Our Team
We look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve your goals.
A/Prof. Rodrigo Becerra
Director & Clinical Psychologist | PhD, MPsych(Clin), MAPS, FCCLP
Email: rodrigo.becerra@uwa.edu.au
Ph: +61 422 013 245
Languages: English, Spanish
See Rodrigo’s Research
Rodrigo is a Clinical Psychologist and Psychology Board of Australia Approved Supervisor. He has worked in hospital settings (e.g., Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Fremantle Hospital) and private practice for over 20 years. Rodrigo is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists.
As well as his work at the Psychology Centre of Western Australia, Rodrigo is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Australia, where he lectures in the postgraduate psychology program and is the Director of the Robin Winkler Clinic (i.e., the primary training site for new Clinical Psychology Trainees within the University of Western Australia). He also directs the largest psychology research group at UWA. Rodrigo has published widely in the emotion and mental health field, where he is an internationally recognised expert with over 90 research publications, and he regularly presents at national/international conferences.
In therapy, Rodrigo works primarily with adults. He takes an eclectic approach to therapy, utilising a range of evidence-based approaches to best fit each client (e.g., cognitive behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, interpersonal therapy, existential psychotherapy, dialectical behaviour therapy). Rodrigo can see clients for sessions in English or Spanish, and does therapy with individuals and couples. Rodrigo is also available to conduct comprehensive psychological assessments.
Dr. David Preece
Director & Clinical Psychologist | PhD, MPsych(Clin), MAPS, FCCLP
Email: david.preece@psychologywa.com
Ph: +61 450 040 054
Languages: English
See David’s Research
David is currently on a research sabbatical and is therefore unavailable for therapy appointments until his return.
David is a Clinical Psychologist and a Psychology Board of Australia Approved Supervisor. Outside of our practice, he is also a Senior Lecturer at Curtin University, where he is the 2023 Raine Robson Fellow and directs a large research group on emotions and mental health. David holds Honorary research appointments at the University of Western Australia (Psychology and Medical Schools) and Telethon Kids Institute. David is the National Chair of the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists. He is an internationally recognised expert in emotion regulation, having published around 100 journal articles and book chapters, including invited chapters in the Handbook of Emotion Regulation and the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology.
In therapy, David works with adults, adolescents, and children. David tries to create a warm, friendly environment, and uses a variety of evidence-based techniques tailored to clients’ individual needs and goals (e.g., cognitive behaviour therapy, schema therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, existential psychotherapy). Therapy sessions with David often have a focus not just on helping manage stress, but also on learning about ourselves and reflecting on what would take life in meaningful directions. A common goal is to get you closer to the life you want to live, and to build the skills (e.g., emotion regulation skills) to handle the challenges that can come up along the way.
David has received a number of awards for his work, including the annual Early Career Researcher of the Year awards from the Australian Psychological Society, Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy, the UWA School of Psychological Science, and the Curtin University enAble Institute. He was a Finalist in 2023 and 2024 for Early Career Scientist of the Year at the annual WA Premier’s Science Awards.
A/Prof. Kristin Gainey
Clinical Psychologist | PhD
Email: kristin.gainey@psychologywa.com
Languages: English
See Kristin’s Research
Kristin is a Clinical Psychologist who completed her credentials and worked in universities in the United States for ten years before relocating to Australia in 2021. Kristin was an Assistant and then Associate Professor of Psychology at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, from 2013-2020. Kristin completed her PhD in clinical psychology at the University of Iowa, followed by a clinical internship year at the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center, and a Postdoctoral position at Boston University.
Outside of her therapy work at our Centre, Kristin is now an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Australia, where she serves as the Deputy Director of the clinical psychology postgraduate programme and the Director of the Emotional Wellbeing Lab. She is also a Past Chair of the WA branch of the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy. Kristin’s research, which is funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and has received numerous awards, focuses on emotional processes related to depression, anxiety, and general wellbeing in adults. Her work has helped to advance the assessment and treatment of emotional problems. Kristin has received awards from the American Psychological Society, American Psychological Association, and the Society for Research in Psychopathology.
In therapy, Kristin works with adults, adolescents, and children. She uses cognitive and behavioural therapeutic approaches, with a specialty in acceptance and mindfulness based approaches (including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).
Dr. Jasmine Hooper
Clinical Psychologist | MPsych(Clin), PhD
Email: jasmine.hooper@psychologywa.com
Languages: English
See Jasmine’s Research
Jasmine is a Clinical Psychologist. She recently completed her PhD at UWA and her research interests include the promotion of self-care in the workforce, with a focus on reducing stress and increasing well-being in mental health workers. During her postgraduate studies, she taught psychology classes to undergraduate students and worked as a carer for people with intellectual disabilities. Throughout her therapy training, she has worked in youth and adult settings within the community and in hospitals (Perth Children’s Hospital), with a focus on the treatment of co-occurring mental health and drug/alcohol issues. Most recently, she has been working in a clinical role for a drug and alcohol youth service (DAYS).
In therapy, Jasmine works with adolescents and adults presenting with issues such as stress, grief and loss, mood difficulties, anxiety, trauma, addiction, relationship difficulties, and personality disorders. She seeks to provide a warm and collaborative space to encourage personal understanding and growth. Jasmine is LGBTQIA+ affirmative. Her therapy style incorporates an psychodynamic and strengths-based approach that integrates a range of evidence-based techniques depending on the needs of the client. She draws on therapeutic models including cognitive behaviour therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and schema therapy.
Dr. Tharen Kander
Clinical Psychologist Registrar | PhD, M.ClinPsych
Email: tharen.kander@psychologywa.com
Languages: English
See Tharen’s Research
Tharen is a Clinical Psychologist Registrar that recently completed his PhD at UWA. His research interests include the use of neuroimaging techniques to understand how mindfulness training can improve attention and emotion regulation in young children. Tharen has worked with people across the lifespan, from providing clinical intervention to children with phobias, to helping adolescents and adults understand parts of their personality. He has done this across a variety of settings that include intensive day-therapy centres, the Department of Communities, and Rockingham General Hospital.
In therapy, Tharen takes a warm and open stance to working with young people and adults who present with difficulties relating to emotions, relationships, anxiety and phobias, and personality. He also works with people interested in managing psychological factors that might influence sport performance. His therapy style leans into a person-centred approach while drawing on up-to-date evidence-based practices such as cognitive behaviour therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, interpersonal therapy, existential psychotherapy, and schema therapy. Together with his clients, Tharen aims to foster a strong therapeutic relationship while building a shared understanding of the ‘whys and hows’ of the presenting problem. He is LGBTQIA+ affirmative. When not at work, you’ll probably find Tharen prepping for his next powerlifting meet, contemplating getting a dog, or trying to grow an indoor jungle.
Dr. Jack Brett
Clinical Neuropsychologist Registrar | PhD, M.NeuroPsych
Email: jack.brett@psychologywa.com
Languages: English
See Jack’s Research
Jack is a Clinical Neuropsychologist Registrar who recently completed his PhD at UWA. His research interests include emotional processing in neurodiverse individuals (e.g., autism). Through his neuropsychology training, Jack has worked with a wide range of people across the lifespan who are experiencing neuropsychological difficulties. This includes adults experiencing cognitive difficulties following an acquired brain injury (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury, and encephalitis) and children, adolescents, and adults with suspected neurodevelopmental differences (e.g., ADHD, Autism, & FASD) and learning difficulties (e.g., dyslexia and intellectual disability). As a clinical neuropsychology registrar, Jack assesses and supports people struggling with some thinking skills, such as memory, language, problem-solving, attention, reading, mathematics, and decision-making. A neuropsychology assessment looks at the client’s strengths and weaknesses to provide strategies for them and those around them. A neuropsychology assessment can also be useful to support diagnoses (e.g., ADHD and dyslexia). Jack has experience across a variety of settings, including drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres (adults and adolescents) and the State Head Injury Unit. He also works at the Perth Children’s Hospital in the Complex Attention and Hyperactive Disorders Service (CAHDS).