About Me

Dr Brendan Lloyd

Clinical Psychologist BA MHlthSC PhD MACPCP

I value highly the scientific foundations of psychology. My Masters Degree and my PhD are evidence of this. The external examiner for my Masters was Prof Auke Tellegen (University of Minnesota USA) and my external examiner for my doctoral thesis was Prof William Stiles (Miami University Florida USA). Both these examiners are psychologists with an international reputation. Prof Tellegen is known for his work in the area of  personality, and Prof Stiles is know for his work in the area of psychotherapy and behaviour-change.

I began my clinical private practice in 1998. I am committed to participating in ongoing professional development. I participate in ongoing training.  I have specialist training in the areas of anger management and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), suicide prevention, anxiety, personality disorder, clinical hypnosis, and relationships counselling.

My clinical practice is devoted to helping people overcome debilitating psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, panic, posttraumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder, etc. I have also assisted people with stress, pain, and anger management as well as helping people with relationship counselling.

Psychotherapy

"Which psychotherapy is best for me?"

The answer is like this: If you have five psychologists in a room, then you have at least six different opinions on which is the best psychotherapy.

The fact of the matter is, that all psychotherapies are equally effective given two important factors. Firstly, at the end of the first session, you should leave with a clear understanding of the therapeutic process and how it will work. Secondly, your understanding of the process should leave you with confidence that this psychologist can and will help you.

So, at the end of the first session you should leave with confidence and clarity about what the psychologist is about to take you through. You should have it in writing. You should have handouts that clearly represent what the psychologist told you in your session. You should have a clear idea of the estimated number of sessions that are required to help you effectively.

The aim of any system of Psychotherapy these days is to reduce symptoms not change your personality. The process, in most cases need only take around 8 to 16 weekly one-hour sessions, with homework completed in between sessions.

Psychotherapy literally means “treatment for the mind”. Rather than a drug, the treatment is the process of taking-on effective strategies and skills to manage life's challenges more effectively. The main foundations for my psychotherapy are Mindfulness and Cognitive Schemes.

The days of endlessly analysing your childhood or sitting around merely complaining to a paid listener are long gone. Expect to be an active participant in the therapeutic processes. There will be homework.

Relationship Counselling

Insight sometimes comes to us as a fleeting glimpse. For example, you notice that you are repeating similar patterns in your current relationship and/or repeating similar patterns across different and/or past relationships.

These patterns can be difficult to see clearly when you are in the middle of them, and often awareness comes when reflecting back in time over your current relationship, or reflecting back on past relationships.

People frequently seek help from a psychologist when they suspect that they are in the process of repeating old patterns in their current relationship, or after a relationship ends, and they would like to learn from their experiences and create healthier interactions in relationships to come.

These recurrent patterns or themes in relationships typically happen outside your awareness, often unfolding relatively subtly and gradually. This can make it difficult to detect your own contributions to your patterns, to understand underlying causes, and to work out how to change.

Often, one or both partners is looking for a quick-fix. In my experience this is unrealistic and ultimately damaging. Couples who are looking for a quick-fix usually end up going from one psychologist to another, or just giving up, without ever gaining satisfaction. 

I recommend that the sessions begin with both partners attending the first session together. Then each partner needs to attend individuals sessions. Quite likely, each individual will need to attend four sessions each. Once the individual sessions are complete, regardless of how many are required, then both partners should attend a joint session.

Byron Bay Consulting room at Suffolk Park