Michelle Ryan-Gittens

Michelle’s areas of interest include:

• Child and adolescent issues (0 – 18 years)
• Anxiety including school and separation anxiety
• Anxiety related to current events and global issues (e.g COVID-19, eco-anxiety)
• Fears and phobias
• Resilience and self-confidence
• Family separation and transition issues
• Sibling and new baby relationships
• Grief and Loss
• Behaviour management
• Emotional regulation (inc. Zones of Regulation)
• Sensory sensitivity
• Selective Mutism and extreme shyness
• Sleeping and routines
• Toileting
• School and learning issues
• Friendship, social skills and bullying issues
• Protective Behaviours and Keeping Kids Safe
• Overthinking and perfectionism
• Parenting skills and emotion coaching
• Parenting stress and exhaustion
• Parenting children with disabilities
• Women’s wellbeing and issues related to fertility, menopause, and in-law relationships
• Occupational stress and workplace conflict for teachers and school staff.

Clinical Experience and Background:

Michelle has worked in a wide range of settings including schools, early intervention centres, home-based parenting support, foster care and organisations for children with disabilities. She has run numerous parenting programs and workshops on topics such as: Tuning in to Kids, Child Friendships and Conflicts, Children and Anxiety, and Managing Behaviour.

Her ongoing work in private and government schools has provided Michelle with extensive experience counselling teachers and school staff in areas of occupational stress and managing workplace conflict. She has presented engaging workshops on workplace stress management and recently ran a series of telehealth presentations on supporting employees through COVID-19 and isolation.

Michelle completed her Psychology qualification at University of WA and her Diploma of Education from Murdoch University. She has also completed her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, is a member of AHPRA and an Assoc member of the Australian Psychological Society.