauma-informed and neuroaffirming approach.

Sessions offer a calm, reflective space to explore personal history, attachment experiences, and the effects of trauma, chronic stress, and neurodivergence on current life difficulties. Many adult challenges are shaped by ways of coping that developed early in life or during times of emotional strain or unmet needs. While these responses were often protective, they may now feel effortful, restrictive, or disconnected from your authentic self.

Therapy supports you to notice and understand your thoughts, emotions, bodily responses, and patterns in relationships, particularly during moments of heightened emotion. As this understanding grows, many people find greater emotional regulation, flexibility, and self-compassion. The work proceeds at a steady pace, with careful attention to safety, capacity, and your individual goals.

Couples therapy

Couples therapy at Spencer Psychology supports partners to understand the emotional patterns, attachment histories, and communication styles shaping their relationship. The work is grounded in psychodynamic and trauma-informed frameworks, recognising that each partner brings learned adaptations from earlier relationships that influence how closeness, conflict, vulnerability, and needs are experienced.

Therapy provides a balanced and respectful space in which both partners are listened to and understood. The focus is not on blame, fault, or taking sides, but on understanding how each person’s experiences, emotions, and protective responses interact within the relationship.

Couples therapy focuses on slowing interactions and exploring what sits beneath recurring conflict, withdrawal, or emotional disconnection. Attention is given to the underlying needs, fears, and sensitivities that drive surface-level disagreements. Partners are supported to communicate more clearly and safely, while developing greater awareness of how each person contributes to the relational dynamic.

Couples are supported to recognise and shift repeating patterns that leave them feeling misunderstood, defensive, or distant. Increased insight into these cycles supports more flexible and regulated responses, strengthening emotional safety, trust, and intimacy over time.

Couples seek therapy for communication difficulties, ongoing conflict or disconnection, the impact of neurodivergence, differences in emotional needs, rupture or betrayal, parenting stress, and major life transitions. Many attend not because the relationship is failing, but to deepen understanding and build a more secure and resilient connection.

What to expect

Therapy usually begins with joint sessions to understand the relationship history, current concerns, and recurring patterns. Early sessions focus on creating a fair, emotionally safe, and collaborative therapeutic space.

In some cases, individual sessions may be offered alongside couples work to explore each partner’s attachment history and emotional patterns, particularly where earlier experiences shape responses to closeness, conflict, or perceived threat. Individual sessions are always held in service of the couple’s shared goals and the work of the relationship.

Ongoing couples sessions integrate this understanding to support more reflective, less reactive interactions, with increased empathy, emotional regulation, and capacity for change.

Couples therapy is offered to adults, with appointments available in Perth and via telehealth within Australia.

Complex trauma

Spencer Psychology offers a trauma-informed and compassionate approach to supporting adults living with the effects of complex trauma. This includes the impact of early relational environments, attachment disruptions, and prolonged or repeated stress on emotional regulation, identity, and relationships in adulthood. Therapy recognises that these experiences can shape the nervous system and influence patterns of coping, self-protection, and relating over time.

Therapy focuses on understanding how patterns such as self-criticism, people-pleasing, emotional sensitivity, hypervigilance, or withdrawal developed as adaptive responses to early stress or unmet emotional needs. These responses are understood as learned protections rather than personal weaknesses or character flaws. Many people benefit from this work even if they do not identify with the term “trauma,” as the emphasis is on present-day patterns and adaptations rather than labels.

This work is not about blaming parents or revisiting the past in detail. Instead, therapy supports a clearer understanding of how earlier experiences shaped expectations about safety, worth, and relationships, and how strategies that once supported survival may now limit connection, confidence, or self-trust.

Therapy provides a grounded and consistent space where emotional experiences can be explored safely and without judgement. The approach prioritises pacing, emotional safety, and collaboration, and does not require detailed recounting of traumatic events unless this feels safe and therapeutically useful. Much of the work focuses on present-day emotional responses, nervous system patterns, and relational experiences as they arise in everyday life and within the therapeutic relationship.

The work integrates contemporary psychodynamic understanding with practical approaches that support stability and change. This may include schema-based and imagery rescripting techniques, parts-based work to foster self-compassion, and skills drawn from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy to strengthen emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Insight and reflection are central, alongside practical skill development to support daily functioning.

Complex trauma therapy is collaborative and paced according to individual capacity. Early sessions focus on developing a shared understanding of personal history, current concerns, and recurring emotional or relational patterns, while prioritising nervous system regulation. Therapy is typically medium- to long-term, reflecting the cumulative and relational nature of complex trauma, with focus and pace reviewed over time.

Over time, clients are supported to strengthen regulation and grounding, build clearer internal and interpersonal boundaries, reduce shame and self-criticism, and integrate past experiences into a more coherent and compassionate sense of self. The aim of therapy is not to relive trauma, but to increase emotional safety, flexibility, and agency in everyday life, supporting a deeper sense of inner security, authenticity, and connection.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) therapy and diagnostic review

Spencer Psychology offers specialised, trauma-informed support for adults and young people experiencing emotional intensity, relational instability, or longstanding patterns often associated with borderline personality structure. Therapy focuses on understanding the origins of emotional dysregulation and relationship difficulties, while supporting greater self-regulation, reduced self-criticism, and a steadier, more compassionate relationship with self and others.

Clarifying a previous BPD diagnosis

Some people attend Spencer Psychology to review a previous diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This is particularly common for individuals diagnosed during adolescence or periods of acute emotional distress, when trauma history, attachment disruption, ADHD, or other neurodevelopmental factors may not have been fully considered.

Adolescence and early adulthood are periods of heightened emotional reactivity and identity development. Research suggests that diagnoses made during these stages can sometimes reflect trauma responses, attachment insecurity, or situational dysregulation rather than enduring personality structure. Others seek therapy for BPD-related patterns regardless of whether a formal diagnosis has ever been made.

Diagnostic review is thoughtful, trauma-informed, and grounded in current clinical research. The process focuses on understanding the context of earlier diagnoses, how emotional and relational patterns have evolved over time, and whether alternative or contributing explanations better account for current experiences.

The review process may include comprehensive clinical interviewing, structured assessment tools where appropriate, and exploration of developmental history, relationships, emotional regulation, and coping across the lifespan. The aim is not to impose or remove labels, but to arrive at an integrated formulation that supports clarity, validation, and informed next steps.

Therapy for BPD-related patterns

Many clients continue into therapy following diagnostic review, while others commence therapy without seeking reassessment. Therapy supports understanding of how longstanding patterns shape emotional experience, sense of self, and relationships, and builds capacity to respond rather than react during periods of distress.

Work may involve recognising emotional triggers, understanding how intense emotions affect perceptions of others, identifying patterns of threat sensitivity, abandonment fear, or self-criticism, and developing greater agency in close relationships.

The approach integrates trauma-informed psychodynamic therapy with skills-based strategies drawn from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy as needed. Therapy is collaborative, carefully paced, and attuned to each person’s history and current needs.

Feedback and reports

Where assessment or diagnostic review is undertaken, feedback and written reports are provided in clear, compassionate, and non-pathologising language. Reports support understanding of emotional patterns, recognise strengths, and clarify how earlier experiences shaped coping and relational style, with tailored recommendations for ongoing therapy and everyday life.

BPD-informed therapy and diagnostic review are offered to adults, with appointments available in Perth and via telehealth within Australia.

You are welcome to book an appointment online or contact Spencer Psychology to discuss whether this service is the right fit for you.

ADHD assessments

Comprehensive, evidence-based ADHD assessments conducted in line with best-practice guidelines.

Spencer Psychology provides comprehensive ADHD assessments for adults seeking a clearer understanding of lifelong patterns related to attention, organisation, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. Many people seek assessment to make sense of ongoing difficulties, support workplace or university accommodations, or inform therapeutic and medical decisions.

Assessments are conducted in line with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines, which emphasise thorough, multi-method evaluation rather than reliance on any single measure.

Each assessment is approached with care and respect for the individual’s lived experience. The process integrates a detailed clinical interview, validated psychometric measures, and collateral input from someone who knows the person well, such as a partner, family member, or close friend. This supports a nuanced understanding of attentional style and behaviour across different contexts.

Findings are considered within the broader life story, including early attention patterns, temperament, personality, and the interaction between neurodevelopmental traits and later life demands, stressors, and relationships.

Beyond diagnosis, the focus is on understanding how ADHD traits influence emotional wellbeing, daily functioning, self-concept, and relationships. Practical, individualised recommendations are provided to guide next steps, including medical review, therapy, workplace or university adjustments, and longer-term planning.

Clients receive a comprehensive written report presented in clear, respectful language. Reports are clinically rigorous yet accessible, and valued for their clarity, depth, and compassionate formulation.

What the assessment process involves

The assessment process is structured, collaborative, and reflective, with an emphasis on understanding rather than labelling.

Consultation

A 60-minute clinical interview exploring developmental history, current strengths and challenges, and patterns of attention and behaviour across key areas of life.

Assessment measures

Standardised self-report questionnaires selected to support an evidence-based understanding of ADHD traits and executive functioning.

Observer input

Where appropriate, an observer questionnaire may be completed by someone who knows you well to contribute an additional perspective.

Comprehensive report

A detailed report integrating interview data, assessment measures, observer input, and DSM-5 criteria, prepared in line with NHMRC recommendations.

Spencer Psychology is currently accepting new clients for ADHD assessments. You are welcome to get in touch to discuss whether an assessment is right for you.

• Enquire about an ADHD assessment

Autism assessments

Comprehensive, neuroaffirming Autism assessments grounded in best-practice, evidence-based guidelines.

Spencer Psychology provides comprehensive Autism assessments for adults seeking a deeper understanding of their neurotype. Many people pursue assessment to clarify lifelong patterns in communication, social interaction, sensory processing, and self-regulation, or to make sense of experiences that have long felt different from those of others.

Assessments are conducted in a respectful and supportive environment and approached with curiosity, sensitivity, and genuine regard for individual differences. The focus is not on deficit, but on understanding how each person experiences and navigates the world.

The assessment process involves a detailed clinical interview aligned with DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria, exploring developmental history, lived experience, strengths, and areas of difference. Standardised assessment tools and self-report measures are used to support a comprehensive understanding, with optional input from family members or others who know the individual well where appropriate.

Assessments consider whether diagnostic criteria for Autism are met while also exploring overlapping or contributing factors such as ADHD, trauma, or anxiety. Beyond diagnosis, the emphasis is on understanding how each person’s profile influences emotional wellbeing, daily functioning, relationships, and identity.

Clients receive a detailed written report presented in clear, respectful language. Reports outline strengths, patterns of functioning, and areas of difference, alongside practical recommendations to support workplace adjustments, university accommodations, therapeutic planning, and personal understanding. Clear next steps are provided to support confidence and clarity moving forward.

Many clients describe the assessment process as validating and relieving, supporting self-acceptance and a more authentic way of living.

What the assessment process involves

The assessment process is collaborative, reflective, and supportive, with an emphasis on understanding rather than pathologising difference.

Consultation

A two-hour clinical interview, sometimes completed across two sessions, exploring developmental history, lived experience, current strengths and challenges, and key areas of daily functioning.

Assessment measures

Standardised tools and self-report questionnaires selected to support a respectful, evidence-based understanding of each individual’s neurotype and profile.

Observer input

Where appropriate, an optional observer questionnaire may be completed by someone who knows you well to provide additional perspective.

Comprehensive report

A detailed report integrating interview data, assessment measures, observer input, and diagnostic criteria. Reports focus on self-understanding and practical recommendations and are typically completed within four weeks of the final assessment session.

Spencer Psychology is currently accepting new clients for Autism assessments. You are welcome to get in touch to discuss whether an assessment is right for you.

Supervision for Psychologists & Employment Opportunities

A supportive space for psychologists to grow in confidence, competence, and professional identity.

Spencer Psychology offers a thoughtful and reflective environment for psychologists to develop their clinical work and professional identity across all stages of their career. The practice is grounded in trauma-informed, relational, and psychodynamic principles and values ethical, sustainable, and meaningful clinical practice.

Opportunities are available for both professional supervision and employment within a calm, collaborative setting that prioritises depth, reflection, and quality of care over productivity or performance.

Supervision

Individual and group supervision is available for provisional, early-career, and experienced psychologists. Supervision is provided by Dr Jacqueline Spencer, a Board-Approved Supervisor with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Supervision is tailored to career stage and clinical context, with an emphasis on reflective practice, ethical decision-making, and the integration of theory with lived clinical experience.

Supervision for registrars focuses on consolidating core clinical competencies, developing confidence in formulation and intervention, and strengthening professional judgement when working with complex presentations. For experienced clinicians, supervision provides space to deepen clinical thinking, reflect on therapeutic process, and support long-term sustainability, professional identity development, and enjoyment of the work.

Sessions integrate psychodynamic, schema-informed, attachment-based, and trauma-informed perspectives. Attention is given to relational dynamics in therapy, the impact of trauma and neurodivergence, and the clinician’s own responses within the work. Supervision is collaborative and respectful, supporting growth through curiosity, reflection, and clarity rather than pressure or performance.

Join Our Team

Spencer Psychology welcomes psychologists who value depth, integrity, and client-centred care. The practice offers a calm and well-resourced environment with strong administrative support, opportunities for supervision and peer consultation, and space for meaningful professional development.

The practice is particularly suited to clinicians who are thoughtful, reflective, and interested in working with complex presentations in an ethical, trauma-informed, and sustainable way. We value clinicians who see professional identity as something that continues to evolve throughout a career and who are committed to ongoing learning and reflective practice.

If you are a psychologist seeking a collegial environment that supports confidence, clarity, and professional growth, we would be pleased to hear from you. Expressions of interest can be emailed to jacquie@spencerpsychology.com.au or admin@spencerpsychology.com.au.