Expert GP Psychotherapy for Mental Well-being

Promotes medicine with soul as two parts of the same whole. A
session combines innovative science with compassion.

Applying the science and art of mind-body and holistic medicine in practice. Dr Michelle is a medical doctor and holds fellowships with the Royal Australian college of GP (RACGP), Australasian College of Nutritional Medicine (ACNEM) and Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (ASLM).

Dr Michelle Woolhouse has a post grad diploma in mind-body and nutritional medicine. She has additional training in mental health and traditional medicines. She has over 25 years of experience in integrative and functional medicine.

I love working with women who experience anxiety, depression, feel stressed or burnt out. Whether it be due to or exacerbated by significant life events, hormonal change periods such as menopause/peri-menopause or other career or life transitions.

Our sessions will include explorations in nutrition, adrenal and thyroid health, hormonal factors, psychological skills, sexual health and lifestyle medicine. In addition, we will also look at your significant social and work relationships and explore other things such as long held personal
beliefs, imposter syndrome, resistances and boundary issues, attachment disorders, mindfulness skills, self-compassion, personal agency, communication styles, long held desires, visions,  work and self-worth.

I see it time and again, people searching for answers to their chronic health conditions, bouncing from specialist to allied health professionals. Finally, when a diagnosis comes a person can be left with more questions than answers. Sound familiar?

The prescription of a medicine often feels like a band-aid approach, not addressing the how and why you got there in the first place. But the truth is, you are more that your diagnosis 

A person needs more than just a prescription or a supplement program. To be fully engaged with the process of regaining health in its truest form requires informed behaviour change, mindset reset and deep personal understanding. These become the cornerstone of effective transformative healthcare. 

If deep down inside, you know something more is going on, you are in the right place. 

As an integrative medical doctor, I take a holistic and compassionate approach to health care. I consider your physical, mental, emotional, relational, environmental, behavioural and spiritual aspects of health. Integrative medicine is essentially a bio-psycho-social approach and combines conventional medical treatments with complementary and psychological therapies to treat you as a  whole person, not just the disease or symptoms.

Psycho-neuro-therapy is the holistic application of neuroscience in clinical care. By understanding the role the nervous systems plays in all diseases (both physically and mentally), can help you in not only understanding your “why” but can also offer the clues as to how you can unwind from chronic mental and physical health conditions. 

Psycho-neuro-therapy is based in part on the science of psycho-neuro-immunology, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindful-based self-compassion, psycho-education, inter-personal neuro-biology and supportive inquiry. It is useful in addressing the psychological factors to help a person gain  skills to manage their anxiety, stress, burnout, long term physical conditions, relationship issues, and life transitions.

To achieve optimal benefit, this process likely required multiple follow-up appointments, either face to face or via tele-health, access to online or community-based programs and supportive allied treatments. The frequency of the appointments and length is discussed early in the treatment program and reviewed periodically.

I work with people who are committed to themselves and their life, those who are looking for personal insight and empowerment and a deeper relationship to wellbeing. This personalised approach leads to people feeling understood, allowing them to embrace and respond to life and their health in a different capacity. 

Alongside these 1-1 sessions, Dr Michelle offers online (both self-paced and group programs) and week-long retreats to further enhance and promote optimal psycho-neuro wellbeing. (link)

Due to the structure and specialisation of my chosen field, I do not practice as a primary care GP. I recommended that all my patients find a suitable GP for all their day-to-day GP needs. You must acknowledge this special requirement as a condition of service.