ABOUT PSYCHOLOGIST, AVIVA LEFKOVITS

Pronouns: She/her

Aviva’s greatest priority is to be a warm, compassionate and empathetic therapist to clients. Clients have described Aviva as warm, encouraging and supportive, with a little bit of humour and an abundance of empathy.

Aviva aims to champion and support her clients in their journeys to overcome their struggles, and provide a safe environment to explore themselves more deeply.

Aviva believes that anyone who has chosen to pursue therapy has already demonstrated the strength and courage needed to make changes in their life. She understands that all individuals have a unique set of needs and are at different stages in their journeys, and is committed to meeting clients where they are and working collaboratively on what is most important to them.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
• Bachelor of Arts (Scholars Program)

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

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

• AHPRA Registration Number: PSY0002464768
• Member of the Australian Psychological Society
• Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc

Therapeutic Approach

Aviva works closely with individuals to achieve their goals, and consistently monitors their progress to ensure their needs are being met. Aviva also strongly values flexibility and being able to adapt to clients in the moment, in case these needs change during therapy.

Above all, Aviva aims to really listen to her clients and create a positive environment for effective change.

As a psychologist in clinical practice, Aviva also wants to share that she embraces neurodiversity as a natural variation in the human brain. She adopts a neurodiversity-affirming approach with clients that demonstrate symptoms of attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

Experience and Interests

Aviva has worked with young children, adolescents, and adults. She has a particular passion for working with children, parents and their families. She has worked in public and private settings with individuals and groups, both in face-to-face and virtual environments. Aviva’s areas of interest include:

• Anxiety
• Depression and other mood disorders
• Stress management and burnout
• Adjusting to life transitions or significant life changes
• Perinatal mental health
• Women’s health
• Emotion regulation
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Autism
• Relationship difficulties
• Parenting support
• Low self-esteem
• Disordered eating and poor body image
• Attachment based trauma and relational trauma

Aviva holds a special interest in women’s health and supporting women encountering pre-partum depression, anxiety related to pregnancy, labor, and postpartum phases, as well as experiences involving pregnancy loss or trauma. Aviva co-facilitated an Antenatal Anxiety and Wellbeing Group at The Royal Women’s Hospital, contributing to her special interest in women’s health and the perinatal mental health space. 

Aviva is also experienced in assisting individuals with co-diagnoses within the disability space, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, and major depressive disorder, with a focus on goal setting and enhancing daily functionality under the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) 

Therapies

Aviva‘s therapeutic approach draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Distress Tolerance Skills, Behavioural Parenting Intervention, Attachment-Informed Therapy.

Aviva has a particularly interest providing support to individuals under the NDIS, utilising evidence-based practices tailored to address individual needs, enhancing their capacity and daily functioning. Specifically, Aviva has experience in the disability sector, having worked alongside parents and multidisciplinary teams of allied health professionals to support children facing lifelong intellectual and physical conditions. These challenges included cognitive and developmental delays, as well as nonverbal communication.

Personal Interests

In her spare time, Aviva loves listening to music and appreciates any new song recommendations.

Aviva would like her clients to know that she feels privileged to be given a window into their lives and their struggles, and does not take this responsibility lightly. She is passionate about every individual receiving the opportunity to feel seen, heard and cared for, and is committed to providing evidence-based and client-centred treatment to achieve this.

Aviva is a valuable team member at Positive Wellbeing Psychology, providing psychological support to clients throughout Australia, spanning rural and metropolitan areas. She offers online consultations via video or phone (known as telehealth), ensuring accessibility to individuals across the country.