Dr. Ann Pensom

Registered Psychologist
BSc(Hons)  (Physiol), BSc(Hons) (Psych), GradDipAppPsych, DPsych, MAPS MCCOUNP MCOP

Ann creates strong connections with clients and effective working environments. Her clients feel comfortable in the knowledge that they are ‘in safe hands’, which enables them to open up and share their thoughts and  troubles. This then allows Ann to use a variety of practices and techniques to help her clients get to a place that is healthier and happier, and to depart her service to continue their journey on their own. Ann has helped hundreds of people in this way.

It is of particular interest to Ann to work with people who want to improve their relationships. This has seen her help many couples improve their communication, resolve long-standing disagreements, overcome struggles with sex and intimacy, or ‘simply’ reconnect after having drifted apart. Ann’s interest in relationship work extends beyond romantic relationships to include extended family relationships, relationships at work, friendships and so on. She has also worked with individuals and successfully helped them deal with depression, anxiety, loss and grief, anger, narcissism, indecision, and troubles related to work and career, to name a few. Finally, Ann has led many group programs that have helped people improve their self-awareness, particularly in the corporate sector.

Ann likes to partner with her clients and engage them in decisions around the areas of focus, the duration of the work, how progress will be reviewed, and what success looks like. In this way, Ann’s clients are active participants in the therapeutic process and ultimately, in their own healing.  Ann achieves this with clients via face-to-face, telephone-based, and internet-based meetings.

Having worked as a psychologist for many years, Ann keeps up to date with the practice and application of current psychological techniques. She effectively translates what is known about human psychology into effective practice, tailoring it to the individual needs of her clients so that they understand it as it relates to them and can take it with them into the future.

Qualifications

Tertiary qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science (Hons.) — Statistics and Physiology; Monash University, Victoria, Australia
• Bachelor of Science (Hons.) — Psychology; Open University, England
• Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology — Swinburne University, Victoria, Australia
• Professional Doctorate in Psychology (Counselling Psychology) — Swinburne University, Victoria, Australia.

​Professional qualifications/accreditations include:

• ​Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Levels 1-3 — The Gottman Institute (conducted by Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman)
• Emotion Focussed Therapy (EFT) for Couples, Externship — The Australian Centre for Emotionally Focused Therapy (conducted by Dr. Jennifer Fitzgerald)
  
• Relational Life Therapy, Level 1 — Relational Life Institute (conducted by Terry Real)
  
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Levels 1 & 2 — Therapist Training (conducted by Graham Taylor)
  
• Accredited Practitioner with the EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA).

Awards

Winner of the APS College of Counselling Psychologists Doctoral Award in 2014 — acknowledging the overall best student completing an APAC-accredited doctoral program in Counselling Psychology at an Australian tertiary institution in that calendar year (Australia wide).

Registrations & Memberships

Registered Counselling Psychologist and Registered Organisational Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.

Registered Supervisor with the Psychology Board of Australia, with approval across all pathways to registration as a psychologist:

• 4+2 internship principal supervisor and secondary supervisor
• 5+1 internship principal supervisor and secondary supervisor
• Higher degree placement supervisor: Areas of practice — Counselling Psychology and Organisational Psychology
• Working in addition to placements supervisor
• Registrar program principal supervisor: Areas of practice — Counselling Psychology and Organisational Psychology
• Registrar program secondary supervisor.

Full member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), including:

• Fellow of the APS College of Counselling Psychologists
• Fellow of the APS College of Organisational Psychologists.

Member of the Gottman Institute Relationship Checkup.

Member of the EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA).

Does Ann sound like the kind of person who could help you?

Go to Ann's Counselling Services page to read more about the
​struggles and problems she can help you address.