Empowering people to live their best possible life despite health challenges.
What is Health Psychology?
Health psychology is a specialised branch of psychology that explores how the mind and body influence health and wellbeing.
At its core, health psychology is about understanding the connections between the brain, body and illness – and helping people navigate these connections in practical, supportive and empowering ways.
Understanding the Whole Picture: Body, Mind and Life
Our Melbourne based Health psychologist recognises that your health is shaped by your body, your mind, and your life circumstances.
Body (Biological): This is what’s happening physically – your medical condition, genetics, sleep, energy levels and pain. For example, if you’re living with diabetes, your blood sugar levels and family history are part of the biological picture.
Mind (Psychological): This is how you think, feel, and cope. Anxiety, low mood, stress or even the way you talk to yourself can all impact your health. For example, if you feel anxious about medical scans, you might delay or avoid them – which can affect your health.
Life (Social): This is what’s happening around you – family, friends, work, finances, culture and community support. For example, it’s a lot easier to keep up with a healthy routine if you have supportive people around you, compared to feeling alone or overwhelmed by your life circumstances.
When these three areas work together, you’re more likely to feel balanced and in control. When one of them is out of sync – say your body is in pain, stress feels overwhelming, or you don’t have enough support – it can make coping with health challenges much harder.
Body & Brain Health psychology helps you bring these parts back into balance, so you can cope better, manage your condition and improve your quality of life.
Who Do Health Psychologists Work With?
Health psychologists support people experiencing a wide range of acute and chronic health conditions as well as those recovering from injury. They help these individuals, and their families and carers, manage the emotional, mental and behavioural impacts of illness.
People often seek support from a health psychologist when they are:
Coming to terms with a new diagnosis
Managing illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease or autoimmune conditions
Recovering from surgery or injury
Struggling with anxiety, depression, or stress related to their health
Health psychologists also work closely with other health professionals, such as dietitians, exercise physiologists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and medical specialists, ensuring a holistic and integrated approach to care.
What Do Health Psychologists Focus On?
The goal of Moonee Pongs health psychologists are to improve both mental health and physical wellbeing.
Support often includes:
Education: Understanding the nature of illness, treatment options, and self-management strategies
Skill building: coping strategies, problem solving, stress management, emotional regulation, self-compassion, relaxation strategies, self-care.
Lifestyle and behaviour change: Supporting development of positive and sustainable habits to improve health outcomes
Cognitive and emotional support: Developing balanced thinking styles and beliefs, fostering wellbeing and resilience.
Support Provided by Health Psychologists
Health psychology sessions may help with:
Adjusting to a new diagnosis
Promoting healthy lifestyle changes to manage health conditions effectively
Managing stress, anxiety or depression around illness and scans/tests
Treatment adherence (e.g., sticking to medication or therapy plans)
Preparing emotionally for surgery or procedures
Coping with uncertainty during medical tests and scans or about the future
Overcoming barriers to recovery (such as unhelpful beliefs or behaviours)
Goal setting to support recovery and rehabilitation
Building resilience for long-term health and wellbeing
Developing effective coping strategies
Meet Dr Susan Roberts – Specialist Health Psychologist
Dr Susan is an AHPRA-accredited health psychologist with extensive experience helping people navigate health challenges.
She has supported individuals with a wide range of conditions, including:
Cardiovascular and metabolic: heart disease, diabetes
Cancer
Neurological: tinnitus, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and dysautonomias like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Digestive and gut health: irritable bowel syndrome, bladder dysfunction
Injury: recovery, surgeries, accidents
Susan also provides support for carers and family members, recognising that health conditions affect not only individuals, but also their loved ones.
Her approach is compassionate and practical, focusing on helping people to:
Successfully adapt to changing health conditions
Develop effective coping strategies
Build resilience and improve their quality of life
Susan’s philosophy is simple: to empower people to live their best possible life despite health challenges.
Treatment Approaches
Dr Susan tailors’ treatment at our Moonee Ponds clinic to each individual, drawing on evidence-based approaches such as:
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
Mindfulness-based interventions
Solution-focused therapy
Motivational interviewing
Services Available
Our health psychology services include:
Adjustment to diagnosis counselling
Managing acute and chronic illness counselling
Rehabilitation and injury recovery support
Skills training: coping strategies, stress management, problem solving, self-compassion, relaxation, self-care, emotional regulation and resilience building
If you’re facing a health challenge and would like psychological support, our health psychology services in Melbourne’s northwest may help. Contact our Team
Our Moonee Ponds clinic can also provide Psychology and Counselling services through support from Dr Susan Roberts.
Learn More About Health Psychology
Want to explore more? Here are some trusted resources:
