Nicki Vlahakis

Nicki is a registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), with a demonstrated history of working in the mental health care industry. Nicki holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Graduate Diploma in Education from The University of Melbourne. In addition, she holds post graduate qualifications in Counselling Psychology from La Trobe University. Nicki works from a Trauma informed Care perspective, taking into account the clients’ past or recent life experiences, and how these might impact on a person’s emotional wellbeing during their pregnancy/parenting journey. She always aims to create a counselling space that feels compassionate and emotionally safe and seeking client feedback during and post session. In her counselling practice, she uses several treatment modalities including Person centred approach, Cognitive behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational interviewing, and a Strengths perspective and Solution focused approach. Her extensive direct practice with carers and families has also further enhanced her repertoire of counselling and clinical skills utilising systemic and brief oriented interventions with individual and families.

She has over 25 years of direct experience working in adult psychiatry, sexual assault, domestic violence, palliative care field and community and educational settings. She has been practicing a range of counselling interventions, and providing crisis care both face to face and by telephone triage , through previous positions with organizations such as, The Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (ECASA), the Drummond Relationship Centre, The Melbourne University, Carers’ Victoria, North West Area Mental Health Service (Adult psychiatry, case work and mental health Triage for consumers suffering from severe psychiatric and psychological disorders), the Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre, Lifeline, and at the North East Women's Health Service where she worked in an advocacy and linkage role for women with emotional and mental health difficulties.

As a highly experienced psychologist Nicki commenced private practice almost 10 years ago where she supported clients from the very young to the very old facing various emotional and mental health issues, as well as carers during her work with Carers Victoria.

Nicki’s clinical training and her own personal experience of raising 3 children has strengthened her view of the importance of providing timely emotional support to parents during the prenatal and post-natal period, for creating resilient and happy families.

Nicki is also interested in working with people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups and she is creative and flexible in adapting therapeutic strategies appropriate to the target group.

Nicki has completed perinatal specific training with the Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) and Seleni Institute.

Nicki Vlahakis