Who We Are

Hi, I’m Hugo.

I was drawn to psychology by a desire to better understand the human experience. Being human is often confusing and painful. I believe that when we slow down, observe our patterns and experiences, and try new ways of responding, meaningful change becomes possible.

When we begin working together, my first goal is to understand your story and the experiences and difficulties that brought you through the door. I work to ensure that you feel heard, understood and safe to explore your challenges. I then balance this with the belief that good therapy should move somewhere. It should challenge you, highlight unhelpful patterns, create insight, and turn that insight into actions that move you toward the life you want to live.

People seek therapy for many different reasons. Sometimes it is a specific problem. Other times it is a feeling of being stuck in patterns of worry, self-criticism, avoidance, or exhaustion from trying to manage everything alone. For some people it is simply a sense that things are not working as well as they could.

While I have experience working with a broad variety of concerns across different settings, I enjoy working with adults and adolescents experiencing difficulties with anxiety, phobias, obsessive and compulsive disorder, eating disorders, insomnia, trauma and other stressor-related difficulties, moral injury and existential concerns.

My practice draws from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure Therapy and Family Based Treatment/Therapy for eating disorders.

I also enjoy working with clients and their supports to deepen their understanding of their strengths and difficulties with cognitive and diagnostic assessments. People often seek these when they want insight into their cognitive/intellectual functioning, learning challenges, social skills, personalities, or specific questions about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Before becoming a psychologist, I worked for over a decade in the music industry as an audio engineer and producer. Outside of work, I enjoy time with family and friends, being terrible at Brazilian Jui Jitsu, continuing to learn and deepen my understanding of the many things that interest me.

I also provide behaviour support services and capacity building psychology for NDIS participants. For these services, please feel free to reach out to me at Birds of a Feather.