Jenna Axtens
Clinical Psychologist

Jenna is warm, understanding, quirky and collaborative, and enjoys connecting with clients to enhance their self-awareness and build skills for increasing mental health and wellbeing.

She has worked in private practice, in Primary Health Networks, with NDIS participants and WorkCover clients. She also has experience in a local hospital supporting inpatients’ mental health during medical rehabilitation/post-stroke.  Jenna has also worked in Child Protection services and has worked as a research assistant with two publications to her name.

Jenna enjoys connecting with clients across the lifespan, with a range of concerns, including depression, anxiety disorders, and adjustment disorders. Jenna has a special interest in Neurodiversity, sleep psychology and transdiagnostic approaches to treatment. Jenna welcomes telehealth and face to face appointments.

Jenna is trained and skilled in the following evidence-based interventions:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Registrations and memberships

• Registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Member: Australian Psychological Society (APS)

Megan ‘Meg’  Wells
Clinical Psychology Registar and Registered Psychologist

Meg is a Registered Psychologist and is currently completing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Wollongong.

Meg takes a collaborative approach to psychological care and values creating a space where clients feel safe to explore their needs and goals. She has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in individual and group practice. She welcomes clients with a variety of presentations, including anxiety, depression, trauma, low self-esteem, and interpersonal difficulties.

Meg’s practice draws from therapeutic approaches including:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Registrations and memberships:

• Registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Member: Australian Psychological Society

Shanna White
Registered Psychologist

With over 10 years experience in mental health services Shanna is extremely passionate about supporting people in a safe and collaborative way. As well as working with children, adolescents, young adults and couples, she also works as a Family Therapist.

Shanna has a special interest in the neurological impacts of trauma and her passion lays in helping people heal from trauma.

Actively participating in a collegial and collaborative care team for children and adolescents with behavioural support needs as well as NDIS clients, Shanna’s experience and breadth of knowledge brings a dynamic energy to her clients and their carers.

Since joining the team in April 2019, Shanna has flourished under Dr Olga’s guidance developing strong clinical assessment, diagnostic and intervention skills. These skills have grown Shanna’s confidence in supporting a wide range of clients including those with anxiety, depression, stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, OCD, oppositional defiant disorder, adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, mood disorders, personality disorders, and neurological disorders.

As an Associate of the team, Shanna has grown her client base within the Illawarra community whilst also teaching trauma-informed practices to those providing direct care through professional development workshops.

Shanna uses a range of therapeutic techniques including:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Trauma Therapy
• Trauma Focused – Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (TF-CBT)

Registrations and memberships

• Registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Member: Australian Psychological Society (APS)
• Ambassador: Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association (ANZMHA)

Jennifer Byrne
Registered Psychologist

With over 12 years experience as a Registered Psychologist, Jennifer’s fascination with the workings of the human mind drives her ongoing commitment to learning and teaching. She has previously researched ‘pain in older Australians’ and ‘depression in women’ and has facilitated workshops in mindfulness, positive neuroplasticity, stress and anxiety.

Jennifer adapts different approaches to suit each client’s needs and circumstances. She gently and respectfully helps them learn the strategies and skills to get their lives back on track using a combination of:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Trauma Informed Care

Jennifer has a special interest in helping people with grief and loss, anxiety, trauma, positive neuroplasticity, workplace stress, relaxation training and mindfulness.

Note: Jennifer is available for telehealth appointments only.

Registrations and memberships
Registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
Member: Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS)

Shayla Lindsay
Registered Psychologist

Shayla is our psychologist who has experience working with children, adolescents, parents and families in various settings including school, NDIS and out of home care. Shayla’s warm, friendly and caring nature helps clients to feel comfortable and safe.  Shayla works with clients with depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, and adjustment disorder.

Shayla is trained in a wide range of programs in individual and group therapy programs. These therapeutic programs include:

• 123 Magic parent training program
• Cool Kids, Cool Little Kids and Chilled Anxiety Program
• Lego-Based Therapy program.

Shayla has also worked as a behaviour support practitioner in various spaces including out of home care and NDIS and is experienced in developing behaviour support plans and strategies.  She is able to complete cognitive, academic, behavioural and functional assessments.
Shayla draws from a variety of approaches to tailor treatment to clients’ individual needs. These therapeutic approaches include

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT),
• Trauma Informed Practice
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Shayla is passionate about empowering her clients with the skills and knowledge to feel in control of their mental health so they can better achieve their goals.

Jeremy Maksour
Registered Psychologist

Jeremy is a Registered Psychologist at Dr Olga Lavalle & Associates. His experience includes Telephone Crisis Support at Lifeline, rehabilitation consultancy for Workers Compensation, and delivering individual and group programs in private practice.

Jeremy works with adolescents and adults with a wide range of presentations and disorders, including but not limited to anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, OCD, ADHD, ASD (Autism), grief and loss, stress, panic, anger, low self esteem, low motivation, trauma, and relationship difficulties. He’s passionate about providing psychological treatment tailored to each client to empower them with the necessary skills and strategies to cope effectively, and also, to support them in finding meaning and living with purpose.

Jeremy’s therapeutic approaches include:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Mindfulness

Registrations and memberships

• General Registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Member: Australian Psychological Society (APS)

Stacey Van Der Meer
Provisional Psychologist

Stacey is a provisional psychologist in her final year of the Master of Psychology (Clinical) at the University of Wollongong. She has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, parents, and families individually and in group therapy.

Stacey enjoys working collaboratively with clients to find hope and create positive changes in their lives. She supports clients with a range of presentations including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, stress, low mood, ADHD and other mental health concerns. She is also able to complete ADHD and learning disorder assessments.

Stacey is passionate about building a strong therapeutic alliance with her clients and providing individually tailored and evidence-based treatments drawing from the following therapeutic approaches:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
• Dialetical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Feedback-Informed Therapy (FIT)

She is also trained in facilitating the following programs in groups or individually:

• Cool Kids Anxiety Program
• Confident Carers Cooperative Kids (CCCK)
• Coaching and Parent Emotion Support Program (CaPES)

Registrations and Memberships:

• Provisional Registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• Member: Australian Psychological Society (APS) and member of the College of Clinical Psychologists

Chloe Lavalle
Practice Manager

Marissa Saverino
Administrative Assistant

With a warm and friendly smile, Marissa is the welcoming voice people hear when they first call our practice to make an appointment or an enquiry. Her passion for ensuring all clients are comfortable and leave with a smile is something she takes great pride in.