Our Team
That’s why every session is carefully matched—pairing employees with the right expert who understands their background, values, and unique challenges. Whether it’s language, cultural perspectives on mental health, or lived experiences, we ensure every employee gets support that truly resonates—leading to meaningful progress.
Whether you’re actively reviewing providers or just curious about what’s possible, we’re here to help.
Dr. Pattni brings over 30 years of experience in Clinical Psychology and Business Management. Her expertise spans public, private, and non-profit sectors, across Australia, Africa, the Middle East, and South East Asia. She has worked with executive management structures of organisations in areas of leadership, team building, and improving motivation, efficiency, and performance in the workplace.
With substantial experience in people development within organisations and community projects, she is dedicated to fostering growth and empowerment through self-leadership and self-management. Her commitment to these principles has also informed her expertise in Change Management.
In recent years, Dr. Pattni has largely focused on her passion for working with migrant and Indigenous Australian communities by offering compassionate care. She brings a comprehensive background in working with victims of war, genocide, violence, and severe trauma.
Dr. Pattni has worked and consulted with organisations that include the United Nations Health Care for Refugees Program in East Africa, Save the Children, Multicultural Services, the Australian Institute of Management, as well as leading publicly listed companies, government bodies, and various hospitals and schools. She has also been a lecturer at the University of Western Australia’s Graduate School of Management.
Jim holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work with post graduate qualifications in mental health sciences and cognitive behavioral therapy. Jim has 30 years of experience in various clinical and leadership roles in both public and private organisations including medical social work, mental health, higher education, rehabilitation, disability, and training and education.
Jim takes a supportive and collaborative approach to his work giving clients time to tell their stories. He has a passion to assist each client to develop problems solving skills and long-term strategies for building their health and wellbeing. Jim has a special interest in the link between lifestyle practices, nutrition, and mental wellbeing. He is also interested in integrating spiritual care and existential ideas within the counseling process where clients request this. Jim has a strong interest in combining cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy when addressing client’s concerns.
Mirjam is a fully qualified psychologist with a Bachelor of Psychology, a Master of Clinical and Health Psychology, her target clients are Adults.
She has a gentle compassionate approach to her clients and believes it is crucial to understand every client’s values and goals to help to develop a therapeutic relationship as a safe base to explore their individual problems in a relaxed atmosphere.
Mirjam works with a variety of methods to help people discover their inner strengths, develop insight, find solutions and make better choices for themselves. Her extensive knowledge of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Client Centered Therapy (CCT), Positive Psychology and Somatic Psychotherapy (PPSP) allow her to combine a multitude of methods and skills in order to address the individuality of every client. Mirjam has a passion to help her clients overcome difficult obstacles as well as identifying strengths and finding unexpected sources of resilience to improve their overall quality of life.
She is comfortable working with a wide range of issues such as Depression, Anxiety, Crisis Management, Life Coaching, Self-Esteem, Identity, Relationship Difficulties, EAP, Migration and Adjustment to New Environments and Multi-Cultural relationships. She is also familiar with the particularities of the FIFO lifestyle.
Mirjam lived and worked in various countries which has given her an in-depth understanding of the psychological characteristics of different cultural, religious and spiritual groups.
Mirjam is bi-lingual and able to offer her sessions in German, to German speaking clients if required. She is a member of the German Society of Psychologist and is registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (APHRA).
Caroline has worked for 14 years in early intervention in youth mental health. Prior to this she has mainly worked in roles in youth health and community health where she promoted well-being. Respect is important to Caroline and she incorporates this into her work by her empathy and her commitment to work as a team. Caroline also shares her creativity in the work she does and is often producing art to help introduce concepts.
Caroline uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She enjoys working with people as they learn lifelong skills that help them to meet the challenges that life produces, as well as guide them in the direction that is important to them.
Caroline has co-facilitated a number of Tuning into Teens programs and promotes the skills of emotional coaching for parents. She is keen to work with parents who are wanting to be the support their young people need but are finding their own emotional reactivity is making this hard.
Starting as a nurse in the Goulburn Valley in 1990, Caroline is aware of the stress, responsibilities and trauma to people in the helping professions. Caroline is committed to supporting carers, assisting them to effectively handle the pressure and maintain their own vitality.
Caroline is keen to work with individuals who are recovering from tough circumstances. She will support the discovery of new ways of living and developing patterns that are more self-nurturing and helpful in becoming the person they want to be.
Grounded in extensive lived-experience, Dr Ken O’Brien has achieved numerous undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a range of disciplines including Teaching, Business Management, Leadership, Psychology and Social Work that have taken him on a long and complex journey through many Federal and State Government and private sector senior roles. Dr Ken’s extensive research has focussed on the bioevolutionary and epigenetic mechanisms that drive the intergenerational transmission of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Moreover, he has concentrated his efforts on developing practical applications of his research that provides realistic, appropriate and meaningful strategies for families impacted by traumatic stress.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Dr Ken served in the Australian Army Medical Corps, then forged his own footprints by serving in the Queensland State Emergency Service for 37 years and been instrumental in the formation and management of many, many community-controlled health initiatives. He has provided critical strategic advice as a central member of the Department of Veteran Affairs national study into the impacts of war on Australia’s military families. The outcomes of this have informed mental health programs and policies for working with defence and emergency service families around the nation. Dr Ken has also provided his specialist knowledge and expertise to numerous American and British military institutions to assist in improving services that make a difference where it counts.
While highly qualified, Dr Ken always practices and promotes humility. Dr Ken is equally comfortable in jeans, boots, and Akubra on the back of a horse mustering and repairing fences, rebuilding motors and getting his hands dirty, as he is in a suit, such as you see him today. His hobbies include fossicking, lapidary (particularly opals), strategic systems improvement and helping people better understand their strengths and capabilities.
Madalin is a holistic Nutritionist who believes that food is one of our most powerful tools for supporting physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. With a background in science and a passion for making nutrition approachable, she helps individuals and workplaces develop a balanced relationship with food that supports energy, mood, and long-term health.
Her approach combines evidence-based nutrition with a compassionate, non-diet philosophy. Madalin specialises in gut, hormone, and metabolic health, and enjoys translating complex nutritional concepts into practical, sustainable changes that fit real life. She provides both one-on-one guidance and group education to help clients feel confident in nourishing themselves, not through restriction, but through understanding.
At ACT Curious, Madalin supports our wellbeing programs by offering nutritional consultations, workshops, and education sessions designed to enhance vitality, focus, and resilience across all areas of life.
Benjamin is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and a member of the Dietitians Association of Australia. He has a passion for assisting others in achieving their health and nutrition goals through providing workshops, one-on-one dietary support and education. His friendly and understanding nature means clients from a range of varying backgrounds and ages feel comfortable and reassured in their consultations. Benjamin is an advocate of working together with each person; ensuring that he takes his time and effort to create a plan that is customised to their individual needs, lifestyle factors and preferences. Benjamin is passionate about supporting people in a compassionate and non-judgemental way, assisting them to make sustainable and practical dietary and lifestyle changes.
Denise has been a registered psychologist in Australia for 18 years and had worked in Brazil for 8 years prior in a number of clinical settings such as public mental health services, not-for-profits and private practice, with people of all ages.
She completed a Master degree in Clinical Leadership in Australia and has a special interest in working with trauma, as well as providing supervision/support of junior clinicians. Denise uses evidence-based treatment models like ACT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Schema Therapy and EMDR to help clients recover and thrive as much as possible, supporting them in their journey and respecting their pace.
Denise is able to provide therapy in both English and Portuguese. She currently works with adolescents and adults via telehealth.
Angela is a somatic, Parts-trained, EMDR-accredited, and trauma-certified therapist who believes in each individual’s innate capacity to shine, heal, and grow. She works with the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit, tailoring her integrative approach to meet each client’s unique needs and preferences.
With over six years of clinical experience in Australia and more than fifteen years internationally, Angela has dedicated her career to supporting health, wellbeing, and emotional resilience. She has extensive experience providing therapeutic support in diverse contexts, including humanitarian crises, forced displacement, and natural disasters.
Angela has also led therapeutic groups and served as a mentor, coach, and instructor in mindfulness, meditation, and movement practices. Committed to social responsibility, she actively promotes a just and flourishing global community.
Margaretha has been working as a clinical psychotherapist for over 15 years in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Margaretha has a specific interest in the role of relationships in people’s lives. She has extensive experience in relationship counselling, family therapy and treating (early childhood) trauma, anxiety and mood disorders through individual therapy in children, adolescents and adults. She has extensive experience with working with foster and adoptive families. As a parent and foster carer, she has a natural understanding of the complexities that being a parent and carer brings and the impact this can have on relationships with self and others.
She has completed post-graduate training in developmental psychology (4th year) in the Netherlands and a master’s degree in Clinical Family Therapy (LaTrobe). Margaretha uses evidence-based treatment models and modalities like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) because these are underpinned by research showing effectiveness. Margaretha believes that as a client, you deserve the best treatments out there and she believes evidence-based and evidence-informed practices are the best you can get. She has completed qualifications and accreditations in the following evidence-based and evidence-informed therapy models: Trauma Focused – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (Dan Hughes’ DDP), level 2 Theraplay and Gottman’s couple’s therapy.
Margaretha is a bi-lingual therapist, able to provide therapy in both English and Dutch. She works with children (3 years and up), adolescents, adults, couples and families.
Kylie Smith is a skilled Counselling Psychologist providing evidence-based therapeutic support to individuals and groups across community, clinical, and educational contexts. Currently practising at ACT Curious, she conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments and delivers personalised counselling interventions aimed at improving emotional wellbeing, resilience, and mental health. Her work is grounded in ethical, client-centred practice, with a strong focus on reflective care, accurate documentation, and ongoing evaluation of therapeutic progress.
With advanced training in counselling and psychology, Kylie brings a culturally responsive and trauma-informed approach to her practice. She has extensive experience facilitating individual and group therapy and working within diverse communities, including Aboriginal contexts. Kylie is recognised for creating safe and respectful therapeutic environments, building strong therapeutic relationships, and supporting clients through complex life challenges with empathy, professionalism, and integrity.
Trained in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, Elisabeth utilises compassionate, person-centred methods in her clinical work. Her trauma-informed practice creates a safe environment for clients to engage in both verbal and non-verbal exploration. Elisabeth advocates for an integrative approach that combines evidence-based treatments in somatic and creative arts psychotherapy with methodologies such as Internal Family Systems, Polyvagal Theory, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, DBT, MBT, Interpersonal and Existential Psychotherapy, and Humanistic Theories.
In the therapeutic setting and in combination with psychodynamic therapy, Elisabeth incorporates a variety of creative media and techniques, especially when clients struggle to articulate their emotions, helping them to connect their feelings with their thoughts and behaviours. This is particularly beneficial when working with children and those who have gone through trauma.
Elisabeth values meaningful human connections and has spent many years working with vulnerable populations in diverse cultural environments, both in Australia and internationally. Elisabeth integrates her expertise with various artistic modalities, including drama & play, music, dance, creative writing, and visual arts, tailored to address her clients’ specific issues and needs. With a wealth of experience in assisting individuals with complex backgrounds, she has also pursued a successful career as an interdisciplinary artist for over three decades.
Thanh is an accredited mental health social worker who has intensive experience working with people who have a history of complex trauma and addiction. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy EMDR ( Level 2).
Thanh is empathetic and gentle in her therapy style. She understands that connection and rapport are the foundation for the therapeutic change to happen in the sessions. She also enjoys challenging clients where necessary to help clients grow out of their comfort zone. She is passionate in helping trauma survivors to understand their needs and being able to learn assertive communication skills in relationships.
She works from an Adaptive Information Processing model that describes how certain memories are maladaptively stored in the brain and ‘the past is present’ which causes unhelpful belief’s and behaviours in our life and relationship. Thanh focuses on teaching client emotional regulation skills before working on their trauma. Safety and support are paramount in Thanh’s sessions. She works with your nervous system to help you to desensitise and be free from your trauma.
Thanh has completed Level 2 training in EMDR and will continue to advance her skills in trauma work. She usually uses Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in conjunction with EMDR to help clients. She is also influenced by Gestalt therapy, which focuses on the here and now in the session and her relational therapeutic relationship with her clients. She understands that clients can’t process trauma if they can not stay in the here and now.
Thanh is fluent in English and Vietnamese.
Shelley Tipene is a experienced Psychologist with more than 35 years of professional practice across private practice, organisational psychology, employee assistance programs (EAP), counselling, and critical incident response. Her work spans clinical, corporate, and community settings, where she has provided evidence-based psychological support to individuals and organisations managing complex personal, workplace, and systemic challenges. Shelley has extensive experience delivering counselling, organisational development, executive coaching, mediation, return-to-work support, and FIFO and remote-site psychological services, with a strong focus on ethical, solution-focused, and outcomes-driven practice.
With advanced qualifications including a Master of Applied Psychology (Organisational) and comprehensive postgraduate training in counselling, neuropsychotherapy, and applied psychological interventions, Shelley brings a contemporary, brain-based and evidence-informed approach to her work. She is known for integrating psychological insight with practical strategies to support resilience, behavioural change, and organisational effectiveness. At ACT Curious, Shelley provides high-level psychological care characterised by professionalism, clinical depth, and a collaborative approach that supports sustainable wellbeing and performance for individuals and workplaces alike
Pamela Bray-Formas is a highly experienced Psychologist with over 20 years of practice providing evidence-based psychological assessment and intervention across government, private, and community settings. Currently consulting with ACT Curious, she works with children, adolescents, adults, and families presenting with complex mental health, disability, trauma, and behavioural needs. Her work includes comprehensive psychological and functional assessments, formulation, and the delivery of structured therapeutic interventions grounded in ethical and best-practice standards.
Pamela has specialist expertise in Positive Behaviour Support, trauma-informed therapy, and systemic approaches for individuals with intellectual disability and high support needs. She is an AHPRA-registered psychologist and approved supervisor, with extensive experience mentoring psychologists and multidisciplinary professionals. Known for her clinical leadership and collaborative approach, Pamela provides high-level psychological care while supporting agencies, families, and practitioners to achieve sustainable, person-centred outcomes.
I have a background of working in Account management in corporate health and wellbeing I managed an online subscription based wellbeing HUB as well as an EAP and and critical incident response coordinator for other EAP providers in the past. I am also a registered Counsellor.
