We’re Happy Minds, your Geelong Psychologist and Geelong Psychology Clinic, helping our community to not just survive, but thrive.
Counselling in Geelong for anxiety during pregnancy & the period after birth as your family adjusts to the significant changes. Birth trauma, postnatal depression and anxiety.
Helping you manage the emotions that trying to become pregnant can bring. Counselling for infertility, IVF support and miscarriage. Surrogacy Support Counselling & Assessments. Psychologist in Ocean Grove & Geelong.
The symptoms of trauma can occur in response to a severely distressing event or series of events. Trauma can be experienced to varying degrees. Psychologists at Happy Minds Psychology have undergone specialist training to support you through your trauma counselling.
Happy Minds Psychology in Geelong blend positive psychology and attachment-based approaches to help you form a more harmonious relationship with your child and build your confidence as a parent. We work with children to help them flourish and build skills to navigate their world.
The clinicians at Happy Minds Psychology treats sexual health issues using evidence-based psychological frameworks and methodologies. Often sexual issues relate to other experiences in our life, or the way we function psychologically. We look at the whole picture, rather than just the symptoms.
Happy Minds Psychology provides counselling and treatment for eating and dieting disorders, body image issues and problematic exercise that is industry leading and best practice.
Our clinicians at Happy Minds Psychology will work with you to uncover the mechanisms underlying your anxiety and depression and support you to work towards resiliency and mental health.
Trauma related to birth can include both physical injury and emotional trauma from the way they were related to throughout the birth by professionals. Psychological intervention and support can aid women to learn strategies to manage anxiety, and to process their trauma in healthy, productive ways.
Miscarriage and stillbirth support is vitally important. While there’s a good chance our bodies will heal themselves physically with the right care, the emotional effects of pregnancy loss can be harder for both women and men to handle and work through.
Sperm/egg donation and surrogacy in Australia is another way to create a family. Whether for medical or social reasons, sperm/egg donation or surrogacy might be something you need to know more about or are already pursuing. Happy Minds Psychology provides independent Psychological Assessments for Surrogacy in Victoria and across Australia, as well as surrogacy counselling. Face to face or via Telehealth.
Grief has no set pattern. Everyone experiences grief differently. However, taking the time to process your loss will help you begin to create new habits and experiences that work around your loss.
Like any rite of passage, becoming parents together requires a relinquishment of the old relationship, facing up to the fears and uncertainties of the new, and eventually emerging with a new sense of identity. Our clinicians work with you to pave the way for your new family.
Happy Minds Psychology helps you and your family to flourish by creating meaningful and sustainable positive change. The team at Happy Minds Psychology work with individuals, couples and families during the most vulnerable times in their lives, where they might be battling infertility, perinatal depression or anxiety, parenting issues, eating disorders or experiencing trauma.
The team at Happy Minds know that families come in all different shapes and sizes and are comitted to inclusivity in their practice.
As a Geelong psychology clinic based in Drysdale and servicing the entire Greater Geelong region – our job is to help individuals focus on the positive aspects of their life and health, using that as leverage to create further significant change.
Happy Minds Psychology uses the latest evidence-based psychology and is built on the foundations of positivity, dignity, and family, within a nurturing and compassionate environment.
Our friendly clinic is based in Geelong. You’re welcome to take advantage of our beautiful location or, if you’re a little further away, simply choose a convenient telehealth session.
We offer Medicare rebates for anyone with a Mental Health Care Plan. These can be obtained via your local GP or medical centre. We can assist you with this if needed.
If you have private health insurance, you may be entitled to a partial rebate. You’ll need to have ‘psychological counselling’ selected as an extra.
Sarah-Jayne Duryea is the Founder & Principal Psychologist at Happy Minds Psychology.
Sarah-Jayne and her team are proud to support the community of Geelong, Ocean Grove, Torquay and its surrounds with psychology and counselling.
We do most of our work with women and their families who are experiencing feelings of anxiety, have experienced loss or trauma, or find their new reality challenging. Additionally, Sarah-Jayne offers her expertise in treating eating disorders (accredited by ANZAED), sexual health and utilising EMDR for trauma resolution.
I am here to help.
Hi there, my name is Kate and I’m an Educational and Developmental Psychologist who works with both children and adults.
I’m a mum of two ducklings, Honey and Sugar. Through this experience and my own lived experience I became hooked on working with matrescence. This led me to find a place with Happy Minds Psychology working with women and their families looking for a sense of wholeness and healing in the perinatal period.
During our time together you can expect my approach to be gentle and direct. I enjoy a good bit of neuroscience and will probably talk about something called polyvagal theory which is all about the stress system and regulation. I’m also a fan of working the basics like sunshine, sleep, and moving our bodies to keep our head and heart feeling good.
Working with children has been my go to. I’ve even been a children’s entertainer perfecting the spider man face paint and puppy dog balloon. Kids are playful, honest and curious. Sometimes they get stuck and need the help of those around them, their parents, teachers and other important adults. I’m here to work alongside those important adults with the child at the centre.
I studied literature and psychology in my Bachelor of Arts. I followed this with an Honours degree in psychology at Deakin University. I then studied at Monash University achieving a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental). I’ve worked in child health research, schools, private practice and community organisations. I’m an endorsed psychologist in the area of educational and developmental psychology.
Gemma is an experienced registered psychologist who enjoys working collaboratively
with you to gain a shared understanding of your goals. She focuses on building on your
existing strengths and creating a warm and safe environment.
Gemma uses a client-centred integrative framework of cognitive behaviour therapy
(CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), schema therapy, and mindfulness
approaches. She is currently undergoing accreditation in evidence-based EFT tapping.
Gemma works with children (8 years +), adolescents, and adults from a diverse range of
backgrounds and experiences. She is passionate about working with parents in the
perinatal period and supporting women and men to make positive change.
Maddy is a Provisional Psychologist who will be finishing her period of supervised practice with the Happy Minds Psychology clinic in Geelong.
Her main areas of interest are working with women and children of all ages who are experiencing hardships, and working together to further build coping strategies and tools. She is also experienced in working with children in a school setting and conducting cognitive assessments.
She studied psychology at Deakin University and Australian Catholic University and is looking forward to beginning the practical path of becoming a registered psychologist, specialising in perinatal psychology.
Maddy brings a warm and relaxed approach to the therapeutic relationship, hoping to create a space where you feel understood. She is working closely with our Principal Psychologist Sarah-Jayne to complete her registration and gain experience in perinatal psychology.
Outside of work, you may find Maddy out at the beach with her partner and two dogs, or participating in one of her various craft hobbies, knitting and cross-stitch.
Dr Mel Formica is a provisional psychologist who will be finishing her period of supervised practice with the Happy Minds Psychology clinic.
Mel studied at Deakin University and completed her PhD investigating the prevention of cognitive decline in older adults through the use of exercise and nutrition. Mel has experience working with a broad range of presenting issues across the lifespan and is particularly interested in antenatal and postnatal issues including depression and birth trauma, as well as assisting clients to manage medical diagnoses and treatment.
Mel has extensive experience working with vulnerable patients in a hospital setting and as such, values a collaborative and client-centred approach to ensure that her clients feel safe and validated through the course of appropriate, evidence-based treatment. Being a new mum, Mel is keen to assist others through their fertility and parenting journeys.
Outside of work, you will find Mel at local cafes with her family, or at home completing DIY renovation projects.
Marta is a psychologist. She respects and values diversity, and works collaboratively with people using an intersectional, holistic, strength-based and affirming approach. Marta’s main interests include neurodivergence (particularly Autism, ADHD and AuADHD), attachment, development, parenting support, life transitions, anxiety, depression and trauma. She is an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community. She works with adolescents and adults providing psychotherapy as well as, conducting cognitive and diagnostic assessments. She works with individuals as well as with couples, and has experience working with parents and groups.
She uses skills from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), and Emotional Coaching. Marta loves learning, is continuously engaged in professional development activities and completing further training in therapeutic skills.Marta is a certified yoga instructor and although she is not currently giving yoga classes, she maintains her own regular yoga and meditation practice. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her family, hiking, gardening, playing board games and watching movies.
Academic Qualifications
Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental)
Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy (GradCertFamilyTherapy)
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
Bachelor of Psychology
Professional Board/Accreditation
AHPRA General Registration
MAPS (Member of the Australian Psychological Society)
Jessie is a registered psychologist who has a particular interest in supporting families in the perinatal period. She understands each individual experiences this transformative time in life uniquely and aims to meet you where you are at in your experience. Jessie values the importance of the therapeutic relationship. She aims to create a safe space where you can be yourself and get the most out of therapy.
Jessie operates from a person-centred approach working with each client to understand their individual, couple, and family goals. She tailors her therapy approach collaboratively with her clients to assist them toward their goals. Jessie draws from a range of evidence-based approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), as well as strengths-based approaches.
When she is not at Happy Minds, Jessie enjoys spending time with her family, music, attempting to bake, and time in nature.
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When you need support, our qualified psychologists and counsellors in Geelong, Ocean Grove and Torquay can help.
Our team are here to listen and provide positive strategies to help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression, and move you forward.