Meet the Shoalhaven Psychology Team

Janine Lord – Principal Psychologist

With more than twenty years experience as a psychologist, Janine offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Her primary roles are therapy based, working with a diverse range of people in different settings, including children, young people, families, individuals and couples.

Gottman Couples Therapy (Standard and Marathon)

Marnie Mearns – Senior Psychologist

 Marnie is one of our Senior Psychologists at Shoalhaven Psychology. She joined the team in 2018 and has over 10 years experience as a registered psychologist across a variety of settings. 

Marnie has a special interest in couples therapy and is one of our therapists who is trained to use the Gottman Method. She also works with individuals of all ages across a wide variety of areas such as: 

• trauma
• depression
• anxiety
• adjustment disorders
• relationship and family breakdown
• child and adolescent mental health (including behavioural and educational assessments),
•  eating disorders  

She has experience working with different sectors of the community, including schools, non government agencies, the Police, Australian Defence Force members and NDIS clients.  She is well-versed in a number of evidence-based therapy approaches to empower clients to live meaningful lives, in accordance with their values. 

Before joining private practice, Marnie spent several years working as a psychologist with early intervention and disability services. She has a strong foundation working with children, families, disabilities.

Marnie grew up in Newcastle NSW and now lives on the South Coast with her husband and three young children. 

Angela Pitt – Psychologist

Angela Pitt is a registered Psychologist who is experienced in working with adolescents and adults. As a former serving member in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), Angela has gained a thorough appreciation of the nature and challenges of military service on individuals and their families. She is experienced in working as part of a multidisciplinary team and in supporting others whilst they navigate life’s challenges.

Angela has a passion for helping others to achieve their goals. She is trained in providing individual therapy and group programs, both face-to-face and via telehealth/online. An advocate for early intervention, prevention and personal development, Angela continues to work with specialised areas of the ADF to enhance work performance. She is particularly interested in fostering resilience, emotional intelligence and self-regulation skills.

Angela works with a range of presentations including:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Chronic pain
• Injury rehabilitation
• Stress
• Workplace burnout
• Post-traumatic stress
• Interpersonal, sleep and adjustment issues

Angela is experienced in a number of evidence based approaches including:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Trauma-focused CBT
• Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy
• Mindfulness based approaches.

Angela has an easy-going, calm nature and values authenticity, mindfulness and trust. As a Psychologist she believes in maintaining a sense of acceptance, caring and gratitude. Angela leads an active lifestyle and enjoys being back in the local area.

TANIA SUNDGAARD – Psychologist

Tania is a registered psychologist who has been working with young people, adults and older adults for many years. Tania strives to deliver a highly inclusive practice offering emotional and psychological help and support to people across all ages, cultures and abilities. This includes managing stress, mood and anxiety problems, coping with change and adjustment issues, relationship struggles, learning and concentration problems and drug and alcohol issues. Tania also has a particular interest in working with clients who have experienced recent trauma and or trauma and difficulties in their early life.

Tania has worked for over 20 years in schools, Non-Government and Community Health care settings and Employee Assistance Programs along with many years in an Illawarra Private Psychology Practice. This has given her the benefit of broad and varied professional and therapeutic opportunities and experiences to ensure she can deliver best practice and a tailored approach for all her clients. 

Tania strives to deliver her therapeutic practice with as much genuine warmth, empathy, respect and flexibility as possible.

Tania and her puppies are loving their new home in the Shoalhaven and are looking forward to joining the team at Shoalhaven Psychology Services.

Kaelan Jones – Psychologist

Kaelan is a registered Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), with experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. Kaelan has gained her expertise through training and working within both school and private practice settings. Kaelan works in Shoalhaven Psychology Services Kiama and Berry offices.

Kaelan has experience conducting a range of assessments for exploring diagnoses such as:

• Intellectual Disability
• Giftedness
• Specific Learning Disorders
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Autism

Kaelan has been trained to conduct the following formal assessments:

• WISC-V
• WAIS-IV
• WIAT-III
• KTEA-3
• ADOS-2

Kaelan has worked with individuals presenting with anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, ADHD, autism, learning disorders, adjustment disorders, intellectual disability, complex trauma, borderline personality, low self-esteem, family issues, eating disorders, and body image issues.

Kaelan enjoys working collaboratively with her clients and likes to take a multidisciplinary approach when it comes to their treatment. Some of the forms of treatment Kaelan has been trained in and provides include:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Family Based Treatment

Kaelan prides herself on being a considerate, passionate, and approachable Psychologist who is eager to not only support her clients, but to learn from them too.

Joy Hofman – Practice Manager

Joy has many years across a number of service industries managing business operations on a day to day basis and overseeing the implementation and application of processes for viability and success. Joy has a passion for people and providing them with a service of care. Her previous roles include operation manager in tourism, hotel manager, and accommodation service manager. Joy has a passion for well being and helping people achieve success in their personal lives. Joy brings warmth and professionalism to our practice providing essential systems behind the scenes to make it all work smoothly. She is in our Kiama office ready to greet clients with a smile and help with any enquires Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

CALIDA FELTON – COUNSELLOR

Calida is a newly registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) holding a Masters of Counselling degree. While being new, Calida has over five years of experience supporting people through a variety of mental health challenges through community services and crisis support lines. She has worked as a youth and community project worker for six years and has been a Lifeline telephone crisis supporter for three years. She currently volunteers with Griefline and the National Association for Loss and Grief organisation (NALAG).