Top Strategies for Managing Anxiety in Daily Life

laura on 14/10/2025

This guide outlines anxiety signs, daily impact, and practical management techniques like relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and gradual exposure, emphasizing professional support via counseling and workplace programs.

Accessing Psychology Services via Telehealth at Your Mind Matters

laura on 18/09/2025

Why Telehealth Matters in Mental Health Care

In today’s busy world, flexibility in accessing mental health support is more important than ever. Telehealth psychology sessions allow you to connect with a qualified psychologist from the comfort of your home, school, or workplace. At Your Mind Matters (YMM), our clinicians offers secure, evidence-based telehealth services to ensure support is available wherever you are in Victoria and across Australia.

What is Telehealth in Psychology?

Telehealth refers to psychological consultations delivered via a secure online platform. You’ll speak with your psychologist in real time, just as you would in a clinic, but without the need to travel. Research shows that telehealth can be just as effective as face-to-face sessions for many mental health concerns, including:

  • Anxiety and depression
  • ADHD and executive functioning challenges
  • Autism assessments and therapy supports
  • Trauma-informed care
  • NDIS-related psychological assessments and reports

Benefits of Choosing Telehealth at YMM

  • Accessibility: Access therapy if you live regionally or face mobility challenges.
  • Flexibility: Schedule sessions around school, work, or family commitments.
  • Continuity of Care: Maintain regular support even if you relocate or cannot attend in person.
  • Evidence-Based Practice: Our psychologists use interventions that are informed by the latest clinical research.

Is Telehealth Right for You?

Telehealth may be suitable if you prefer the comfort of your own space, live outside Melbourne, or find it difficult to attend in person. For children and young people, telehealth can work best when a parent, carer, or support worker is nearby to assist with technology and engagement.

If you’re unsure, our team can help you decide whether telehealth or in-clinic appointments are the best fit for your needs.

How YMM Delivers Safe and Effective Telehealth

At Your Mind Matters, our psychologists follow strict professional and ethical standards to ensure that online sessions are safe, private, and effective. This includes:

  • Using secure, encrypted video platforms
  • Maintaining confidentiality and privacy at all times
  • Providing clear information so you can make informed decisions about your care
  • Following AHPRA and Psychology Board of Australia guidelines for safe practice

Booking a Telehealth Appointment

Accessing telehealth psychology at YMM is simple:

  1. Get in touch with our team to discuss your needs or view our clinician profiles here: https://yourmindmatters.net.au/our-team
  2. Book an appointment at a time that suits you through our online portal: https://clientportal.zandahealth.com/clientportal/yourmindmatters
  3. Connect online with your psychologist using a secure link sent before your session.

Whether you are seeking an ADHD or autism assessment, or ongoing therapy, our telehealth psychologists are here to support you.

👉 Book a telehealth appointment with a psychologist today! Head to our website and learn about our clinicians. Once you know who you’d like to work with, call us or book online: https://yourmindmatters.net.au/contact-us/

DISTRESS TOLERANCE – AN INTRODUCTION TO A DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (DBT) PRINCIPLE

laura on 11/09/2024

Photo by Andrea Cassani on Unsplash

 

There’s no question that feelings can be highly, highly unpleasant. For many people, emotions can become so overpowering that they can compel us to do things we mightn’t be proud of – we can yell, throw things, or binge drink.

 

Many clients we see at Your Mind Matters struggle with big emotions – some clients report feeling emotionally dysregulated when they’re upset, and struggle to bring themselves back to a baseline, neutral state. It’s a common problem, and can lead to all kinds of difficulties.

 

This blog is about Distress Tolerance, which is a host of psychological tools that can help us when we’re struggling with truly overwhelming feelings. The goal of Distress Tolerance is not to eliminate an emotion, or even significantly reduce its intensity – instead, it’s about teaching us to tolerate the emotion, and withstand the urges that can come with it. It belongs to a kind of therapy called Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

 

DBT is an evidence-based therapy for multiple forms of mental health challenges, and contains plenty of ideas that can be great for anyone’s emotional wellbeing. DBT breaks itself up into lots of different bits and pieces – one of these is a Skills component, that has Distress Tolerance as a sub-school inside it. You can think of DBT as a big book – Skills is a chapter, and Distress Tolerance takes up a few pages in that chapter.

 

Distress Tolerance is about asking yourself what behaviours your emotions urge you toward, with a particular focus on the kind of behaviours that lead to greater distress later on – i.e., make the situation worse. For instance, if you were a tennis player whose emotions led to an urge to smash your racquet against the court, your Distress Tolerance goal could be to reduce your racquet-smashing – because this will make you feel embarrassed or guilty later on, and avoid the competitive consequences that come with it. Note the player’s goal wouldn’t be to feel less angry, although this would be nice… instead, Distress Tolerance asks you to ride that emotion more effectively, and not make the feeling worse.

Other behavioural goals can be:

  • Not binge-drinking alcohol.
  • Not texting people with threats, sarcasm, or aggressive themes.
  • Not using drugs.
  • Not self-harming.

 

Distress Tolerance asks clients to build a Distress Tolerance Toolkit – i.e., a set of skills that include self-soothing, distraction, connecting with others, and mindfulness. Again, we’d hope these tools reduce the intensity of your feelings; but more importantly, we’d hope they lead to you tolerating your distress without engaging in life-worsening behaviour. 

 

There are lots of methods and strategies DBT uses in their Distress Tolerance framework – many of them are available for free from their official website: (https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/distress-tolerance/).

 

Some questions for your reflection:

  • Why don’t I like unpleasant feelings? Aside from being viscerally uncomfortable, is there something I’m worried the feelings will do to me? I.e., that I’ll lose control, or not be able to recover?
  • How do I deal with highly unpleasant feelings? If I watched myself living with difficult feelings on CCTV, what would I see myself doing?
  • Do I do things that make my life worse, or increase a sense of shame or guilt? What sort of things are they? Do I want to change these typical responses, and why?
  • Lastly – am I being too hard on myself? Often, clients say they ‘respond badly’ to certain feelings… but there’s nothing necessarily wrong with eating more chocolate than usual, or scrolling on your phone for a few minutes. If you want to change those things, that’s great – but it’s certainly not compulsory for good mental health. 

 

 

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This blog was written by Patrick (Paddy) Carey – Clinical Psychologist at YMM.

Paddy works with adults presenting with anxiety disorders, mood disorders, trauma and stressor-related disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, substance and gambling issues, psychosis spectrum disorders, and grief and loss. He is trained in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Metacognitive Training (MCT), and mindfulness approaches.

Paddy is focused on developing warm, trusting, and strengths-based relationships with clients. He recognises that his clients are the foremost experts in the room, and unearthing their own expertise is crucial to applying his skills.

To learn more about Paddy, check out the “Our Team” page on our website! https://yourmindmatters.net.au/our-team/

Postpartum depression

laura on 06/01/2023

Photo by Aditya Romansa on Unsplash

 

Parenthood tends to be talked about in glowingly positive terms. It is described as a beautiful, natural part of life that is all sweetness and light. In this glowing description of parenthood, it is important to remember that having a baby is a big change in life and adapting to this change can be difficult. Having sad or difficult emotions during adapting to a new life does not make you a bad parent! You are not alone. Having a baby is a profoundly powerful experience, and intense experiences tend to create big emotional responses.

 

How are baby blues different to postpartum depression?

Postpartum Depression is not the same as the typical ‘baby blues’ that occur around day 4 post birth. Generally, the baby blues are due to the hormonal changes going on in your body after giving birth, but it does not tend to last more than a few days.

“Baby blues” may make you feel irritable, moody, weepy, restless, or unable to sleep – or all of the above. These feelings often tend to pass as you gain confidence and get into some routines. In postnatal depression, symptoms last longer than 2 weeks, may be more severe and often interfere with your ability to function normally. Unlike ‘baby blues’, postnatal depression doesn’t usually go away on its own. This can be especially tough to cope with when you are recovering from birth and have a new baby to look after.

 

Signs of postnatal depression

Postnatal depression, also known as postpartum depression, is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth. There is no single cause of postnatal depression, but physical and emotional issues may play a role. Physical issues include hormonal changes after childbirth and sleep deprivation; while emotional issues include feeling overwhelmed/anxious and having money, work or relationship problems.

Some common symptoms of postnatal depression include:

  • Losing interest or lack of interest in your baby
  • Fatigue (a feeling of heaviness)
  • Hopelessness and sadness
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Sometimes extreme thoughts such as that of suicide or self-harm or harming your baby (if you are experiencing any of these symptoms or know of someone that might be, please seek help from a medical professional ASAP)

 

Who can I talk to for advice and support?

  • Talk to your partner, or someone else you trust.
  • Ask your GP, midwife or child healthcare nurse for advice.
  • Call one of these support services:
    • PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia) — 1300 726 306
    • ForWhen — 1300 24 23 22 (Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.30pm)
    • Gidget Foundation — online and telehealth support — 1300 851 758
    • Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636

 

If you are going through difficulties and need to find your inner strength, why not give us a call today?  Our team of highly skilled and well-experienced Psychologists are here to help.  

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This blog was written by Aanchal Sood – Psychologist at YMM.

Aanchal completed studies in psychopharmacology and psychology in England, and is fluent in both Hindi and Punjabi.

Aanchal has experience assisting adolescents, adults and couples to address a variety of difficulties including anxiety and mood disorders, grief and loss, trauma and stress related disorders, adjustment issues (e.g. cultural adjustment), sleep difficulties, relationship difficulties, schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, obsessive compulsive and related disorders.

To learn more about Aanchal, check out the “Our Team” page on our website! https://yourmindmatters.net.au/our-team/

 

Major Depression – More Than Just Feeling Blue

laura on 12/09/2022

Photo by Jack Lucas Smith on Unsplash

 

Nowadays, people may use the word depression to colloquially describe several different feelings. These may include sadness, feeling down or upset, lethargy, or even a loss of motivation or care. Unsurprisingly, many people make these complaints, as the literature suggests that 20% of people experience some period of significant low mood at some point in their life, whether that be once in their life, sporadically or regularly.

 

What is Depression?

In a clinical setting, the term depression can refer to several different disorders, some of which may sound more familiar than others – e.g., Major Depressive Disorder (aka. Major Depressive Episode), Persistent Depressive Disorder (aka. Dysthymia) or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). The common feature of all the disorders within this group include the presence of sad, empty or irritable mood, as well as physiological, somatic and cognitive changes, which have a significant impact on a person’s ability to function day-to-day.

 

This blog will take a closer look into Major Depressive Disorder and the symptoms that we may not have been aware of that were indicators of disordered mood.

 

Factors that Contribute to Depression

A common misconception about depression is that it is a choice – something that we can just ‘snap out of’ or ‘go for a walk’ to get rid of. However, many factors can increase a person’s vulnerability to experiencing depression, and it is often a combination of these factors that lead to depressive episodes.

Biological Factors:

  • Genetics: Some people may inherit genes that predispose them to experience low mood and increase their vulnerability to depression.
  • Hormones: The literature indicates that our brain undergoes changes throughout depressive episodes, which can lead to over- or under-production of certain hormones, accounting for some of the depressive symptoms.
  • Neurotransmitters: Neurotransmitters are how our brain cells communicate with one another to regulate and control our whole body – including sleep, appetite, mood, libido etc. Research indicates that throughout a depressive episode there are reduced neurotransmitters, leading to dysregulation of normal functioning.

Psychological Factors

  • Thinking: Throughout a depressive episode our way of thinking and perceiving information tends to change. We adopt a more negative pattern of thinking – overstressing the negatives, self-blame, ruminating on past events and having difficulty perceiving hope for the future.
  • Stressors: Significant events such as bereavement, separation, a break-up, loss of a job/promotion, failure to obtain a goal, interpersonal conflict, health concerns, financial strains etc. can all contribute to, perpetuate or increase depressive symptoms.

 

Symptoms of Depression

Given the name, many people are aware of the mood changes that are associated with depression, however, given the biological and psychological factors at play, individuals suffering from a depressive episode also experience somatic/physiological, cognitive and behavioural changes.

Somatic/Physiological Symptoms:

  • Disturbed Sleep: Depression can impact our sleeping patterns in many ways. Whether that be in difficulty falling asleep, frequently waking up throughout the night or earlier than intended or even overly sleeping and having difficulty staying awake.
  • Weight Changes: Individuals may find that they are unintentionally losing or gaining weight due to fluctuations in their appetite – eating or snacking more, or loss of interest in food.
  • Energy: People often complain of feeling constantly fatigued or lethargic, regardless of the amount of sleep or rest they are getting. People around them may also begin to point out that they are increasingly agitated or restless or more slowed down.

Cognitive Symptoms:

  • Negativity and Pessimism: Depressed individuals often perceive themselves and their choices in a negative light – often viewing themselves as ineffective, worthless or unlikeable or loveable – which impacts their self-esteem and can lead to excessive guilt.
  • Recurrent thoughts of Death: A common and distressing symptom of depression is recurrent thoughts of death. This can range from suicidal ideation such as “it’d be less of a burden if I wasn’t here” to a specific plan for committing suicide.

Behavioural Symptoms:

  • Withdrawn: The cognitive changes experienced throughout a depressive episode can lead to people being more withdrawn or isolating themselves due to beliefs that they are “stupid”, “dumb”, “broken”, “a burden”
  • Diminished Enjoyment: Individuals may find themselves losing interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, daily activities and usual hobbies nearly every day.

 

If you or anyone around you has experienced these symptoms, know that you are not alone. There are several services available to support you, including crisis lines, a GP, a school counsellor, or an Employment Assistance Program (EAP) through your workplace. To engage with one of our friendly psychologists at Your Mind Matters Psychology, feel free to reach out to our admin team for further information on 9802 4654.

 

Resources:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

 

Crisis Lines:

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

Lifeline Text: 0477 13 11 14

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This blog was written by Simone Chaochalakorn – Psychologist at YMM.

Simone has experience working in a variety of contexts, including working with young children in primary schools, as well as adolescents in clinics. Alongside this, Simone has also assisted adults and seniors with concerns such as work-related stress, relationship difficulties, anxiety and low mood. Simone uses a client-centered approach, in which she strives to understand each individual and their unique problem, in order to find the most effective strategies to help them.

To learn more about Simone, check out the “Our Team” page on our website! https://yourmindmatters.net.au/our-team/

 

Understanding Your Thoughts

laura on 21/03/2022

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Simply put, thoughts are our opinions and beliefs about ourselves, others and the world around us. Thoughts can be experienced in different ways. Some of us think in the form of ‘words’, images/pictures, or even both. We all have that ‘voice’ in our head that helps us process events that are unfolding around us. Sometimes our inner self-talk can be very positive, supportive and encouraging, almost like a cheerleader. However, at times it can be very critical. You may have heard of the term ‘the inner critic’; this is the part of you that scrutinises/judges you. It may, for example, tell you that you ‘should’ do better or that you’re failing in life.

 

A big part of therapy is to shift our thinking. Now we have all heard the term ‘positive thinking’. We might be going through a tough situation and in an attempt to help, a friend or loved one may tell us “STOP thinking so negatively and think more positively!!”. Easier said then done, right?! We first need to understand our thoughts, before we can start to shift them. Most importantly, we need to understand what has led us to form that interpretation of the situation/event at hand, ourselves, others or the world.

 

Let’s start at the beginning… First and foremost, you CAN NOT stop yourself from thinking! The more you tell yourself to ‘stop thinking’ the more you think that thought! Have you ever had a song stuck in your head? I bet the answer is YES! And your mind sings it over, and over, and over! It becomes annoying, right? And the more you try to ‘get rid of’ that song, the more your mind keeps replaying it. Eventually, you may decide to stop fighting it and allow your mind to ‘sing’, you allow the song to be there, and go on with your day, focusing on what is important to you. And alas… IT GOES AWAY!!

 

Above, I mentioned that thoughts are words/pictures/images. I want you to keep this in mind. Thoughts in and of themselves do not have any meaning; they are words/pictures/images formed in our mind about our interpretation of a situation. We are the ones who give our thoughts meaning…we think them and automatically believe them to be true. Just because you think something, it DOES NOT make it true. For example, if you had the thought “I’m not a good friend”, that does not make it a fact.

 

We can often get caught in ‘thinking traps’. These are also referred to as cognitive distortions. Thinking traps are inaccuracies in thinking which are often very unhelpful and get in the way of us viewing a situation more objectively. Here are some common thinking traps:

  • Mindreading – We believe we know what others are thinking, and they have a negative opinion of us. The truth is, we can’t possibly know what someone else is thinking as we are not mind readers.
  • Fortune telling – When you tell yourself that something won’t work out; almost like you are predicting the future.
  • Black and white thinking – Viewing situations/events in terms of extremes and not seeing the in-between. For example, seeing things as either good or bad, a success or a failure.
  • Catastrophising – Telling yourself that the worst thing imaginable will happen and you won’t be able to cope.
  • ‘Should’ statements – Placing standards on how you ‘should’ or ‘must’ behave/think/feel.
  • Overgeneralisation – Thinking in terms of ‘always’ or ‘never’. For example, “I can never get anything right”.

 

Rather than refer to our thoughts as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’, I personally prefer to use the terms ‘helpful’ or ‘unhelpful’. Ask yourself, is it useful for me to think this way? Does this help me to live by my values and purse my goals? In the same way that we stop trying to ‘get rid of’ the songs stuck in our mind, we want to start making choices towards not engaging in our thoughts or getting stuck in the trap of ‘believing them’. Instead, we want to start noticing them more mindfully.

Our thoughts can be quite powerful and influence us in many ways. If you would like some support to shift your thinking to be more helpful and aligned with your values, our team of psychologists are here to help.

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This blog was written by Maria Kampantais – Psychologist and Clinical Registrar at YMM.

Maria has been consulting at YMM for many years and enjoys working with clients through the use of evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness techniques, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Solution Focused Therapy (SFT).

To learn more about Maria, check out the “Our Team” page on our website! https://yourmindmatters.net.au/our-team/

 

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