Dr Gary K. Banks
PhD(Med)[UNSW], MClin Psych [UWA], MBA [Macq U], BA,BPsych [UWA], MAPS
Principal clinical psychologist and managing director, Dr Gary K. Banks is a registered Psychologist under the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with specialist endorsements in Clinical Psychology and Forensic Psychology ((#AHPRA Registration No:PSY0000974896). He is also a full member of the Australian Psychological Society’s College of Clinical Psychologists and the College of Forensic Psychologists.
Gary holds graduate and post-graduate degrees in Psychology and Clinical Psychology and a Fellowship in Medical Hypnosis. His Master of Clinical Psychology degree also included extended training in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Neurosciences Institute in West Perth. He also holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the Faculty of Medicine, UNSW which also included completion of the neuroanatomy course for neuropsychologists.
In addition to a number of other clinical positions, he is a member of the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences and the Australian New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and the Law (ANZAPPL). He provides graduate and post-graduate clinical supervision for a number of universities around Australia and internationally.
His interests include forensic assessments and evaluations of individuals before the Courts for clinical and neuropsychological purposes. These include criminal, personal injury, insurance, child protection and and custody matters. He is an approved provider for the Crown Solicitor, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Legal Aid, Public Trustee and most insurance companies.
He has been appointed to the NSW Children's Court as an Authorised Clinician and is listed by the Family Court of Australia as an approved clinician for the preparation of Family Reports and Single Expert Reports, and as well as being an Accredited Family Dispute Resolution Provider.
He is the founder of the Sydney Counselling Centre – an organisation he established to provide high quality psychological therapy and assessment services by well trained, experienced and credentialed professionals.
Peiling Kong
MClin Psych [ACAP], BPsych (Hons) [USyd], GDPsych [USyd], BA [USyd], MAPS
Pei is a clinical psychologist (AHPRA PSY0001687492) and a member of the Australian Psychological Society. She completed undergraduate and postgraduate studies in clinical psychology, and she is an AHPRA approved clinical supervisor.
Pei’s clinical experience include working in private practice and school settings with children, adolescents, adults, and families with emotional and behaviour difficulties, anxiety and depression, body image concerns, addiction and trauma. She has specific interests working with survivors of domestic and family violence. Pei has worked in Out of Home Care, and is experienced in conducting placement and carer assessments, behavioural support, case management of children from vulnerable families. She maintains ongoing interests conducting care and placement assessments.
Pei’s professional interests also extend to conducting clinical and neuropsychological assessments. She assists Dr Banks in family, child protection, and criminal matters. Additionally, Pei has facilitated performance enhancing seminars for elite athletes, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based groups for children and adolescents focused on managing exam stress, as well as pre-employment job-readiness groups. She continues to work with elite female athletes and athletes with disabilities in New South Wales and Victoria.
Pei is a PhD candidate at the Sydney Law School, University of Sydney. Her dissertation is investigating the efficacy of expert evidence in facilitating child participation in care and adoption proceedings in New South Wales, Australia. Pei is also assisting Professor Judith Cashmore, one of her research supervisors on a project reviewing the impact of Permanency Amendments on outcomes for children in care in Victoria. Pei’s research and career goals are to promote child participation and children’s rights within a social justice framework and contribute to law reform. She has presented her research at various state, national, and international conferences.
Patrick Bruneau
MPsych (Ed&Dev), MComm (IR&HR), PGDip Psych, BSc, MAPS, AHRI
Patrick is a registered Psychologist and healthcare provider. Patrick is also a member of the Australian Psychological Society. Patrick holds graduate and post graduate degrees in Science and Psychology and obtained his Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) from the University of Western Sydney. His Master’s thesis was on the various manifestations, theories and research regarding the relationship between impulsive and aggressive behaviour(s).
Patrick has experience working as an Educational and Developmental Psychologist with adults, children and families in private practice. In addition to this, Patrick has extensive experience providing psychological, psychometric and educational assessments, treatment, and interventions in corporate settings as both a psychologist and Human Resources Manager. Subsequently, Patrick has a Masters in Commerce of which he majored in Industrial relations, Human Resource Management and Workplace Learning and Development (HRD) strategies.
His professional interests in private practice include conducting psychometric assessments for all ages but preferably children and adolescents in regards to a wide range of concerns including intellectual/cognitive, educational, developmental, behavioural, social/ emotional and memory; the development of children; intellectual disabilities; diagnosis of childhood disorders and gifted children. Patrick also provides counselling and intervention to children and families including but not limited to: self esteem/confidence, anger management, behaviour management, family issues, general counselling, divorce issues, sibling rivalry, parenting skill/issues, attachment etc.
Patrick’s interest and expertise also extends to corporate settings in which he is able to provide services that include workplace mental health assessments, training and counselling, psychometric testing, vocational advice and training, learning and development strategies and programs, workers compensation, industrial relations, general HR advice/consultation, employee engagement and culture assessments and management training and mentoring programs.
Keith Kong
B.A. (Hons), Master in Psychology (Educational and Developmental Psychology)
Keith is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist and Clinical Psychologist (AHPRA Registration No. PS 0001276664). He specialises in individual and family therapy. He has worked extensively with children, adolescents and adults who suffer from depression, anxiety, grief and bereavement and family problems.
He believes that therapy is a collaborative relationship in which both client & therapist are involved in a journey of self-discovery. Therefore, client-therapist relationship is of paramount importance because it is the relationship that brings the healing. He promotes personal growth, self-awareness and help clients experience authentic existence through the process of therapy.
His treatment approaches include Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Solution focused brief therapy (SFBT), Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Psychodynamic therapy and Existential therapy.
Keith also does therapy in Cantonese and Mandarin.
Clair Baker
MPsych(Forensic)[UWS], MCrim[USyd], PGradDip Psych [UNE], BA(Psych) [MacqU], MAPS, FCFP
Clair is a registered psychologist under the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency with a specialist endorsement in Forensic Psychology. Clair holds a graduate degree in Psychology from Macquarie University, a Graduate Diploma in Psychology from University of New England, a Master of Criminology from Sydney University and a Master of Forensic Psychology from University of Western Sydney.
Clair has experience working with children, teenagers and adults using a variety of treatment approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). Clair also has experience working with persons suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in particular with members of law enforcement.