Find the therapist that best suits your needs
Our team
"I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become" C. J. Jung
"I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become" C. J. Jung
Samuel J. Chatwin
Registered Psychologist
Child and Adolescent Dedicated Psychologist
Child and Adolescent Psychologist Assessment and Intervention Centre
As a registered psychologist with over 4 years of experience, I specialize in providing comprehensive psychological assessments for children and adolescents with a focus on neurodiversity. I am dedicated to understanding the unique needs and strengths of each child and adolescent, particularly in areas such as ADHD, autism, learning disorders, and other neurodevelopmental differences.
I earned my Honours degree in psychology from The University of Newcastle, followed by extensive clinical training in child and adolescent therapy and assessment. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with a wide range of children and families, providing diagnostic evaluations, individualized treatment recommendations, and evidence-based interventions that help foster positive development and academic success.
I am committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where families feel heard, respected, and empowered. My approach to assessment is thorough, collaborative, and designed to provide valuable insights that guide decisions for educational planning and long-term support. I believe in a holistic approach that considers the biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to your child’s well-being.
In my work, I strive to not only diagnose but also to highlight each child’s potential. My goal is to help families gain a deeper understanding of their child’s cognitive and emotional world, and to provide strategies that promote thriving in all aspects of life, from school to home and beyond.
I am passionate about neurodiversity and deeply committed to supporting children and families through the challenges of growing up with diverse neurological profiles. At Equanimity, our practice is built on a foundation of empathy, respect, and a dedication to helping children reach their fullest potential.
Cleo and Macklemore (Mack)- Therapy Dogs in Training
Cleo and Mack are now just a little over 1 year old and are a little bit traditionally teenager-ish at present as their training starts to step up. They will not be able to really start taking their training too seriously for another 6-12months, however in the meantime they are having fun trying!
Cleo our golden retriever, loves to dress up and keep warm, she is very photogenic and becomes quite exhausted after one client - she is young and has ‘cranky pants’ boundaries and a very expressive face as you can likely tell from her photographs and we love her!
Macklemore on the other hand, loves to announce his arrival, his presence, his departure, and everyone else’s movements as well, just in case you missed something - he also likes to sing hence his name and he is a massive lap dog with ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out) so he must be by Lexi’s or Rob’s side at all times.
These puppies are still in training but are learning fast and have good instincts so if you see them in clinic and would like to meet them, please let reception or Lexi know and we will guide you with how best to interact with each one ( they are very different) it is great for social skills development! If you have any issues with the k9 therapists being present or any phobias, please advise us in advance via our information sheets or via phone/email so we can manage this whilst you are in attendance in the clinic.
Rest assured, the pups do not wander free in the clinic, they are always on leash and typically tied to the waist of either a clinician or reception, and you will never ‘have’ to interact with the pups.
Alexandra Bennett (Lexi)
Director/Founder/CEO
Principal Psychologist, Relationships and Psychosexual Therapy, Board Approved Supervisor
Lexi is a fully registered psychologist with nearly 30 years of experience. Currently, she focuses on teaching, supervising, and ensuring that the culture, ethics, and practices of Equanimity Psychological Services are consistently upheld across the organisation and its practitioners.
Lexi has pioneered the Expert Guided Collaborative Clinical Services model, which pairs a senior clinical lead with a less experienced psychologist - consistently as a treating team. This approach ensures the highest standard of care is maintained, in addition to consistency and continuity of care and practitioner and to ensure clinicians are continuously trained and delivering services in a trauma-informed manner. The services remain accessible and affordable, depending on the practitioner model chosen, while upholding the highest standards.
Further, this model also offers the benefit of regardless of any clinician being sick, injured, or on holiday, there is always a familiar clinician on site to support clients in need.
When consulting, as Lexi continues to love doing so, she likes to dedicate her time and accumulated skill and knowledge on assessments for complex diagnostics and leads intensive residential retreats for couples and adult-diagnosed ADHD and AuDHD women and managers.
In her spare time, somewhere around 1am, she continues to search for other opportunities for developing the clinic’s services to meet even more needs in an accessible way.
Lexi’s clients have described her as ‘not your typical psychologist’ and that’s the way she likes it. “I am very client focused and eclectic in my approach to the well being and recovery of my clients, so modality is less important to me in therapy than client need and enhancement of the sense of client safety. It is the role of the therapist to ensure they are across every modality that could potentially address their area of focus, which is in my case trauma, relationships and sexuality, so that the client can feel safe enough to embrace the process of recovery and healing and not only minimise symptoms but enhance joy in their lives, which may never have been experienced before.”
Training
With undergraduate degrees in Law and Psychology, before proceeding to post graduate degrees and registration as a Psychologist. Lexi also has a Master of Science in Medicine (HIV, STIs and Sexual Health) Counselling from Sydney University as well as extensive local and International training in Sex Therapy, Relationships Therapy, and Trauma Intervention. Lexi has heart brokenly delayed her Doctorate twice now due to having “too much to do practically to waste time writing about it” according to her - she says she will get to it eventually, but for now the people in need don’t benefit from anymore letters after or before her name.
Beliefs
A strong believer in the somatic release of trauma and the non verbal influence of trauma in life and distress, she is also trained in Trauma informed yoga, sand play therapy (Jungian), and has incorporated the use of the Safe and Sound Protocol designed by Dr Stephen Porges which is based on the Polyvagal theory of trauma and showing phenomenal results in ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and a host of other issues which have caused the overactivity of the fight or flight response. Lexi uses the Safe and Sound Protocol in conjunction with Deb Dana’s Polyvagal ladder work, and is currently finding no end to it’s use - and no end to the research and evidence based swarming around in support of it’s benefit in clinical work.
Sashi Senaratne
Senior Clinical Psychologist/Board Approved Supervisor
Sashi is an accomplished clinical psychologist with nine years of dedicated experience, recognised for her compassionate and client-centered approach to therapy. Sashi's practice is anchored in evidence-based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and a wide array of therapeutic modalities.
Extensively trained in conducting neurodevelopmental assessments, with a passion for conducting Autism, ADHD, cognitive functioning, and academic achievement and giftedness evaluations, Sashi's clinical expertise encompasses a broad spectrum of mental health issues, including anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, eating disorders, grief, life stress, relationship dynamics, and behavioural challenges in children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Having dedicated a large period of her clinical practice to adolescent and child mental health, she brings extensive experience and focused insight to these populations.
Collaboration is fundamental to her practice philosophy. Sashi collaborates closely with GPs, psychiatrists, schools, and families to deliver comprehensive, personalised care. With a professional background spanning private practices, non-profit organizations, public health settings, and international environments, she offers culturally sensitive and individually tailored interventions.
As a board-approved supervisor, she is committed to mentoring emerging therapists, fostering their clinical skills and professional growth as well as being dedicated to ongoing learning and development as a clinical psychologist to continually enhance her own practice and serve the community effectively.
Registered to provide services under Medicare, DVA, SIRA - workers' compensation, CTP, private health funds, and the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), with experience spanning Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales, and international settings, her practice benefits from a diverse and enriched perspective.
"Together, we can empower individuals on their journey toward improved mental health and resilience."
Sarah Adams
Client Relationship Officer
Sarah is highly experienced in looking after our most important people - you!
Any concerns or queries at all about appointments, invoices, bookings, rebates, services, clinicians, or coffee or tea Sarah has the answers guaranteed! Sarah also comes equipped with daily affirmations and a healthy supply of colouring in for everyone - and she is always creating new ideas in the waiting area to make our beautiful clinic even more comfortable and welcoming for all that enter!
Don’t hesitate to ask her anything at all - she is more than happy to help!
Laura Cassera
Registered Psychologist, Telehealth Practitioner
Hi there! I’m Laura, a Registered Psychologist, and I’m excited to be part of the Equanimity Psychology team, supporting clients through Telehealth services. Building strong, trusting relationships through a warm, non-judgmental, and collaborative approach is fundamental to my practice. My work is grounded in evidence-based, person-centred care, and I’m dedicated to tailoring my methods to meet each individual’s unique needs. I focus on empowering clients to overcome challenges and achieve their personal goals, helping them break through any barriers they may face. Creating a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment is at the heart of my practice, where clients feel heard, understood, and equipped to make meaningful, lasting changes.
I have extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and adults, offering counselling for a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep difficulties, emotional dysregulation, grief, life stress, parenting challenges, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). My goal is to help clients navigate their struggles and develop the tools they need to lead fulfilling, balanced lives.
With a strong foundation in psychological and behavioural assessment and intervention, I use a variety of evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, mindfulness techniques, and skills training. I draw from these approaches to ensure that each client receives care that is tailored to their needs and aspirations.
I offer Telehealth services, ensuring that I can support clients no matter where they are. I’m here to collaborate with you to promote growth, build confidence, and foster resilience. Please feel free to reach out today, and let’s work together toward positive, lasting change!
Rob Bennett
Soft Tissue Specialist, Canine Myofascial Musculoskelatal Specialist, Deep Tissue Work
Rob is the Ninja - he specialises in directly addressing and resolving injuries wherever possible safely and quickly and offering relief to discomfort as quickly as possible with a variety of interventions.
Rob works with athletes, post op rehab in collaboration with your specialists, as well as your usual discomforts and injuries from daily life and work, all in a trauma-informed way.
Rob is also certified as a Canine Myofascial Manipulative Massage therapist and works his magic on our four legged friends as well
Rob now has refined his skill at injury and pain relief and channeled his skills at soft tissue specialty and runs shorter and more effective appointments starting at 7am on weekdays. For more information book online and see if he can offer some relief to you long or even short term pain and injury to see if he can get you moving again.
