When Dr Ellen McKenzie first began renting a small therapy room by the hour, she couldn’t have imagined how quickly her private practice would grow or how much it would evolve along the way. Today, Canberra Psychology Services (CPS) is a thriving multidisciplinary hub in the heart of Belconnen, supporting both clients seeking therapy and clinicians building their own practices.

“I started out renting a single room from one of my university teachers,” Ellen recalls. “She was at the later stages of her career, and as things picked up for me, she kept subdividing more parts of the practice until I eventually took it over. It’s been amazing and honestly a bit surprising to see how far it’s come.”

Since those early days, CPS has steadily transformed into a warm, community-oriented practice that balances professionalism with approachability. Ellen leads the clinic with empathy and adaptability, supporting a team of psychologists and allied health professionals who share her commitment to high-quality, evidence-based care.

From one room to a multidisciplinary hub

Ellen’s path to psychology wasn’t straightforward. After starting and pausing other degrees, she eventually found her way into the field a little later than most of her peers, something she believes gave her a more grounded perspective.

“I just felt compelled to help people, and generally, I’ve always been curious about people, about understanding them and hearing their stories,” she says. “When I started seeing clients at the end of my degree, I realised this was what I wanted to do.”

After graduating in 2016, Ellen initially worked with children and young people, developing a focus on trauma. She later joined Soldier On, supporting military personnel, first responders and those in national security roles. Alongside that, she started her private practice, and it took off faster than expected.

“It just grew and grew until I had to leave my other roles and focus on it full time,” she says.

Ellen’s clinical work now centres on adult survivors of childhood trauma, particularly those experiencing complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). Her therapeutic work is intensive and deeply client-centred, drawing on three primary approaches: Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Deep Brain Reorienting Therapy (DBR).

“These therapies are very effective for clients who’ve experienced multiple traumas over their lifetime,” she explains. “They’re evidence-based and often help people who haven’t found relief from more traditional approaches.”

A connected space for independent clinicians

While Ellen continues to see a number of clients herself, CPS is now home to a wide range of professionals offering diverse services, including psychology, social work, speech pathology and biodynamic craniosacral therapy.

“Everyone here is highly skilled in their area,” she says.

Although the practice has grown significantly, Ellen’s vision for CPS has always been about connection. Not just for clients, but for the clinicians who work there.

“Private practice can be isolating,” she says. “It’s easy for clinicians to fall into the trap of coming in on their work day, seeing clients, and leaving. I wanted to create something different, a space that felt connected and social.”

To achieve that, CPS operates as a collaborative hub where clinicians rent fully equipped rooms but still feel part of a team. The model allows independent practitioners to run their own business while enjoying the support and sense of belonging that can be missing from solo practice.

“What’s unique about CPS is that you get the best of both worlds,” Ellen explains. “You’re in charge of running your own business, but you still have community. We host social events, training opportunities and catch-ups, everything from bowling and cheese nights to epic Christmas parties. It’s always optional, but it means people know they’re not alone.”

Ellen also provides optional centralised admin and promotional support, helping clinicians establish themselves in private practice without the stress of doing it all solo.

“It’s perfect for someone who wants the independence of their own business but doesn’t want to feel isolated,” she says. “We’re always happy to welcome new clinicians who want to join the space.”

Finding balance, learning and growth

One of the most distinctive chapters in CPS’s story came when Ellen returned from maternity leave. Faced with the challenge of balancing motherhood with her career, she transformed part of the practice into a nursery.

“I wanted to keep working but didn’t want to be away from my daughter,” she says. “So I converted a portion of the practice into a nursery and hired a nanny full time. Another psychologist with a baby the same age joined me, and we’d work around feeding and nap times. It was this strange but beautiful hybrid of a psychology clinic and childcare space, and it worked.”

Her other great passion is training and ensuring she stays on top of the latest developments in psychology.

“I never want to fall into the mindset of ‘been there, done that’,” she says. “Particularly when treating complex clients, you have to keep learning and getting feedback. It’s easy to lose that sense of accountability when you’re working solo, which is why I think supervision is so important.”

Ellen invests heavily in her own professional development, undertaking far more supervision and training than is required for registration.

“It keeps you sharp and invigorated,” she says. “I’ve been qualified for nearly 10 years and still do heaps of training because it’s just so valuable. It’s what keeps me passionate about the work.”

A community built on care

Looking back, Ellen says the journey from a single rented room to a thriving practice has been humbling.

“It still blows my mind sometimes,” she laughs. “I feel lucky to work with such talented clinicians and to see how the space has grown, not just as a business but as a community.”

Whether she’s helping a client heal from trauma, mentoring early career psychologists or supporting an independent clinician to thrive in private practice, Dr Ellen McKenzie’s focus remains the same: to create space for connection, for growth and for healing.

The Clinicians at CPS

Amy Rugendyke
Clinical Psychologist
Sole Trader
Speciality: depression, anxiety, complex trauma

Dr Gilbert Mak
Registered Psychologist
Mak Psychology
Speciality: neurodivergence, CALD populations, gender/sexual identity, and trauma

Gregg Chapman
Registered Psychologist
Chapman Marques Psychology & Relationship Counselling
Speciality: adult ADHD assessment and management, relationships, sleep, general mental health

Jessica Minchin [maternity leave]
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
JM Holistic Therapy
Speciality: general mental health, anxiety, mood disorders, adolescents/young adults

Kelly Arundel
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
The Holding Nook
Speciality: eating disorders, body image, life adjustments, trauma

Michelle Driscoll
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist
Sole Trader
Speciality: stress, anxiety, chronic pain, injuries, trauma

Myndie Bungbrakearti  [maternity leave from Dec 2025]
Clinical Psychologist
PsychReach
Speciality: depression, anxiety, complex trauma

Sarah Miller
Speech Pathologist
Good with Words Speech Pathology
Speciality: early language, neuro-affirming practice, AAC

Canberra Psychology Services

5/55 Lathlain Street, Belconnen
E: [email protected]
T: 0412 856 988
W: canberrapsychologyservices.com.au