Therapy for Teenagers & Young Adults

bigstock Happy Group Of Teenagers Havin 463105059

Moving into the teenage years then the early 20s brings an array of changes and new challenges to manoeuvre for both teenagers, young adults, and their parents. To help them make wise decisions throughout their life, Creating Change is dedicated to ensuring our youth receive evidence-based therapies and the support they need to:

  • Develop a secure sense of self
  • Learn to follow their dreams
  • Develop a sense of responsibility and care

Our adolescent psychology sessions focus on providing mental health services to teenagers and families. We want all teenagers and young adults to be equipped to effectively understand what is happening in their life developmentally, to manage their emotional experiences, to develop effective interpersonal skills, as well as have the tools to be disciplined and maximise their potential.

Advice from our Experts

PARENT’S CHECKLIST

If you are seeing any of these concerns with your teenager, take a read of our helpful checklist to determine if they would benefit from visiting one of our experts:

Take the first step to help your teenager move in the right direction for their own wellbeing, and to build a meaningful future. We are open until 9pm Mon-Thurs, until 5pm on Fridays, and we are open alternate Saturdays for your convenience. Contact us to book an appointment on 02 8883 3185.

Creating Change Psychology & Counselling cannot provide emergency interventions. If you are in crisis please contact 000 or your local hospital.

unnamed 5

Daniel Alevras

Psychologist Dural & Bella Vista, Sydney
BPsych (Hons) MAPS

Read More

unnamed 5

Daniel Alevras

Psychologist Dural & Bella Vista, Sydney
BPsych (Hons) MAPS

Know Daniel

Daniel Alevras is an accomplished Psychologist, passionate about assisting individuals to combat and overcome challenges that hold them back from becoming their best self. Empathetic and compassionate in nature, Daniel believes that with some patience and elbow grease, concerns and goals you believe are unachievable can turn around. Daniel aims to bring that “feeling” you get when overcoming a challenge to all his clients, enabling you to progress and have a sense of achievement. You will instantly feel Daniel’s relaxed demeanour in session, as he genuinely takes the time to listen to your needs and provide actions to work towards improvement and change.

Daniel grew up within a Greek family in Sydney’s west, and from his primary school years he had a keen interest in understanding why people do the things they do. What motivates people to make choices and take certain actions, and why do people react differently to situations? These were the questions that led him down the path of psychology, to understand the brain and what makes us all act and behave in different ways.

Daniel’s Experience & Approach

Daniel has a formal yet approachable manner, and whilst he brings a calm and easy going presence to his sessions, he continually puts in place structure and guidelines to ensure therapy is focused on progress and the client’s needs.

Supporting adults, teenagers and children, Daniel’s level of expertise is evident in the broad range of presentations he treats: addiction, online video gaming obsession, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders.

As an experienced Psychologist at Creating Change, Daniel holds a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) and has training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and uses the Adversity Behavioural Consequences (ABC) method in sessions to help clients visualise their thought patterns. He encourages the implementation of diary use or entry journals to assist in documenting your thoughts and behaviours, to see your own improvement over time.

Known For

Daniel has worked with the elderly, supporting them through community service at Mayflower Retirement Village. He has gained experience in return-to-work rehabilitation where he supported those from varying cultures across all age groups with disabilities, illnesses and injury to recovery at work, and achieving independence at home within their workplace and community.

Passion

Daniel ensures that all his clients work towards overcoming their concerns to be the best person they can be. He has a particular interest in video game addiction and online obsession, and wants to develop his research on the link between addiction and depression based on the length of time individuals spend on video games.

On a Personal Level

On a personal level Daniel enjoys music and playing the piano. He is self-taught on the keyboard, is a huge fan of NRL Footy, and on occasion uses his skills as a touch football referee.

Daniel’s Appointments

Daniel is a full time devoted therapist at our practice and is available for appointments on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and alternate Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Good better best, never let it rest, till your good is better and your better best.

Rickii NEW Profile Photo White Background

Rickii Lotsaris

Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
BSci in Psych (Hons), MAPS

Read More

Rickii NEW Profile Photo White Background

Rickii Lotsaris

Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
BSci in Psych (Hons), MAPS

KNOW RICKII

Rickii Lotsaris is an accomplished Psychologist with a passion for guiding children, adolescents, parents and individuals to find the right balance in their life. Compassionate and understanding, her bubbly nature creates a secure space for you to share your concerns, and explore ways to become the best version of yourself. Creatively, Rickii’s expertise includes working with children for over 10 years in a teaching space, instilling motivation techniques and working with primary and high school age groups on a variety of academic challenges.

Rickii felt from a young age that she always wanted to help people, and she has a real passion to guide individuals to find their own unique life balance. She ensures all her therapy sessions are tailored to your own situation and that she will remain with you right throughout your journey of change. How the mind works, emotions and memory fascinates her, and she is highly empathetic to those that struggle to cope with their emotions. She places a real emphasis on acknowledging her clients, overcoming that struggle and mastering the changes long term. 

Rickii’s Experience & Approach

Taking a collaborative approach, Rickii places a real emphasis on teamwork, ensuring you always have a voice. It is through this collaboration there is an agreement between you and her, where both parties are accountable and feedback is encouraged.

Her level of expertise is evident in the broad range of presentations she treats: depression, generalised anxiety, social anxiety, sport anxiety & pressure, exam stress, sleep hygiene, motivation, friendship and relationship challenges, self-esteem and self-harm.

As an experienced Psychologist at Creating Change, Rickii holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Honours), with extensive training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Behavioural Activation, time management, study strategies and social exposure. Her results speak volumes as she actively progresses teenagers through challenging school times, assisting them to maintain motivation and feel proud of their effort and achievements. She spent 4 years as a study motivator using mindfulness techniques and skills to teach students to study smarter, not harder. This encouraged them to feel less stressed and clearer heading into exams.

Known For

Rickii’s accomplishments include the completion of her first-class honours’ thesis on memory for repeated events of domestic violence, where she researched how memory can be improved, so witnesses can appear more credible in court. She discovered that if the witness can focus on the uniqueness of each event, then they’ll have better memory for that specific event.

Rickii is also an integral part of the Creating Change Clinical Leadership Team.

Passion

A successful coach of children and teenagers in dance related endeavours, Rickii collaboratively works with children and their parents to manage the pressure, stress, and expectations that come with extracurricular activities. She also has an extreme appreciation for research within this field and how it informs therapeutic practice. Dedicated and attentive in her manner Rickii will give complete focus, taking the time to build rapport to work through your challenges.

On a Personal Level

Rickii is an avid dancer, and enjoys reading in the sun, spending time with family, and trying new restaurants with friends. She identifies herself as a real “foodie”!


Rickii’s Appointments

Rickii is a devoted therapist at our practice and is available for appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Educational Articles/Videos by Rickii

rickii lotsaris teenager child psychologist women sydney performance pressure


We cannot control the wind, but we can adjust the sails and direct the movements of our ship so that it stays on course

Thomas S. Monson
Paige Profile Photo FINAL

Paris Gibson

Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
MProfPsych, GradDipPsychAd, BArts (Psych), BHumSc (Human Mov), MAPS

Read More

Paige Profile Photo FINAL

Paris Gibson

Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
MProfPsych, GradDipPsychAd, BArts (Psych), BHumSc (Human Mov), MAPS

KNOW PARIS

Paris Gibson is a dedicated Psychologist committed to engaging with adults, adolescents, children and their parents, educating them on emotional management techniques to develop healthy coping strategies. Understanding and personable, her approachable nature provides a safe atmosphere for you to explore your barriers and needs. Bringing humour, focus and empowerment to what can be overwhelming issues, Paris devotes herself to you, your story, and your needs. She really takes the time to work through your challenges, focusing on outcomes and goals that are personalised to your situation.

Growing up locally in the area, for Paris, mental health has always stood out as one of the most important parts of a healthy life, and an area that too many people don’t feel fulfilled. Through her own experiences, Paris valued the importance of having someone understand you, and give you the tools you need to manage difficult times. This, along with her interest to explore people and relationships, is what led Paris to the world of Psychology. She has an endless fascination for the mind, and the affect our thoughts and behaviours can have over every part of our life.

Paris’ Experience & Approach

Paris centres her therapy sessions around your goals, providing the guidance and support you need to develop a sustainable, healthier mind. Through her planning approach, Paris is always equipped to make the most of your time together. Her focus is always a collaborative one, and she has a curiosity for learning what is behind your challenges and feelings, and how together you can work towards overcoming them, setting goals for your future.

Paris is inquisitive to find out what your experiences mean to you, taking a client-centred and individualised approach. She evokes openness, making no assumptions, and has a way of ensuring you feel safe and not alone in your struggles.

Her level of expertise is evident in the broad range of presentations she treats: adolescent challenges, parenting, generalised anxiety, depression, social anxiety, panic disorders, mood disorders, stress management, emotional regulation, OCD, family and interpersonal issues. 

As an experienced Psychologist at Creating Change, Paris combines a Master of Professional Psychology, Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced, Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and Bachelor of Human Sciences (Human Movement) degrees, with training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Known For

Paris’ accomplishments include the completion of her thesis which researched the public’s perceived usefulness and happiness of service dogs, compared to pet dogs. This fascinating study explored the public’s opinions of working dogs, which did raise some concerns over them working excessively. The results found that service dogs actually have happier and more useful lives, than pet dogs. Her valued research given to Guide Dogs Australia, enabling them to inform their practices and education to the general public. 

Paris is also an integral part of the Creating Change Clinical Leadership Team.

Passion

Paris has a real passion for helping the local community, and particularly likes working with adolescents and young people, setting them up with the tools to cope with life’s challenges. She encourages young people to be the best version of themselves, now and into their future, and focuses on building their confidence.

On a Personal Level

Paris loves being in the kitchen – whether it’s baking, cooking, trying new recipes, or eating. She also enjoys travelling and seeing new places, having new experiences, and meeting new people. 

Paris’ Appointments

Paris is a full time therapist and devoted to our practice. She is available for appointments on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays.

Educational Articles/Videos by Paris

Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine

Roy Bennett
Bec M Profile White background

Rebecca Malcolm

Provisional Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
MProfPsych, BPsych (Hons)

Read More

Bec M Profile White background

Rebecca Malcolm

Provisional Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
MProfPsych, BPsych (Hons)

Know REBECCA

Rebecca (Bec) is a spirited Provisional Psychologist driven by a passion for helping people discover and unlock their potential to achieve positive transformations in their life. From a fitness professional to a passionate psychologist, her journey has shifted from physical health to mental health, and she enjoys the link between the two. Honest and warm, she is committed to work on mindset changes in her sessions so people can plan the life they desire.

Originally from Sydney, Rebecca grew up deeply immersed in sports from a young age. Her tenure in the fitness industry showcased firsthand the mental health benefits that physical activity can bring upon us. Supportive through your therapy journey, Rebecca brings a touch of humour in her sessions to help you feel at ease. Her fascination for human behaviour has led her to believe everyone has their own unique story and perspective on life, and that this should be voiced and listened to.

REBECCA’s Experience & Approach

Rebecca approaches her therapy sessions with an open mind, seeing the world in shades of grey rather than black and white. Her supportive, yet firm style encourages her clients to want to work on and overcome their challenges and not feel constrained or held back in life. She creates an atmosphere so her clients feel as if they are chatting with a good friend, fostering comfort and vulnerability. The space is open and non-judgmental, and somewhere that her clients feel heard and understood.

Her level of expertise is evident in the broad range of presentations she treats: teenage challenges, sport performance, low self-esteem, anxiety, body image, motivation, depression, phobias and empowering young women.

As an experienced Provisional Psychologist at Creating Change Psychology, Rebecca combines a Master of Professional Psychology with a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) degrees. Her training extends to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), using its methods to address mental health concerns by identifying negative thought patterns. Her expertise allows her to target issues including anxiety and low self-esteem, guiding clients toward healthier thinking. She includes mindfulness in her sessions adding depth to her approach, aiding stress management and emotional awareness.

Known For

Rebecca’s expertise surrounds sport performance, She thrives on working with individuals motivated to make positive changes and put in the effort to transform their lives.

Passion

Having spent over ten years in the fitness industry, Rebecca advocates for the mental health benefits of physical activity. Her personal journey of breaking free from self-imposed constraints inspired her to pursue the path of psychology, driven by a desire to empower others to believe in themselves.

On a Personal Level

Outside of her professional life, Rebecca enjoys exercising and playing netball. Her love for dogs is evident, and she has a keen interest in travelling, World War II and the Holocaust, reflecting her diverse range of personal passions.

REBECCA’S APPOINTMENTS

Bec is a devoted full time therapist at our practice and is available for appointments on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.

Roy T. Bennett
unnamed 4

Dr Kylie Hutchings Mangion

Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
B PsychSc (Hons), GradDip PsychSc, DEdu MEdTech, BTeach (PAVE), BLearningDes, MAPS

Read More

unnamed 4

Dr Kylie Hutchings Mangion

Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
B PsychSc (Hons), GradDip PsychSc, DEdu MEdTech, BTeach (PAVE), BLearningDes, MAPS

KNOW KYLIE

Dr Kylie Hutchings Mangion is a highly educated Psychologist who takes the time to understand challenges adolescents and adults face, focusing on real solutions to assist you to move forward. Flexible and person centred, Kylie recognises within both personal and professional environments there is room to cultivate knowledge and the ability to understand your choices. Together, she will navigate you through the ‘how’ to take the next step and invest your energy wisely, as she believes this is critical to living a much healthier and happier life.

With a former career in Tertiary Education, training and development for over 30 years, Kylie has focused on instructional development from a cognitive performance perspective, aspiring her to give university students the opportunity to succeed in their chosen fields through academic support and direction. 

Kylie’s individual life experiences shaped her in shifting her career path towards Psychology, expanding her capacity to continue to help others beyond the educational space. She has an innate desire to help individuals gain clarity and accept themselves, building strength to ensure you experience personal growth independently. Kylie has extensive training in EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), with positive results emerging from this technique to support your therapy journey.

Kylie’s Experience & Approach

Kylie’s approach is collaborative centring her sessions around your challenges, and solutions to overcome what’s hindering you. Her own interests have guided her to form a genuine appreciation of people’s distresses, where she can make a real difference in individual’s lives.

Her experience has extended to support those during trying times of Infertility, Organ Donation, Transplants, Chronic Renal Failure, living with Dialysis, Cancer, Anxiety, Depression as well as adolescents faced with making career decisions and navigating university for the first time.

In particular, young adults entering university whilst managing personal relationships and career pressure, carries new levels of stress. Kylie also has experience with older adults and the changes they face moving into later life, as well as Section 14 legal reports & Firearms License reports.

As an experienced Psychologist at Creating Change, Kylie combines a Graduate Diploma of Psychological Science and Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) degrees, with extensive training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, EMDR Therapy and Schema Therapy. Her former education qualifications include a Doctor of Education, Master of Educational Technology, Bachelor of Teaching (PAVE) and Bachelor of Learning Design degrees, certifying her extensive understanding of adolescents and young adult distresses. She is also informed in Imagery Rescripting and CBT for Paediatric OCD, and is currently accepting referrals for Section 14 legal matters and Firearms License reports.

Known For

Kylie’s accomplishments include her Doctoral Research on how humans process information, in particular from a mental workload perspective. She explored the range of dimensions learning involves, measured brain activity whilst conducting learning tasks, and discovered that information can be presented differently, depending on how effectively it is processed. Strategies were discovered that reduced mental workload and improved cognitive efficiency and performance.

Her research extends to the focus on the predictors of psychopathological decluttering behaviour including vulnerabilities, sense of coherence, intolerance to uncertainty and OCPD for her Honours Thesis. Kylie has also explored the opposite end of the Hoarding Spectrum and the predictors of decluttering, such as vulnerability factors, Sense of Coherence, Intolerance to Uncertainty and OCPD.

Passion

Kylie has a real passion in supporting those with Trauma, Anxiety & Stress related concerns. Her level of expertise is evident in the broad range of presentations she treats: Personality Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hoarding, Schizophrenia, Anxiety, Phobias, PTSD, Mood Disorders including Depression & Bipolar, trauma, Delusional Disorder, Psychosis Disorders, substance and medication induced Psychosis, older adults, adolescent & young adult career & personal challenges. 


On a Personal Level

On a personal level, Kylie enjoys experiencing different cultures – people, food and travelling with her family.

Dr Kylie’s Appointments

Kylie is a devoted therapist at our practice and is available for appointments on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Educational Articles By Dr Kylie

VIDEOS By Dr Kylie

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations

Author Unknown
MG 9286 Louise large e15776798252651

Dr Louise Johnson

Senior Clinical Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
DPsych (Clinical), MClinPsych BSocSc (Hons), MAPS, CCLIN

Read More

MG 9286 Louise large e15776798252651

Dr Louise Johnson

Senior Clinical Psychologist Bella Vista, Sydney
DPsych (Clinical), MClinPsych BSocSc (Hons), MAPS, CCLIN

KNOW LOUISE

Dr Louise Johnson is a dedicated Senior Clinical Psychologist at Creating Change Psychology and Counselling. As an accomplished therapist, she excels in the field of anxiety and depression, and is EMDR informed. Warm, reliable, respectful, and knowledgeable, Louise earnestly helps individuals and families throughout Sydney establish full, purposeful lives.

Louise’s Experience & Approach

Louise works with adolescents and adults of all ages to strengthen their resilience, sense of self, and build a framework for navigating the trials of life. Supportively, dependably, she will empower you with the skills and confidence to foster acceptance and remain hopeful for the future.

Bringing focus, humour and calm to what can be daunting issues, Louise cultivates satisfaction and meaning in life by clarifying what matters to you most, and guiding you to let go of self-defeating thoughts and behaviours. She is appropriately direct when needed.

Louise is also proficient at connecting your potential to your goals. Core to her approach is ensuring you understand the influence of the past while staying focused on developing a sound and stable future.

As a Senior Clinical Psychologist at Creating Change, Louise holds a Doctorate in Psychology (Clinical), Master of Clinical Psychology, Bachelor of Social Science in Psychology (Hons) and a Bachelor of Health Science in Rehabilitation Counselling. She has extensive training in EMDR Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness, and has trained with the Black Dog Institute in Repetitive Negative Thinking.

Passion

Louise’s professional experience comprises 18 years in private practice working across broad client demographics. Equally notable is the scope of clinical presentations she treats including anxiety and panic, depression, bipolar disorder, parenting issues, self-harm, chronic illness management, suicide, loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and drug abuse, sleep disorders and challenges experienced in relationships and families.

On a Personal Level

On a personal level, Louise enjoys connecting with her community by volunteering with the local school and netball club.

Dr Louise’s Appointments

Louise is a devoted therapist at our practice. She is available for appointments on Wednesdays & Thursdays.

Adolescents need freedom to choose, but not so much freedom that they cannot, infact, make a choice.

Erik Erikson
Psychologists & Counselling Bella Vista, Sydney
is rated at 3.9 based on 28 reviews.