ABOUT PSYCHIATRIST, DR AARON FERNANDEZ

Pronouns: He/Him

Dr Fernandez brings a warm, professional, and collaborative approach to his work with individuals, aiming to foster trust, comfort, and safety in all consultations. Individuals describe him as thoughtful, approachable, and attentive, which helps create a strong therapeutic relationship from the outset.

As a psychiatrist, Dr Fernandez utilises a biopsychosocial approach and values collaborative care, particularly when working with complex mental health presentations. He adopts a neurodiversity-affirming approach and views neurodiversity as a natural variation within the human brain.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Fellow of the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP), 2024 
• Master of Medicine (Psychiatry), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2009
• Master of Psychology (General), Walden University, USA, 2008
• Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bangalore University, India, 2000

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

• AHPRA Registration: MED0002701509
• Fellow of the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP), 2024

Dr Fernandez is a Fellow of the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP) and is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). He practices with a strong commitment to professional standards and ethical care, ensuring individuals receive safe, evidence-based, and compassionate psychiatric support.

Clinical Philosophy

Dr Fernandez believes effective psychiatric care combines evidence-based medical management with a collaborative, individual-centred approach. He integrates psychopharmacology, psychoeducation, and supportive guidance to empower individuals to understand their mental health and achieve functional and symptom improvement.

Dr Fernandez provides a safe, non-judgmental space where individuals are encouraged to participate actively in their treatment, and he prioritises building a trusting, respectful, and professional relationship.

Clinical Approach

Dr Fernandez adopts a patient-centred approach that emphasises collaboration, empowerment, and evidence-based interventions. He works closely with individuals to understand their unique experiences and goals, and develops treatment plans that integrate medication management, psychotherapy referrals, and lifestyle considerations.

He believes that placing individuals as experts in their own experiences promotes self-efficacy and long-term positive change. He also ensures regular communication with other significant parties, such as psychologists, general practitioners, and other allied health professionals, to provide holistic care.

Clinical Interventions & Methods

Dr Fernandez integrates a range of evidence-based approaches, combining psychiatric care with psychological strategies, psychoeducation, and collaborative planning to support individual recovery, resilience, and functional improvement.

Professional Experience

Dr Fernandez has spent the last 24 years working exclusively in the field of mental health with 14 of those years working as a consultant psychiatrist with adult individuals and seniors across public hospital settings and private practice.

Dr Fernandez has a special interest and expertise in the assessment and management of ADHD in adults, providing a neurodiversity-affirming approach that supports individuals to understand their cognitive profile, recognise their strengths, and implement strategies to optimise daily functioning. He also provides comprehensive care for adults with complex mental health conditions and medication transitions, delivering clinically rigorous and tailored interventions.

Areas of Clinical Focus

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Substance Use and Addiction
• Panic Disorder
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder
• Specific Phobias
• Social Anxiety Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder
• Major Depressive Disorder (including treatment-resistant depression)
• Menopause and Ageing-Related Mental Health
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Psychotic Disorders
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Schizophrenia

Personal Interests

Outside of psychiatry, Dr Fernandez has a deep passion for automotives, technology and gadgets. He is currently venturing into the culinary world, often preparing meals and hosting gathering for family and friends. He particularly enjoys cooking and barbecuing to create meals from his Malaysian culture to share.

Dr Fernandez is a highly respected member of Positive Wellbeing Psychology and Psychiatry, providing expert  psychiatric-informed care to clients at our Armadale psychiatry and psychology clinic. He offers online psychiatry telehealth services Australia-wide.