Our Team
Melissa Johnstone
Director, Darling St Practice and Clinical Psychologist
Melissa commenced her psychology career in 2001 and has excelled in roles within public and private health service sectors. Melissa is well known for her commitment to excellence and quality care, which enables positive outcomes from the many concerns bringing clients to her door. Melissa’s warmth, clinical expertise, and absolute regard for each client means that clients are safely and supportively held through the therapeutic process.
Melissa has completed a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) and Master of Psychological (Clinical), is registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and a Member of the Australian Psychological Society. As a registered Clinical Psychologist, Melissa has an ongoing commitment to professional development through ongoing training and utilises a range of evidence based therapeutic modalities.
Services offered
Melissa’s interest in working with trauma extended from working with people who had experienced sexual assault and grew into working across the fields of child protection and domestic and family violence. As such, Melissa holds special interest in supporting recovery from interpersonal violence. Melissa is also highly trained in management of mental illness, issues in relationships and adjustment to life changes, and enjoys working with clients from all backgrounds in achieving change specific to each person’s goal and situation.
Given Melissa’s substantial clinical training and expertise, she is also experienced in providing clinical supervision to psychologists, social workers and professionals working in welfare, child protection and wellbeing fields. Melissa particularly enjoys being of service to people working on the frontline with vulnerable families and communities and is well situated to provide support to clinicians in developing professional competency and delivery of clinical care.
Through her work in senior management of specialist services responding to violence, abuse and neglect, Melissa’s interest extend into leadership mentoring and organisational consultancy. The impact on clinicians in working with complex trauma can be multifaceted, and proactive organisational management is necessary to ensure effective, protective, and sustainable practice. Prevention, recognition, and response to vicarious trauma is of particular interest for Melissa, and she welcomes opportunity to support managers in maintaining the wellbeing of workforce through appropriate prevention, risk recognition and support.
Rhiannon Gaffney
Psychologist
Rhiannon Gaffney commenced her psychology career in 2012. Rhiannon completed a Bachelor of Psychology and is registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and a Member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS).
Rhiannon has an ongoing commitment to professional development through ongoing training, and utilises a range of evidence based therapeutic modalities. Her scope of experience includes working with clients across the lifespan, in particular children, young people and their families.
Rhiannon has spent most of her career in the Out-Of-Home-Care (OOHC) sector, (Residential Care, Disability Care, Foster Care) working with children, young people and their families who had experienced complex trauma and a range of mental health issues. She has also worked within a charity organisation providing therapy and support to young people, their school and school staff. Within the private sector, Rhiannon provided therapy and support to children, young people and their families.
Services offered
Rhiannon provides focussed psychological strategies for a range of presenting issues, and accepts self-referral, GP Mental Health Care Plan and Employee Assistance Program referrals. With her background in working with children, support for younger clients is one of her specialities.
Emma Stilinovic
Clinical Psychologist Registrar
Emma has earned a Master’s degree in Psychology (clinical) and is currently completing a registrar program in the same field. Emma holds general registration as a Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and holds membership with the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS).
Driven by a sincere desire to assist clients identify who they want to be, Emma collaborates with them to take meaningful steps toward their goals. She values evidence-based treatments and remains dedicated to ongoing professional development. With experience spanning both clinical and educational settings, Emma has had the privilege of working with individuals of all ages, with a particular focus on children, adolescents, their families, and educators.
Services Offered
Emma offers support, interventions, and strategies for a range of presenting concerns and welcomes self-referrals as well as referrals through GP Mental Health Care Plans. She also conducts cognitive, academic, and behavioural assessments to facilitate personalized supports and diagnoses. Her goal is to ensure a holistic understanding of her clients' strengths, challenges, and support requirements to encourage positive outcomes.