Dr Brenton Russell, DSM

Clinical Psychologist & Director

I am a registered Clinical Psychologist and the co-director of Maitri Wellbeing. .

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My values of authenticity, curiosity, and an active interest in others are reflected in my connecting, warm, supportive, and intentional therapeutic approach. I believe that positive change comes from a genuine therapeutic relationship that provides the safety and security for people to engage with their personal challenges in a spirit of mutual discovery and collaboration.

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Therapeutic Approaches

I aim to flexibility match evidence-based approaches with each individual’s needs and goals. This includes working not only with a person’s individual psychological aspects but also the relationships and systems that a person lives within. Specifically, I draw on the following approaches:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - short-term psychotherapy that can help people find new ways to behave by changing their thought patterns.

• Emotion Focused Therapy - based on the idea that emotions are key to identity and as a guide for individual choice and decision-making.

• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy - based on theories of adult attachment and bonding with an aim to increase security, closeness, and connection in intimate relationships.

• Schema Therapy - combines elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), psychoanalysis, attachment theory, Gestalt theory, and emotion focused therapy amongst others.

• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) - type of cognitive behavioural therapy that teaches people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships with others.

• Family Systems Therapy - draws on systems thinking to help individuals resolve their challenges in the context of their family units and/or other systems.

• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) - structured therapy that uses repetitive eye movements to interrupt and re-pattern trauma-related memories and relieve associated psychological stress.

• Feedback-Informed Treatment - use of real-time input and feedback from the client to adjust the therapeutic process to best meet the client’s needs.

Who I Work With

I am passionate about providing mental health support to my regional Victorian community, supporting anyone who walks through the door across the range of psychological challenges and disorders.

I do, however, have particular interests in working with trauma (acute and complex) and complex mental health challenges including personality disorders and vulnerabilities that may result in high levels of emotional dysregulation, impulsiveness, interpersonal relationship challenges, managing intense emotions, and other unhelpful behaviours.

I feel that I am best suited to working with adults and young people aged 16 years and older, as well as with families with teenage children and couples regardless of their unique make up. I am most welcoming of all people regardless of their gender, sexual identity, race, religion, or any other unique aspects, background, or beliefs.

My Research

I have authored a number of research papers that have been published in international peer-reviewed journals relating to posttraumatic stress and, more significantly, posttraumatic growth (PTG) focussing on how people can be supported to grow and increase their psychological functioning and quality of life as a direct result of their adverse and traumatic experiences. I use this deep research-based knowledge to inform my clinical practice.

Personal

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I strongly aspire to bring my own genuine and authentic self into all my interactions with people, both in and out of the therapy room. Outside of psychology, I am an avid martial artist (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), outdoors enthusiast (hiking, snowboarding, and really anything outdoors!) and I have a strong focus on family with four children and an amazing wife who doubles as Maitri Wellbeing’s co-director, psychotherapist, couples counsellor, and mediator. I bring extensive life experiences having had previous careers as an engineer, Army officer, and management consultant which have all shared the common aim of trying to better understand and support people.

A Message for Current and Former Serving Military Personnel and their Families:

I served with the Australian Army for fifteen years with operational deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and East Timor and was privileged to receive a Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) for “distinguished leadership in action” in Afghanistan. I strongly welcome all referrals from current or former serving personnel and their families with my first-hand experience of the pressures of service life and will do what I can to support veterans and their families.  I currently accept DVA Gold and White Cards and am able to see people under arrangements through Open Arms Veterans and Families Counselling.