ABOUT PSYCHOLOGIST, EMILY BURTON

Pronouns: She/her

Emily’s bubbly and friendly nature tends to establish a warm and genuine professional relationship that fosters trust and comfort for her clients, which she believes is paramount to achieving successful therapy. Emily’s clients have described her as warm and genuine in her approach and often describe feelings of comfort and trust very early on in therapy.

In addition to her clinical work, Emily is an AHPRA-registered Board Approved Supervisor and has supported many early career psychologists through their provisional registration period toward full registration.

As a psychologist in a clinical setting, Emily adopts a neurodiversity-affirming approach and views neurodiversity as a natural variation within the human brain.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Board Approved Supervisor Training 
• Diploma of Professional Psychology
• Master in Science (Health Psychology)
• Bachelor of Psychology
• Bachelor of Behavioural Science

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

• Board Approved Supervisor
• AHPRA Registration PSY0002092793
• Member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS)

Emily as a practising psychologist, is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Emily offers telehealth psychology services in a clinical setting and adheres to the professional codes of the Australian Psychological Society and Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria.

Therapeutic Approach

Emily’s objective in a clinical setting is to adopt a client-centred approach to therapy whilst drawing on a variety of evidence-based therapy strategies and tools to help facilitate positive change for her clients. Emily works collaboratively with her clients to improve their life satisfaction, mental health and well-being.

Emily provides her clients with a safe and non-judgmental space. She enjoys helping her clients to understand past and present difficulties but also identifies and taps into her client’s inner strengths and values.

Emily is collaborative in her approach to her therapy, where she encourages her clients to explore their goals early on in treatment whilst providing direction and supporting future orientation. Emily uses the therapy goals set early on to help her clients move towards positive change.

Emily also believes it is essential to respectfully place her clients as experts in their own life experiences. She has found this helpful in facilitating a greater sense of self-esteem, control and empowerment hence promoting further positive growth.

Experience and Interests

Emily has experience working with adolescents, young adults and adults within public, private and community settings.

Emily has a special interest in working with clients who experience difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, executive functioning, and self-management skills, including adult ADHD support in Melbourne. These difficulties may or may not meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Emily’s primary focus is on addressing co-existing mental health concerns, supporting the individual’s development of a positive self-identity, and fostering the acquisition of self-advocacy skills.

As a psychologist practicing in a clinical setting, Emily embraces neurodiversity, which refers to the natural variations in the human brain.

Emily adopts a strength-based approach when working with clients with ADHD, viewing ADHD as a difference rather than a disorder or disability, whilst acknowledging that a lack of fit between the individual and their environment can limit their abilities to thrive, or in some instances be identified to disable the individual. Emily recognises the differences in the brain network, embracing self-acceptance, uniqueness, and exceptional contributions, rather than imposing the already established ways.

Areas of Interest:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults
• Emotional difficulties (emotion regulation)
• Executive function difficulties
• Assertiveness training
• Individual relationship issues
• Navigating complex family dynamics
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stress and burnout
• Higher education or work-related stress management
• Personal growth and well-being
• Low self-esteem
• Eating disorders
• Body image
• Sleep difficulties
• Life changes

Emily supports her clients to increase their self-confidence in personal development, conducting practice interviews, decision-making and problem-solving, as required in their personal, social and occupational lives.

Emily Burton has worked on numerous research studies in her Postgraduate and Master’s, including investigating the impact of depressive tendencies on the family dynamic. Emily also researched the relationship between academic pressures and depressive tendencies among Singaporean Undergraduates while residing in Singapore for 5 years.

Therapies

Emily’s therapeutic approach is grounded in neuroscience, evidence-based therapy including Cognitive-Behavioural Theories (CBT and CBT-E for Eating Disorders), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based Sciences, and Positive Psychology. Emily also adopts Narrative and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and the Gottman Method of Relationship Therapy to support relationship difficulties.

Personal Interests

Emily enjoys sharing a good laugh with her family (doggies included!) and friends. Usually, during her non-consulting time, Emily will visit the local coffee shop for a takeaway and walk through the beautiful botanical gardens, which are especially peaceful on those chilly winter mornings. She also has a love for travel, learning about new places and cultures, and considers herself a bit of a foodie. Emily’s two beautiful Cavoodles, Coco and Poppy, love to share a snuggle!

Emily has a special interest in collaborating with fellow psychologists and enjoys the continuous journey to learn and upskill. She prides herself and her private practice on building holistic support for her clients. As a result of this natural interest and drive, Positive Wellbeing Psychology has grown organically and blossomed into a warm and professional private practice, well-known for providing integrated wrap-around support for clients.

Personal Strengths and Passions

Emily was introduced to new cultures and countries from a young age. This often meant she missed weeks 1-2 of the school term. Emily soon discovered her inner travel bug was an important part of her life—it needed to thrive. She resided in Singapore for five-plus years as a result of this passion. Emily has many fond memories of her time there, along with first-hand experience of stressful life transitions and adjustment challenges related to starting anew. Her life experiences have enabled her to find common ground with her clients, creating a more collaborative journey and helping improve their well-being and life satisfaction.

Emily is passionate about minimizing the obstacles that hinder Australians from accessing high-quality psychological support. Driven by her personal values of warmth, genuine care, and integrity, Emily is committed to promoting a welcoming and nurturing environment for all individuals seeking support at Positive Wellbeing Psychology. Her heartfelt dedication to fostering positive well-being resonates in her approach, ensuring that every client receives the utmost care and support throughout their journey toward improved mental health.

Emily Burton feels privileged to work with clients to facilitate positive change at Positive Wellbeing Psychology, delivering online psychology via telehealth and in-clinic therapy from our Armadale psychology practice in Melbourne.