“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Meet Tracey!
Tracey is passionate about supporting neurodivergent adults 18+ (Autism, ADHD, and Autism/ADHD) to thrive and be proud of who they are.
With lived experience of ADHD and Autism herself, Tracey understands the challenges of everyday life, and ‘truly gets it’. That said, Tracey also focuses on embracing strengths such as curiosity, passion, analytical thinking, loyalty, kindness… and much more!
Essentially, Tracey believes that the first step to internal healing is centred around individuals feeling truly heard and understood ‘without judgement’. She then makes sense of their experience, and provides psychological skills to overcome life challenges, and increase life satisfaction.
Outside of work, Tracey loves spending time with her partner in crime, Toby (her dog). While not going on walks, playing in the park, and just chilling out with Toby, Tracey enjoys time with family and friends.
“Toby, the beach and anything nature are my all-mighty energisers. I do sometimes need a ‘zone’ time out break occasionally too!”
— Tracey
Why I do what I do
Tracey grew up on the Gold Coast, later spending 12 years in Japan. During this time, she not only studied the language, but also became intrigued by Japanese culture, and how different it was to the Western way of thinking. This initially sparked her interest in human behaviour and the way people think.
After returning from Japan (around the age of 30yrs old) for quite some time Tracey sought therapy for what presented as mental health ‘symptoms’. She engaged in therapy and worked hard at changing thoughts and behaviours which worked for a short time — often with ‘symptoms’ re-appearing down the track. Finally, upon discovering her neurotype (ADHD and Autism), things at last made sense. Ultimately, Tracey didn’t need fixing, just understanding and acceptance of who she was, and changing the environment to suit. This was what then led Tracey to a career in Psychology.
Having worked at QLD Health and in Private Practice as a Psychologist for some years, Tracey further noticed a large gap in understanding, support and resources regarding ADHD and Autism, especially for adults. Consequently, Tracey established ‘Wabi Sabi Psychology’, which focuses primarily on supporting neurodivergent adults.
What we do at Wabi Sabi
At Wabi Sabi Psychology, we are dedicated to supporting individuals in the ADHD and Autism community who are seeking mental health and well-being support through a neurodiversity-affirming approach. This means we embrace and celebrate the unique strengths, perspectives, and identities of each person, recognizing that neurodiversity is a natural part of individual differences. Our approach prioritizes respect, inclusivity, and empowerment, fostering an environment where individuals can thrive authentically.
During sessions sensory and communication styles are accommodated for, making sure clients feel heard, understood, and respected. Interventions include a thorough assessment of strengths and challenges with regards to ADHD and Autism within the intake process. Tracey assists individuals to create a best 'fit' environments (socially, at home, and at work/university) to reduce incidents of fatigue, masking, and burnout.
Tracey integrates adapted evidence-based treatment for common co-occurring mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and OCD. Differentiation using assessment tools is an integral part of the intake process, as underlying 'masking' can lead to misinterpretation e.g. 'Is it depression or is it withdrawal from overwhelm as part of my Autism?'. She then develops treatment plans using evidence-based practice accordingly.
Our Values
Authenticity
Collaboration
Determination
Trust
Compassion
Kindness
Experience & Qualifications
Tracey has been involved in human services roles for over a decade and initially commenced as a psychologist at Queensland Health (Toowoomba) in 2019. Tracey has worked in the rehabilitation and recovery services department at Baillie Henderson Hospital, as a mental health case manager at Toowoomba Base Hospital for both child/youth, and adults residing in the community, and in private practice. Tracey proudly acknowledges how much she has learnt from her clients during this time, developing a great respect for their courage and bravery.
Tracey has experience working with individuals with dual diagnoses (disability and mental health), adapting latest evidence-based approaches to suit each individual’s needs. She also has experience working with individuals on capacity building for Autism/and or ADHD who have NDIS packages that are self-managed or plan- managed.
Qualifications
Master of Psychology (Professional) University of Southern Queensland
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) Griffith University
Bachelor of Psychological Science (Griffith University)
Registration Numbers & Professional Memberships
AHPRA registration: PSY0002170529
Australian Psychological Society (APS) Member
Provider number: 627-169-1K
ABN: 2454-1744-743
Professional Development & Training
Foundations in Autism for Mental Health Professionals with Dr Belinda Ratcliffe, Clinical Psychologist
Self-harm, Suicide & Safety Planning in Autism with Dr Belinda Ratcliffe, Clinical Psychologist
Best practice assessment and intervention for ADHD in adults with Dr Maddi Derrick, Clinical Psychologist
Solution Focused Brief-Therapy with Micheal Durrant, Psychologist (Compass Seminars)
Schema Therapy (international Society of Schema Therapy)
CBT for Psychosis (Group facilitation at Baillie Henderson Hospital)
Interested in what we do?
Learn about what we offer by clicking below to visit our Services page.