Raina Jardin, Associate
Raina's qualifications include a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Western Sydney, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology from the University of Canberra, a Graduate Diploma in Psychology from the University of Melbourne, and a Bachelor of Arts from La Trobe University. During her Masters studies she earned a place on the University of Western Sydney's College of Arts Dean's Merit List.Over the last 14 years Raina has provided counselling in the public and private sectors for individuals from diverse backgrounds presenting with a wide range of concerns. For example she has worked with mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression, medical concerns such as chronic pain and diabetes, sexual and gender identity concerns, and difficulties with sleep, stress management, and substance use. Raina has also worked with a range of other issues, inlcuding pregnancy counselling, grief and bereavement, adjustment to life transitions and change, and building confidence and self esteem. In addition to private practice, Raina has recently been working in NSW Health, developing an anxiety and depression program for individuals aged over 65.
While Raina holds experience and expertise in a number of areas she has a particular interest in working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and the impacts of minority stress. She holds extensive experience working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and same-sex attracted and gender diverse individuals. Raina has also developed and delivered state-wide training in the area of working with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender young people, including those from culturally diverse backgrounds. She has published in this area and has been commissioned to write reports for St George Youth Services and Twenty10.
Raina is also particularly interested in the treatment of anxiety, and has received specialist training and experience working with anxiety disorders at a leading anxiety treatment and research centre. Raina works with a range of anxiety disorders such as social anxiety, generalised anxiety and worry, panic attacks and panic disorder, specific phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, performance anixety, and health anxiety. Raina has also completed a Masters level thesis that examined adult attachment, social support, minority stress, generalised anxiety and rejection sensitivity amongst a sample of gay men.
In addition to anxiety, Raina also enjoys working with individuals and couples to improve their relationships. In couples therapy she helps partners to navigate their differences in ways that enhance closeness and reduce conflict. In individual therapy she assists people to address their relationship concerns, including relationship breakdown, infidelity, conflict, difficulty forming and maintaiing relationships, and recurrent patterns in relationships, whether with partners, family, colleagues or friends.
Another area of interest for Raina is body image issues: her fourth year psychology thesis examined male body image dissatisfaction.
Raina strives to provide a holistic, empathic and caring service that is both personal and highly professional. She finds working collaboratively with her clients towards the resolution of their concerns to be extremely rewarding. In terms of therapeutic modalities, Raina primarily works within a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy framework, however, she also utilises other strategies as appropriate. She is dedicated to her own ongoing professional development with the aim of providing up-to-date evidence-based strategies for her clients.
Raina is fully registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, and is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society and an affiliate member of the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists.