Louise Johnson

Director of 4thought Psychology
Registered Psychologist

​Dip. Early Childhood Development
Grad. Dip. App. Psych.
​​Psychologist

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Favourite Quote:
"Life isn't about finding yourself.
Life is about creating yourself."
George Bernard Shaw

Louise sees clients with presenting issues including:

Children & Adolescents:
​• Enuresis (bed wetting)
• Separation anxiety
​• Panic attacks
• Specific phobias
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Behavioral problems
• Self-esteem building
• Emotional resilience
• Bullying
• Peer, sibling & parental relationships
• Nightmares & night terrors
• Depressive disorders
​• Eating disorders

Adults:
• Eating disorders
• Anger management
• Stress management
• Depression
• Substance abuse & Cannabis dependence
• Sexual and gender identity issues
• Relationship conflicts
• Parenting skills
• Sleep disorders
• Bereavement 
• Anxiety conditions such as: specific phobias, panic attacks, general anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress. 

​Louise first worked in childcare and early learning settings, kinder and primary schools as a teacher specialising in child development.  This has laid a sound foundation from which she built her psychology degree.  Louise has worked with children, adolescents and families for over 30 years, 20 of which as a psychologist in Educational, Clinical and Hospital domains.  
 
Louise witnesses the power of everyone’s ability to internally heal, change and develop oneself.  The body mind connection has the potential to create great change and joy in life when understood and harnessed.  Our cellular memory holds the recordings of the past and our neuro-plasticity gives us the power to re-script negative beliefs that once held us back creating trauma and crisis in our world.  Once released from these restrictive beliefs, we are free to rise to the challenges of life in a way that enriches ourselves and those around us.  Life just plays out differently.  

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Louise has employed a strong theoretical framework founded on Behaviour Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Techniques (CBT). She incorporates more recent advances in psychological treatments such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) that is a trauma based therapy that works with cellular memory. She also integrates ACT and Mindfulness therapy.
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Louise's interest in family health extends into family court matters, assessments, therapeutic intervention and parenting plans. She holds the position of Treasurer for the Family Law and Psychologist Interest Group with the Australian Psychological Society. 

Louise believes strongly in preventative intervention and supporting parents through separation with respect, dignity and a child focus. This enables parents to navigate through separation minimalising the emotional damage that all family members suffer from with high conflict separations.

Louise has special interest in:

• EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing
• Solution focused therapy  - short term or crisis counselling
• Behaviour therapy  - behaviour modification programs
• Emotional Freedom therapy (EFT)  for the treatment of anxiety
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) anxiety and maladaptive thought  patterns
• Systematic desensitisation/exposure  - Invivo – treatment of specific phobias
• Guided Imagery
• Relaxation training