Our Services

Child & Adolescent Therapy

AT ST & A psychology Manly we understand that being a child and navigating the world as a young person can be challenging. Further that learning to cope effectively with those challenges is not always easy and can lead to emotional and/or behavioural issues. We also understand that being a parent to model, encourage, support and teach your children to manage their issues and overcome their challenges can also be hard. Our Northern Beaches psychologists, are here to help children, adolescents and parents…well. We have a team of psychologists who offer a range of assessment and therapy services to treat and help support you and your children and family with your child’s issues/problems.

M. +61 403 639 580

E. reception@stapsychology.com

Book your free video consult with one of our Psychologists, tell us what you’re struggling with, what you want to change/improve and test a video session to see how we can help.

Free 20 Min Video Consult

(Dependent on Availability)

Types of Therapy

Our psychologists implement a range of child-friendly techniques which focus upon each child’s area of need and may include: Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, Social Skills Training, and Parenting Skills.

Please contact one of our client liaison officers to discuss any further questions you may have regarding our child and adolescent services. We aim to find the psychologists in St Leonards with the best fit for your child’s or teenagers needs.

We help Children, Adolescents & Parents with:

Adjusting to Change, Grief and Loss

Anger Management

Worry, Emotional sensitivity

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Behavioural Disorders (Oppositional Defiance, Conduct Disorder, etc)

Bullying

Depression

Anxiety, Fears and Phobias

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Parenting Skills & How to respond

Post-traumatic Stress (Trauma)

Social Skills/Issues, interpersonal problems

Worrying, over thinking

Get matched with a psychologist

Free 20 Min Video Consult

(Dependent on Availability)

When to seek help?

When your children have social, emotional and/or behavioural problems, the earlier they and you as parents get help and support to work on how best to cope and manage, the more likely it is your child will lead a healthier social emotional and behavioural life. And the sooner you will be able to help your child… well.  There are some occasions when it’s ok to watch and wait before seeking help. For example, some life events like starting a new school or changing class, or having a friend move overseas or a new sibling join the family will cause changes in a child’s emotions or behaviour. This may pass as the child adjusts to the new situation. If it doesn’t you may want to seek professional help.
There are also other times when it may be better not to wait to get your child help for mental health issues. For instance:

Eating disorders: The longer a child lives with an eating disorder, the harder it is to recover. Getting treatment as quickly as possible leads to better outcomes
Family history: If mental illness runs in your family, be aware of the increased possibility that your child will begin to develop a disorder. In this case, it’s important to act promptly.
Cutting and other self-harm: If you discover your child has been self-harming in any way, even if they say it was a one-time thing, it’s important to get help. It’s dangerous behaviour that may be a way of dealing with a deeper emotional issue.

If your child’s behavior is causing issues in school, with their friendships/social life or is disrupting your family life, it’s important to get help. Disruptive, challenging, explosive, or dangerous behavior can be caused by anxiety, trauma, and frustration from an undiagnosed learning problem, among other things. When kids are not coping well and their emotional or behavioural issues are showing up consistently with parents, siblings, friends or teachers, it can impact the child’s healthy mental, social and emotional development as well as the health and well-being of your whole family.Consulting a mental health professional can help diagnose and treat behavior and emotional issues/ disorders. If your child seems unusually anxious, sad, or irritable for a long period of time and it’s interfering with the ability to do things that are appropriate for your child’s age, it’s a good idea to seek help. Kids who are seriously anxious or depressed are suffering and missing out on important parts of childhood.At ST & SA Psychology St Leonards we’re passionate about helping children and parents…well.”

Get to know our team.

We are here for you.

We have 10 highly skilled, experienced, professional, friendly, warm Psychologists (male and female) 30-55 ready to help you better cope with your challenges and issues, grow and improve your satisfaction with life and wellbeing.

Simon Turmanis

Principal Psychologist & Clinical Director

Simon Turmanis Principal Psychologist & Clinical Director

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs
20 years experience
Face to Face & Video/Phone sessions. After hours

I am an extremely caring, warm, open, helpful, respectful, supportive, encouraging, hardworking and compassionate person. I am very passionate about helping people…well. Helping people to reduce their suffering is important to me. I will want to understand the unique way you are suffering or struggling to cope. I work hard to help anyone who decides to work with me, as a client, colleague, supervisee, fellow team member or workshop participant. I have 20 years experience working with adults, adolescents, and children with various psychological problems/issues. Within this, I have 18 years’ private practice experience working with adults of all ages, couples, adolescents, children and families on a broad range of issues.

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Dr Emma Agnew

Experienced Clinical Psychologist

Dr Emma Agnew Experienced Clinical Psychologist

Wed, Thurs
After Hours
Face to Face Sessions
Video and Phone Sessions

I am an experienced, highly skilled, authentic, warm, engaging, caring, compassionate, person-centred psychologist with over 12 years experience helping people…well. If you choose to work with me, I will lean in with genuine care, compassion and understanding to build a strong relationship with you, so you feel safe to open up and explore your issues in therapy. I will take a strengths-based approach, recognising that you have the resources, skills and values that can be harnessed for change. I will be person-centred and work with you, to tailor treatment to your individual needs, issues, goals and values while being adaptive and flexible to what is occurring for you.

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Dr Matthew Gerathy

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Matthew Gerathy Clinical Psychologist

Tue, Wed, Thurs, Fri
Face to face & video/phone sessions. After hours.

Warm, friendly and approachable, I am extremely passionate about helping people live happier, more fulfilling and productive lives through raising self-awareness and compassion. I will provide a respectful, empathic space where we can build a strong relationship, use evidence based therapy, & design a treatment approach that is individual to your specific difficulties/challenges, informed by your strengths and goals, and is openly communicated, and regularly reviewed. Over the last 18 months I have worked full-time at ST&A Psychology and helped over a hundred clients…well, with a broad range of ages and issues.

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Edwina Wong

Registered Psychologist

Edwina Wong Registered Psychologist

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs, Fri
Face to face & video/phone sessions. After hours.

I am an extremely professional, warm, friendly, empathic and thoughtful Psychologist. If you choose to work with me, I will listen and care with interest as we work together to understand how your issues have developed over time, what’s maintaining these issues, and the best way to help you cope more effectively. I value transparency and accountability, and so will regularly invite your feedback to ensure we are on track.

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Mark Podesta

Experienced Psychologist

Mark Podesta Experienced Psychologist

Thurs, Fri, Sat
Video/phone sessions. After hours.

If you choose to work with me I will be respectful, collaborative, compassionate, supportive and empowering; to help you create positive changes, cope with challenges and difficulties, and improve your wellbeing. My clinical skills are honed through years of experience treating people from diverse backgrounds and abilities, with a wide range of presenting issues across the lifespan. In my time at ST & A psychology (18 months), I have helped close to 100 clients…well.

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Sabrina Choo

Registered Psychologist

Sabrina Choo Registered Psychologist

Tue, Thurs, Fri
Face to face & video/phone sessions. After hours.

I am a warm, caring, compassionate and empathetic person. As a Psychologist in Manly Vale, I will be committed to treating you with compassion, care and dignity and dedicated to helping you reach your goals of therapy, whatever that takes. My approach to therapy is person centred where goals and treatment plans are actively guided by your strengths, needs and circumstances. I am passionate about collaborating with you to support and empower you to create positive changes, cope with challenges and difficulties, and improve your wellbeing. I strive to create a strong therapeutic relationship where you feel safe to tell your story in an environment where you feel heard and understood.

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Tom Xia

Experienced Psychologist

Tom Xia Experienced Psychologist

Wed, Fri, Sat
Face to Face Sessions
Video/Phone Sessions

I am an experienced, highly skilled, practical, caring, invested, empathetic, and person-centred psychologist with over 8 years experience helping people..well. In therapy I aim to provide a safe space that helps you open up and explore your thoughts, feelings, your past, circumstances and life difficulties no matter how uncomfortable they are. I will aim for therapy to be experiential for you, practice-based and goal-oriented. Based on your strengths and weaknesses, we can explore and tailor a treatment plan that works for you and help you practice and develop lasting coping strategies that will help you conquer your life challenges.

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Suzanne Carmichael

Experienced Psychologist

Suzanne Carmichael Experienced Psychologist

Tue, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat
Face to face & Video/Phone sessions. After hours.

I am an empathic, thoughtful, person-centred psychologist with over 18 years experience helping people in clinical, counselling and organisational settings cope with difficult situations, at times traumatic situations, to cope, and improve their health, wellbeing and satisfaction with life. I am passionate about helping you work towards what’s important to you in your life and find and commit to direction, purpose and meaning in your life. Warm and caring, I will want to ensure you feel heard and valued.

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Jodie Gibson

Provisional Psychologist

Jodie Gibson Provisional Psychologist

Mon, Wed, Thurs
Face to face & video/phone sessions. After hours.

I am a passionate, warm, empathetic and compassionate Psychologist (full registration due January 2025). If you choose to work with me, I will strive to forge a genuine connection, and value your unique circumstances and challenges. I will be collaborative with you, working together to understand what you want to achieve in therapy, the issues you are struggling with and how we might improve your mental health and wellbeing. I will be committed and enthusiastic about your personal goals, fostering resilience and empowering you to achieve personal growth, as I believe everyone possesses inherent strengths and the potential to thrive.

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Jacob de Wet

Clinical Psychologist

Jacob de Wet Clinical Psychologist

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs
Face to face & video/phone sessions. After hours.

I am an extremely compassionate, professional and approachable psychologist, committed to treating you with warmth, care and dignity. I will be guided by your strengths, needs and circumstances to best support and empower you to be able to create positive changes, cope with challenges and difficulties, and improve your wellbeing. For the last 4.5 years, I have worked full-time at ST&A Psychology where I have helped many clients.

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See more of the team

Free 20 Min Video Consult

(Dependent on Availability)

How it works

Smart Match with Your Therapist

Match by personality, experience and a range of preferences to suit your needs. You can also schedule a free introduction video consult/telephone call.

Schedule Sessions face to face or by video/telephone

Book days and times for your sessions via video/telephone or face to face that work for you. Our therapists are ready to work with you to help you achieve your goals of therapy, improve your mental health and satisfaction with life.

Measure your change & Track Your Journey

Measure and track how far you’ve come, changes you’ve made – and how far you can go with your dedicated psychologist, we’re with you every step of the way as you evolve and grow and make changes to achieve what you are working towards.

Claim Medicare or Private Health Rebate

With a GP referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan you can be eligible for a Medicare rebate for 10 psychology sessions per year. Most private health insurers provide between 30-80% rebates on sessions. We process the claim on your behalf at time of session.

Free 20 Min Video Consult

(Dependent on Availability)

What we offer you.

Psychologists available now
A psychologist that’s carefully matched for you.
Saturdays & after hours appointments
Days & times that suit you.
Medicare & Private Health Rebates
Face to face or video/phone sessions from wherever you’re comfortable
Sessions booked in advance at optimum consitency for best results.
Help setting your goals of therapy, track your journey, measure changes made
Our commitment to listen & care with support & compassion & provide value each & every session.

Psychologists available now

A psychologist that's carefully matched for you.

Saturdays & after hours appointments

Days & times that suit you.

Medicare & Private Health Rebates

Face to face or video/phone sessions from wherever you're comfortable

Sessions booked in advance at optimum consitency for best results.

Help setting your goals of therapy, track your journey, measure changes made

Our commitment to listen & care with support & compassion & provide value each & every session.

Unlike other practices with long wait lists, we have psychologists in our team ready to work with you now and help you achieve your goals of therapy.

We understand the importance of getting the fit between you and your psychologist right, thus we’ll take the time to help you work out what you’re struggling with, what you want to change/improve/work on & book you in with the right psychologist based on their skills, experience & therapy style.

We offer sessions on Saturdays and before and after school and work in the mornings and evenings.

With a referral from your GP and a mental health care plan, you may claim up to 10 Medicare rebates per calendar year for 10 sessions. Also, you may claim rebates from your private health insurance.

You may choose to come into our practice, meet our client liaison officers and experience therapy in one of our four therapy rooms and/or have sessions via video/phone in the comfort of your home, office or car.

Based on research of what is the most effective therapy, clients need consistent sessions over a required duration to achieve all their goals of therapy in the most efficient way. Thus we work with you to schedule your appointments weekly to fortnightly in advance at times that suit you.

Based on the research of what is the most effective therapy and what will help you reach your goals of therapy, we’ll help you set specific realistic achievable goals, walk you through how you can achieve them and consistently measure your progress along the way.

Each of our psychologists are committed fully to helping you perceive value from each and every session with care and compassion.

Book an appointment this week.

Free 20 Min Video Consult

(Dependent on Availability)

Results

We’re proud of our clients’achievements.

NB data comes from 625 patients who attended 15 sessions of therapy on average between 2006 and 2023.

83-87% of Clients reduced their symptoms of Depression, Anxiety & Stress as measured by the DASS

73% improved their Satisfaction With Life as measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)

61% of Clients rated therapy as ”Extremely Effective”, 34% “Moderately Effective”, 5% “A Little Effective”, 0% rated “No Effect”.

Goals of therapy achieved.

Progress reported

Percentage of clients reporting they made progress since
commencing therapy.

Symptoms reduced & satisfaction improved.

Clients rating of therapy.

Free 20 Min Video Consult

(Dependent on Availability)

What we can help you with.

Our Manly Psychologists and North Sydney Psychologists help adults, children, parents, adolescents and couples with a mix of presenting issues & challenges

Anxiety Counselling/Treatment

Depression Counselling

Couples Counselling

Child and adolescent therapy

Recovery treatment

Personality Disorders & Interpersonal/Social Issues

ADHD and ADD Counselling

PTSD/Trauma Counselling/Treatment

Free 20 Min Video Consult

(Dependent on Availability)

Other issues, diagnoses and presentations we work with:

Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety, Specific Phobias, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Phobia, Worry, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder. Personality Disorders (Narcissistic, Borderline, Dependent, Obsessional, Paranoid etc.), Problems Relating to others (including couples therapy), Specific Relationship Problems, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention difficulties.
Dissatisfaction with life, Sleep problems, Body image issues, Psychosis, Schizophrenia, Pain, Chronic Fatigue.
Addictions and Abuse problems, Child-Parent relational issues, Child Behavioural Problems, Adolescent Issues, Parent Skills Training, Oppositional defiant disorder.
Child parent relational issues.

We also help people with:

Stress management
Self esteem issues and building self worth
Adjustment to life change
Perfectionism
Grief and loss
Procrastination and Improving Motivation
Assertiveness and Emotion management (Anger etc.)
Goal Setting and Achieving
Weight management and physical health
Problem Solving
Bulimia Nervosa
Career and vocational guidance
Sexual orientation
Pain management and psychological effects of physical injuries

Still have questions, not sure who to work with or how we can help?

We’ll call you and have a confidential no commitment chat about what you’re struggling with, what you want help with and want to change, who in our practice might be able to help, how therapy can help and answer any questions you might have.

Child & Adolescent Therapy

Types of Therapy

We help Children, Adolescents & Parents with:

When to seek help?