Clinical Psychologist
Dr Liam Casey
Clinical psychologist specialising in anxiety, grief, and LGBTQIA+ mental health
My services
Individual psychological therapy
One-on-one sessions for adult clients
Supervision
One-off and ongoing supervision for psychologists
Training
Bespoke workshops for mental health professionals
About me
My name is Liam and I use he/him pronouns. I'm a clinical psychologist in private practice in Melbourne's inner north. I'm also a supervisor approved by the Psychology Board of Australia. My professional focus is LGBTQIA+ mental health, which involves providing psychological therapy for LGBTQIA+ people as well as training on LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy to psychology students and clinicians. I'm a member of AusPATH (Australian Professional Association for Transgender Health).
I'm interested in working with anyone looking to learn skills to manage difficult thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I have particular interest and experience working with:
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sexual and gender identity (and managing the social stress that sometimes comes with a minority identity);
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grief (especially traumatic or complicated grief e.g., following a death by suicide);
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anxiety disorders; and
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unhelpful behavioural patterns (e.g., procrastination, perfectionism, people-pleasing).
I'm committed to providing the best available empirically-supported treatments for psychological problems. While I have been trained in a number of such approaches, I most commonly use:
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acceptance and commitment therapy;
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cognitive-behavioural therapy; and
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eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR).
Psychologists tend to get very excited about the differences between these approaches, but they may not mean much to you. I will always explain the type of therapy I think might be helpful for you and why, and answer any questions you have about it. I want you to feel safe, supported, and in control of the work we do together.
In addition to my clinical work, I'm a mental health researcher. I completed my PhD research on the impact of 2017's Marriage Law postal survey on LGBTQIA+ Australians. This research has been presented at domestic and international conference and published in academic journals. I also serve in a voluntary capacity as an Associate Editor of the journal Clinical Psychologist.
Please note that, as a sole trader in private practice, I don't have the resources to provide crisis services, immediate appointments, medical or legal reports, one-off assessments, or services via third parties.
Frequently asked questions
What should I expect?
Before our first session, I'll send you some questionnaires which will help inform my assessment. In that first session, I'll ask a lot about the challenges you've been facing and your goals for therapy, and I'll propose a plan for how I think I can help you. This first session is a bit of a "try-out" for both of us. I want to make sure I have the skills and experience to support you, and that you feel comfortable with me and think that further sessions will be helpful.
Sessions run for 50 minutes. We'll discuss together how frequently we should meet, how many sessions might be useful (though this can be hard to predict!), and what you want to get out of therapy. Some people want a safe and supportive space to talk things through, while others are seeking tools and strategies to navigate problems in their life.
What is your approach?
I've been told that I'm warm, kind, and easy to talk to. (I also like to think I'm funny sometimes, but you can be the judge of that.) I think it's important that therapy is active: therapy is more than just talking, so I want to make sure we're making progress towards your therapy goals each session. That said, I want to move at a pace you're comfortable with, so you can expect me to be collaborative and regularly ask for your input. Above all, I want therapy to be meaningful, so you walk away with the knowledge and skills that will help you build the life that you want.
It's also important to me that I work intersectionally. I acknowledge my extraordinary privilege as a White cisgender man and do my best to use my privilege to oppose oppression. My practice is explicitly feminist, anti-racist, pro-disability, pro-neurodiversity, and pro-sexual, -gender, and -relationship diversity. I am kink and sex worker positive.
What are your qualifications?
A long, long time ago, I completed a Bachelor of Arts (Communications) and worked for several years in journalism and marketing. When I decided to become a psychologist, I completed:
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Graduate Diploma in Psychology, University of New England
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Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology - Honours), Charles Sturt University
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Master of Clinical Psychology, University of Technology Sydney
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Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology), University of Technology Sydney
I'm registered as a clinical psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and am a member of the Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA).
How do I know you're the right psychologist for me?
While I hope I am, I might not be the right psychologist for you! If you want to see if I'm the kind of psychologist you're looking for, we can book in a 15 minute consultation where I can tell you about my approach and answer any questions you have.
Research shows that the most important factor in determining whether therapy is helpful or not is the working relationship between the client and the therapist. This means it's important you think I understand who you are and what you're facing, and that the approach I'm taking connects with you. I'm always open to feedback about how I can better support you, but if you don't think my approach is a good fit for you, there'll be no hard feelings on my end. Although it might feel difficult, I'd love it if you'd tell me if this is the case so I can improve my service in future and help you find what you're looking for.
What are your fees? Can I get a rebate?
My fee for a 50 minute session is $226. You don't need a referral to see me, but you may be eligible for a rebate through Medicare if your GP refers you to me under a Mental Health Care Plan. The current Medicare rebate for a 50 minute session with a clinical psychologist is $141.85.
Alternatively, you may be eligible to claim a rebate directly with your private health insurer, but keep in mind that you can't claim both private and Medicare rebates for the same appointment.
I charge 50% of the full session fee (i.e., $113) for sessions that are cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice. Cancellation fees are not eligible for Medicare rebates.
When are you available?
I consult on on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9am and 6pm, and on Fridays between 9am and 5pm. Please note that appointments booked at or after 5pm attract an additional after hours fee. Appointments are available face-to-face in Carlton North or via telehealth (i.e., via Zoom or phone).
