Dr Alessandra Raudino Psychologist

Alessandra’s qualifications are a Bachelor of Psychology, a Masters Degree in Clinical and Community Psychology from Italy, and a PhD in Developmental Psychology. Throughout her career Alessandra has worked in private practice, outpatient hospital clinics, psychiatric clinics and university settings. In addition to practicing as a therapist Alessandra has had an active career as a researcher in both academia and government, including working in New Zealand as a Post Doc with the Christchurch Health and Developmental study, and at UNSW with the NSW Child Development Study. Alessandra’s main areas of interest and expertise include anxiety disorders, depression, complex grief, mood difficulties, long term life patterns, relationships, couple therapy, stress, coping, life transitions, loss, emotional health, self esteem, self image and eating problems. In her work with individuals, Alessandra offers both short term and longer term therapy. She has trained in psychodynamic as well as cognitive behavioural traditions, including Schema Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and other therapeutic modalities, enabling her to tailor her approach to the needs of each individual person. An area of particular interest and expertise for Alessandra is complex grief and depression, and adjustment disorders. Alessandra particularly enjoys helping people navigate very stressful situations involving change, such as loss of a job, relationship break-up, and grief, ultimately finding ways to see their lives from new and creative perspectives. In her work with couples, Alessandra blends attachment theory with Imago therapy elements and the more traditional Behavioural Framework. Alessandra helps couples to understand the origin of their conflict as an opportunity to grow and develop, and helps them learn how to communicate more authentically and effectively, in order to open possibilities for both members of the couple. Having lived and worked in various different countries, Alessandra is adept at working with different population groups experiencing a diverse range of circumstances, and is skilled at helping immigrants and others experiencing stress and depression when adjusting to different social structures, values, cultures and expectations. Alessandra’s research over the years has encompassed child development, anxiety and conduct problems, bonding attachment and later socio-emotional adjustment, schizophrenia epidemiology, impact of early life neglect on later development, and the antecedents of antisocial and criminal behaviours. Alessandra has worked as Senior Researcher with large administrative longitudinal linked datasets in universities and Government and she is now working with the Cancer Institute of NSW. She has written several book chapters and published numerous academic papers in peer reviewed journals. Alessandra brings great warmth, support, insight and dedication to her work with clients. Against a strong academic and intellectual background, she sees her greatest strength as her ability to relate well with other people and understand their needs. She is motivated by a deep sense of compassion and a commitment to helping others. Alessandra is fully registered as general Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society and the Italian Psychologist Board