michelle wharton

Michelle is a psychologist working in private practice in Adelaide, South Australia.

Michelle is trained in scientifically-proven techniques to help people live a better and happier life.

Psychologist

Michelle is a registered clinical and forensic psychologist practicing in Australia since 2008. In private practice in Adelaide, South Australia, she has worked with adults, adolescents, couples, and children. She has spent a significant proportion of her career working with adults and adolescents involved in the criminal justice system; in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Throughout her career, Michelle has been committed to helping people recognise and regulate complex thoughts and emotions and making lasting behavioural changes by identifying both old 'roadblocks' and new life paths.

Trained in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), inference-based CBT (ICBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (referred to as ‘ACT’), EMDR, dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), schema therapy, hypnosis, and transactional analysis, amongst others, she has used a combination of these approaches to assist people with problems including anger and aggression, depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol addiction, personality disorders, relationship problems, child behavioural difficulties, and obsessive and compulsive behaviours.

More recently, Michelle has been using the TEAM CBT model and is now a Level 3 certified therapist in Australia, the only Level 3 therapist. TEAM CBT incorporates scientifically-proven CBT strategies within a structured framework of delivery that embraces and honours our ambivalence about change, and enhances recovery from life challenges such as depression, anxiety, anger, and stress.

Whilst TEAM CBT is not a treatment methodology for OCD, Michelle uses the framework to structure CBT sessions effectively. Michelle has extensive experience in treating obsessive compulsive disorder using evidence-based approaches including ICBT, exposure and response prevention (CBT with ERP), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

Surfie

In 2013, Michelle decided to take a career break from her work in Australia to focus on some of her other life passions - surf, travel, and languages. In preparation for her travels, she undertook the surf-instructor training course in Australia. After completing this, she went on to teach people of all ages how to surf on the beautiful beaches of South Australia, Portugal, and Costa Rica.

These days, when not working, you can find her surfing, touring Australia in her van, travelling, learning languages, hanging out with her kelpie, and getting stuck into home DIY tasks like furniture upholstery and restoration.

Surfie Psychologist

Finding daily inspiration and regular moments of mindfulness in these settings inspired Michelle to combine her interests - to teach emotion regulation and values-based living while engaging in ‘mindful’ activities such as learning to surf and yoga. In doing so, Michelle has also found a way to live a life guided by many of her own values – caring, teaching, adventure, creativity, engagement, forgiveness, friendliness, gratitude, and self-care.