Creating space for healing and connection
At Canberra Psychology Services, Ellen leads with empathy, experience and adaptability. Since founding the practice in 2017, she has transformed it from a single-room operation into a multidisciplinary hub supporting the wellbeing of Canberrans. Balancing leadership with clinical work, Ellen continues to find purpose in helping others navigate life’s challenges while fostering a supportive environment for practitioners to grow and connect.
Tell us about your organisation, how long you have been there and your role within it.
Canberra Psychology Services (CPS) was established in 2017. Initially, it was a ‘one man band’ – a single therapy room and I did the administration and clinical work. Over the years, CPS has grown in office space and our clinical team. We currently house a range of other successful businesses from our premises (canberrapsychologyservices.com.au/our-team), allowing us to provide a hub of multidisciplinary services, including psychology, social work, speech pathology, craniosacral therapy, and previously also psychiatry. These days, I feel like I have the best of both worlds – my role is split between directing the practice by supporting our clinicians while still being able to do clinical work for a small number of clients. It always feels like a privilege to sit with and support people while they’re dealing with the challenges of life.
What do you consider to be your key strengths?
Being adaptive has helped refocus the business over the years, depending on the sector needs at the time. CPS has changed business models to meet the needs of the community, and I’ve had to learn to evolve with the industry over the last eight years.
What advice do you have for the next generation of women in business?
Just go for it! Sometimes you need to just take the leap of faith to succeed. I can say with absolute confidence that you learn just as much from your failures in business, so nothing ever really “fails” – it’s just an opportunity to grow.
What strategies do you use to stay motivated at work?
Remaining connected to the broader clinician community helps keep me passionate about the work. This can be through training, the supervision of students, supporting clinicians with new start-up businesses/sole traders, and organising networking or social events. It reminds me of the world outside of CPS and helps bring new ideas back to keep the practice fresh.
What methods do you use to unwind from work?
It’s hard to practice what you preach, but it’s the simple things that always work for me: exercise, eating well, creativity, and being present as a mum.
