Ivanhoe

Dr Swinburne completed a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Child, Adolescent and Family Specialisation) at the University of Melbourne in 2004. Since completing her doctorate, Dr Swinburne has undertaken additional study at the Bouverie Family Centre in Clinical Family Therapy and views parent and family work as an integral part of many interventions.  Dr Swinburne works from a transparent and collaborative model involving parents/carers so that everyone can actively work together to support the child.

Dr Swinburne has worked in various settings including The Royal Children’s Hospital Psychology Department, The Royal Children’s Hospital Child & Mental Health Service, The Austin Hospital Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service, and Take-Two Berrystreet.

Dr Swinburne has extensive experience in assessing and treating a range of issues in children and young people including anxiety, mood disorders, behavioural difficulties, body-image and emerging eating difficulties, high risk behaviours (including suicidal thoughts and self-harm), attachment difficulties, developmental trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, and developmental disorders.

Dr Swinburne’s doctoral thesis was on the effectiveness of treating childhood anxiety with cognitive behavioural therapy (at the Royal Children’s Hospital) and hence she has expert knowledge in treating anxiety across the developmental life span. She is particularly experienced in working with generalised anxiety (worries), phobias, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder and social anxiety.

Dr Swinburne also has a special interest in working with Biological, Foster and both local and inter-country Adoption families around the impact of complex developmental trauma and abuse. Dr Swinburne was a Senior Clinician at Take Two which is an innovative clinical service for children that have suffered trauma and abuse and are under the care of Child Protection, Department of Human Services, Victoria. Dr Swinburne has gained significant experience in the assessment and treatment of childhood trauma and attachment related difficulties drawing from a number of frameworks and models. She utilises a range of trauma informed modalities including CBT for trauma, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Theraplay and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing).

Dr Swinburne developed the Carer Assessment Framework for the Circle Program Therapeutic Foster Care (Take Two Berrystreet, in partnership with Australian Childhood Foundation and Department of Human Services). She has conducted an extensive number of foster care Carer Assessments for NGO’s.  She has undertaken a number of Parenting Capacity Assessments for the Department of Human Services.  Dr Swinburne has participated in out-of-home care agency panels relating to placement decision-making and has provided consultation to the Quality of Care Panel at Child Protection, Department of Human Services. Dr Swinburne has been an expert witness to the Patient Review Panel, Victoria (which is independent to the Department of Health and Human Services and is reviewable by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal).  Dr Swinburne also works extensively with children and families engaged with the Family Court.

Dr Swinburne provides clinical supervision to all practitioners at Melbourne Children’s Psychology Clinic, Ivanhoe. She also provides supervision to both general and clinical psychologists in a private capacity across a wide range of settings including private practice, CAMHS, Take Two, Secure Welfare, disability, the out-of-home care sector, and in rural and remote settings.