Dr Sharon Wilkinson is focused on providing a professional and confidential service. Sharon is passionate about assisting her clients to make lifestyle changes that are sustaining into the future. Sharon believes that your mental health is also linked to your physical health, and that your nutrition plays a vital role in how your feel both emotionally and physically. Sharon combines her extensive experience as a clinical psychologist with nutritional therapy to provide her clients with an integrated treatment approach for optimal wellbeing.
True or False: You only see a psychologist if you have a mental health problem?
“I am passionate about supporting my clients who are serious about optimising their health and wellness. I want to support my clients further by providing a more holistic and integrative approach to therapy. I felt that I needed to extend my knowledge further so I commenced studying nutrition and integrative medicine to compliment the psychological service that I provide”.
| Experience & Membership | |
|---|---|
| Clinical Psychologist (Doctorate) DPsych(Clinical) | Australian Centre for Eating Disorders ACFED - Platinum Member |
| BSc(Hons) Psychology | The Australasian Academy of Anti-Ageing Medicine (A5M) (Member) A5M - Modules 1, 2 and 3 |
| Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) | Australian Psychological Society (APS) Full Member |
| Diploma of Management (DipMng) | Fertility Society of Australia (FSA) Australia and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association (ANZICA) |
| Certificate of Neuropsychotherapy – International Association of Clinical Neuropsychotherapy - IACN IACN Full Member |
| Services | |
|---|---|
| Neuropsychotherapy, CBT, Schema Focused Therapy, and varied other psychological therapies | Corporate Employer Supervision and Mentoring Employee Assistance |
| Nutritional Therapy | Professional Supervision |
| Assessments (Varied) Incl: Clinical, Lifestyle, Bariatric, Personality, Employment | Workshops Online – self-paced learning Group |
| Weight (perceptions, optimisation, emotional eating, eating disorders) | Resources – Varied Client access to varied resources to support their education, treatment, health and wellbeing – online and handouts |
| Assisted Reproductive Treatment – providing associated Supportive and Compulsory Counselling – (donor eggs, sperm and embryos) Infertility Counselling Perinatal Mental Health | Appointments Delivery Face to Face or Phone/Skype |
Dr Sharon Wilkinson is a clinical psychologist and nutritional therapy practitioner. Sharon began practising psychology in 2001 and has worked in both the private and public sector.
Sharon established a part-time private practice service in 2005 while also working as a full-time clinician and team leader within the mental health service for Queensland Health. While working for Queensland Health Sharon has worked as a clinician servicing rural clinics, sexual assault support, community adult mental health, consultation liaison psychiatry, child and youth mental health, and Team Leader of an adult community mental health team.
Sharon has additionally worked as a senior project officer developing a model of service delivery for consultation liaison psychiatry across the State of Qld. Prior to 2001 Sharon has worked in organisational settings and has held management roles, and training and development. Collectively the accumulated personal and professional experiences and opportunities that Sharon has undertaken have provided her with an extensive wealth of knowledge and skills.
Sharon continued to work for Queensland Health until 2009 then chose to focus on further developing her private practice business where she now works full-time. Sharon has attended a wide selection of training and development workshops and focused therapy training in varied modalities.
In 2014 Sharon established Health on Herries in East Toowoomba. Sharon works full-time in private practice where she provides a variety of services to clients who seek either clinical psychological support, lifestyle support and/or corporate supervision/mentoring.
I have found that being a Clinical Psychologist is a very rewarding career. I am fortunate that I have the privilege of meeting some wonderful people who are focused on improving their lives though working on their mental and physical heath. I am also able to liaise professionally with some very dedicated people who are like-minded in their approach to supporting their patients, clients and business. I have also the opportunity to link into a plethora of professional development opportunities that enable me to keep me abreast of new and exciting research and development to further enhance my skills and knowledge. Over recent years I have found that I have gravitated towards brain based applications of therapy i.e. neuroplasticity and have gained additional skills in neuropsychotherapy and its application in treating many psychological conditions. I have a very strong interest in nutrition/microbiota and mental health and frequently attend a variety of professional development activities that enhance my knowledge in these areas.
Clinical psychology is not just focused on treating mental health disorders. Sharon is therefore not limited to working only with clients with mental health disorders. Sharon sees clients for a wide range of reasons including nutritional psychology, weight and body perception, work-life balance, personal development, employee mentoring, infertility, pregnancy and perinatal mental health, and varied situational changes that influence life. Anyone can seek psychological support and gain from this service.
Life is a journey with its many ups and downs and sometimes along the continuum of life it’s nice have company from time to time from someone who can make the journey less troubled.
Many clients like to link in again with Sharon 3 - 6 months after ceasing regular support so they can refocus and maintain balance in their lives.
Sharon also provides psychological support to clients who are not able to easily access face to face support through the provision of telehealth (online technology) or telephone support.
Sharon was born in England and emigrated to NZ in her childhood. As a child, she returned to England and attended several schools as she continued to move between the UK and NZ. Prior to commencing her Psychology career Sharon obtained a Diploma in Management and acquired skills in assisting employers and employees in career development and developing work/life balance.
Sharon completed her degree in Psychology with Honours in 2000. After working as a fully registered psychologist Sharon went on to further her education by completing her Clinical Doctorate. During 2016 while working full-time, Sharon also successfully completed additional study to become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. Sharon has also completed focused professional development and acquired a certificate in Neuropsychotherapy through the International Association of Clinical Neuropsychotherapy (IACN). Sharon additionally has successfully completed the required training to become a gold level ACFED practitioner with The Australian Centre for Eating Disorders.
Sharon continues to engage in further education and professional development activities. Sharon is currently studying through the Australian Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A5M) and will complete certification in June 17. Sharon has also been accepted to commence GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) practitioner training in August 2017. Throughout the year Sharon shall continue to attend professional development activities to keep her abreast of current treatment and modalities.
Sharon is a full member of the Australian and Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association (ANZICA) and Fertility Society of Australia (FSA). Sharon is a recognised provider of supportive and mandatory counselling required for the use of donor gametes (egg, sperm and embryos).
Sharon provides pre-counselling and assessment for people considering a bariatric surgical procedure. Sharon additional provides ongoing support following bariatric surgery to assist with lifestyle changes.
Sharon is a Medicare provider of clinical psychology services. Sharon additionally provides services to several Government Services including the Primary Health Network (PHN), Australian Defence Force, Department of Veterans. Sharon also provides services to contracted non-government agencies, private health funds and employee assistance programs through receipt of direct referrals.
For further information about Sharon see Dr Sharon Wilkinson’s LinkedIn profile.
Personal LifeSharon has a passion for art and nature and likes to express her interest through painting, preferring the translucency and unpredictable nature of watercolour. Sharon has won awards and has sold several of her paintings. Sharon describes herself as a Sunday painter and has a small gallery of her paintings on display at her Health on Herries gallery. Sharon welcomes interest from other artists if they should like to exhibit their artwork. Sharon enjoys travelling back to New Zealand to visit her family where she enjoys fly-fishing, bush walking and watercolour painting.
