Maddy Smith

Registered Psychologist / Clinical Psychology Registrar

Maddy completed a Master of Clinical Psychology at Western Sydney University and is currently completing the Clinical Registrar program. She is a member of the Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA) and the Australian Psychological Society (APS). Maddy has a keen interest in working with children, adolescents and their families.

Her therapeutic approach focuses on building a strong connection with clients, by understanding their unique story and experience and collaborating to develop strategies to overcome social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Maddy incorporates creative activities into the therapeutic process that draw on the individual’s strengths and interests, to help clients improve their understanding of themselves and their experiences and, support the development of coping skills to better manage difficult experiences.

Maddy uses a developmentally appropriate, integrative approach to treatment, utilising evidence-based psychological therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing and Problem-Solving Therapy. Her areas of interest include: behavioural problems, emotional problems, social problems, Neurodevelopmental disorders, Depressive disorders, Anxiety disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders and Disruptive, Impulse-Control and Conduct Disorders.

Maddy is available on Mondays. Outside of work Maddy most enjoys spending time travelling and exploring with her family and socialising with her friends. She loves being outdoors on the beautiful Central Coast, especially on the beach, in the ocean.

Maddy also provides a number of specialised assessments including:

  • Cognitive Assessments/Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Assessments: School aged children aged 6-18 years;
  • Educational Assessments: School aged children aged 6-18 years;
  • Behavioural Assessments (including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Assessments): School aged children aged 6-18 years.
  • Adult Assessments (educational, cognitive and ADHD)

Blog

Read about the most common psychological problems, up-to-date, evidence-based tips, tools and resources for improving your mental health & wellbeing.

The Benefits of Online Therapy

The Benefits of Online Therapy

What is lockdown stress? During times of elevated stress, it is important to take care of yourself in whatever way your can. Lockdown is one of those times. Some reasons for greater stress are obvious, but one you may not be aware of is what happens to your body and...

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The Best Thing You Can Do to Feel Better

The Best Thing You Can Do to Feel Better

Exercise is one of the best ways to improve your health and not just physically but mentally too. In fact, exercise is so good for the brain that it is fondly referred to as "Brain-ercise". Some of the benefits of exercise include decreasing stress, anxiety, and...

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Happy Mum’s Guide to Parenting

Happy Mum’s Guide to Parenting

Raising children can be stressful. Parenting is hard because it's is not a one-size-fits-all job. You have to be continually learning, growing, and adapting as your kids grow and change. It can be difficult to juggle the responsibility of parenting with everything...

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What to Expect At Your First Psychology Visit

What to Expect At Your First Psychology Visit

Going to see a Psychologist for the first time can feel really scary and nerve-wracking when you don’t know what to expect. Some of the things that my first-time clients say include things like: “I’m afraid I will be judged”, “I’m afraid you’ll think I’m broken or...

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Resting in Certainty

Resting in Certainty

In times of uncertainty it can be so easy to feel like you are adrift on an ocean not sure which way is North …not a great feeling. In fact, I often say to clients that psychologically, living in the “unknown” is one of the hardest places to live. We can usually face...

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