Clinical Psychologist About Jess
Jess Chadakorn trained as a clinical psychologist in Canberra, where she worked in public hospital mental health, pain and rehabilitation services.
Clinical experience
During her Master's, Jess completed placements at the University of Canberra Health Clinics, the Eating Disorders Clinical Hub (STRIDE program, ACT Health), and Rehabilitation and Aged Care Services at the University of Canberra Hospital. As a clinical psychology registrar at Canberra Health Services, she rotated through the Adult and Older Adult Acute Mental Health Units, the Acute Psychology Team, the Pain Management Unit, and the Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Service and Day Service.
After gaining her endorsement, she worked as a clinical psychologist in the acute units, providing assessment, diagnostic clarification and treatment for people with acute and complex mental health needs within a multidisciplinary team. She has also provided psychological care on general medical wards. Her work has spanned children through to older adults, in individual and group therapy.
How Jess works
Jess begins with an assessment, which may include standardised questionnaires. From it she builds a formulation, an account of how your difficulties developed and what keeps them going, which shapes a treatment plan agreed with you. Where a diagnosis helps, she bases it on recognised diagnostic criteria, though you do not need one to start therapy.
She draws on cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), schema therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) skills and psychodynamic therapy, often in combination. The balance depends on your goals and preferences, from structured exercises between sessions to more open conversation. The plan is reviewed together as therapy progresses. Each therapy has its own page in the approaches section.
The values behind her work
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Empathetic
Jess listens carefully and works to understand your perspective. She aims to keep sessions calm and free of judgement, including when difficult topics arise.
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Holistic
Jess considers how physical health, sleep, relationships, family, and work or study affect one another, and takes this into account in assessment and treatment.
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Collaborative
Jess explains the reasoning behind each technique and checks regularly what is helping, so you have a real say in the direction of therapy.
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Individualised
Two people seeking help for anxiety may have different treatment plans with Jess, because each plan follows from that person's formulation, goals and circumstances.
Who Jess works with
Jess works with children from about six years old, teenagers and adults. With children, therapy often includes drawing or games, and parents or carers are usually involved. Jess has a particular interest in neurodiversity, and her work with autistic people, people with ADHD and others who are neurodivergent is neurodiversity-affirming, adapted to how each person thinks and communicates. She describes herself as a queer ally and works with LGBTQIA+ people.
Qualifications and registration
After a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), Jess completed an accredited two-year Master of Psychology (Clinical), followed by the two-year registrar program described above. The program, approved by the Psychology Board of Australia, required at least 3,000 hours of clinical practice supervised by an endorsed clinical psychologist, along with active professional development and assessment against the Board's clinical psychology competencies. On completing it, Jess was granted the Board's area of practice endorsement in clinical psychology, which allows her to use the title clinical psychologist.
Clinical psychology training centres on the assessment, diagnosis, formulation and evidence-based treatment of mental health conditions across the lifespan. The Board says it takes about eight years of education and training to become eligible for endorsement. Jess's endorsement is recorded on the public register of practitioners at ahpra.gov.au.
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
- Master of Psychology (Clinical)
- Two-year clinical psychology registrar program, Canberra Health Services
- Registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (AHPRA)
- Area of practice endorsement in clinical psychology
- Current Victorian Working with Children Check
- Registration verified by Psychology Today
Where Jess sees people
In Rosanna, the clinic offers online booking and early morning and early evening appointments. In Warrandyte, sessions can be held outdoors in the clinic's backyard by the Yarra River. Jess also sees people by telehealth, and appointments can be made with or without a referral.
Rosanna
Mind Your Health Centre
47 Greville Road, Rosanna VIC 3084
Jess is here Wednesday 1pm to 7pm, Thursday 7am to 1pm
- Phone
- (03) 9965 8903
Warrandyte
Mullum Road Clinic
71 Yarra Street, Warrandyte VIC 3113
Jess is here Monday and Tuesday 9am to 6pm
- Phone
- (03) 7042 3300