Welcome to Penny McDonald Psychology
Specialist, Inclusive and Compassionate Therapy for Trauma Survivors.
“Trauma is not what happens to you, it’s what happens inside you”
Gabor Mate, 2022
Welcome, my name is Penny, and I am a trauma-informed AHPRA registered psychologist. I have been supporting many people heal through therapy founded in trauma-informed practice for close to 20 years. Human rights and Systems Theory form the foundations of my work and I believe true trauma-informed practice comes from a position of witnessing, nurturing and holding accountability through understanding the complexity of how we came to view ourselves and the world around us. The field of trauma-informed practice is ever evolving and becoming more inclusive to understand trauma is not only about the individual, but also the systems around us that uphold and maintain power imbalances and creates harm, especially for those from diverse backgrounds and identities.
There is no “one size fits all” approach to healing. We all come from varied and diverse backgrounds, so therapy requires diversity in its approach too. Creating safe places of inclusion for all who take the first step in their recovery is crucial, and I welcome referrals from all cultures, identities, abilities and walks of life, and work towards creating culturally safe spaces for all. Safety is key in healing from trauma, and to achieve the beginnings of this, the therapeutic relationship must understand the client as the expert in their lives, while walking alongside them in their healing, and remaining open to my own self-reflections and learnings in this work.