Our Team
Melbourne
The Allied Health Studio Collective provides support for children, adolescents and adults.
We are a multidisciplinary allied health practice offering Psychologists, Mental Health Social Workers, Speech Pathologists, Mental Health Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants.
Meet Rose Harper
Mental Health Social Worker
Senior Clinician
(She/Her)
Rose has over 15 years experience working in the mental health field. She has a Bachelor in Social Work and a Master of Public health and has worked across a variety of settings providing counselling to children, adolescents and their families. Rose’s work always encompasses a systems approach, focussing on the dynamics of different relationships for an individual and social context in which we all exist in. Hence Rose works holistically with families, schools and other support services.
Rose utilises a range of therapy interventions including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) somatic approaches as well as narrative and strengths based tools and is flexible in finding the right approach for each client. Building rapport and trust is always central to Rose’s work as she views the therapeutic connection as pivotal in providing useful interventions. Rose loves to get creative with her clients and has a range of tools to support mental health including loss and grief, anxiety, relationships,depression; neurodivergent clients, emotional regulation, life transitions and has a special interest in trauma. Rose is passionate about equality and strives to reflect this in her work, welcoming and encouraging diversity. Rose runs groups, works with families and provides individual support.
Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSWs) are mental health professionals who have undertaken specialised training and have experience in providing targeted mental health intervention. They are accredited through their professional body (Australian Association of Social Workers) and eligible to provide mental health services through Medicare and NDIS. They are trained in a variety of psychological interventions and utilise evidence-based strategies to provide counselling in different mental health settings. Particular modalities utilised will depend on the individual training of the AMHSW, similar to psychologist or mental health OT and may include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), somatic approaches, trauma specific approaches and more!
What sets AMHSWs apart is their dual training in evidence-based therapeutic approaches and social work theory, which allows them to work not only with individual mental health needs but also with the broader social and systemic factors that influence wellbeing. Social justice and equality are central to all social work intervention - we work to meet clients where they are at, encompassing approaches that accept and embrace diversity. At the core of social work education is the person-in-environment approach which means they work to understand an individual within their own environment and the systems relevant to them. For AMHSW’s relationship and rapport are key, which means their work encompasses a holistic, person centred, collaborative approach to care.
Presentations that a MHSW may be able to support you with will be similar to that of a psychologist or a mental health occupational therapist - it is important to find the therapist that is the right fit for you so that you can build a safe and useful connection.
Meet Sophie Burke
Psychologist
Senior Clinician
(She/Her)
Sophie is a senior Clinical Leader at our Brunswick practice, an Educational and Developmental Psychology registrar and an AHPRA Board-approved supervisor. Sophie brings experience working with children, adolescents and their families, as well as schools and other key stakeholders. She is committed to bringing warmth and empathy into her practice, ensuring that clients feel supported with both care and also expertise. Sophie supports neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals with a wide range of concerns, including: anxiety, low mood, sleep difficulties, friendship issues and trauma treatment.
In her clinical work and supervision space Sophie utilises multiple evidence-based modalities, including but not limited to: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Narrative therapy and she is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Sophie works from a systems approach and often works in collaboration with families, schools, allied health and other supports, as well as using an attachment-lens to work with children and parents. In addition, Sophie recognises the importance of neuro-affirming practice.
Sophie highly regards the supervision process and is passionate about supporting psychologists to achieve their professional goals. Sophie creates a safe and reflective supervision environment, where clinicians can feel comfortable to bring clinical queries, tricky client presentations and professional goal planning to explore together. Sophie currently supervises psychologists in addition to her client work via telehealth or face to face.
Meet Michelle Guneratne
Psychologist
(She/Her)
Michelle is a warm, compassionate and experienced psychologist committed to supporting people to feel understood, empowered, and connected. With specialist endorsement in Educational and Developmental Psychology and as an AHPRA board-approved supervisor, Michelle brings both expertise and empathy to her work with children, adolescents and adults.
Michelle creates a calm, non-judgmental space where clients feel safe to explore their thoughts and emotions. She works closely with individuals and families to understand their unique strengths, challenges and goals such as managing anxiety, improving emotional regulation, building social skills or navigating transitions. Michelle also offers comprehensive psychological assessments to better understand learning, behaviour and development.
Combining evidence-based strategies with creativity and flexibility, Michelle tailors her approach to suit each person’s individual needs. She believes in working collaboratively with families, schools and other professionals to promote meaningful and lasting change.
Meet Cate Rushan
Psychologist
Currently on maternity leave
(She/Her)
Cate is a registered Psychologist who recently completed a Master of Educational Psychology at the University of Melbourne. Cate is curious and open-minded, bringing a warm and approachable atmosphere to her practice. She is committed to creating a space where clients feel understood, accepted, and comfortable.
In her practice, Cate combines evidence-based approaches with a developmental perspective and creativity to effectively work with clients across the lifespan. Her approach is strengths-based and system-oriented, tailored to recognise the unique strengths, challenges, supports, and influences of each individual.
Cate has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and their families. She has a particular interest in supporting adolescents and young adults as they navigate complexities such as anxiety, depression, identity development, friendship dynamics, educational needs, and periods of transition. Cate also conducts educational assessments for the purpose of identifying learning needs and/or ADHD.
Meet Zilla Bartels
Senior Speech Pathologist
(She/Her)
Zilla provides individualised support to children, adolescents, young adults and their families, focusing on areas of communication including, but not limited to the following: Development of Speech Sounds; Expressive and Receptive language; Literacy skills and navigating the world of Social Communication.
Zilla has experience working with children, adolescents and young adults in online, in-person and group settings, and no matter how the therapy takes place, ensures to engage each client in a way that is best suited to them.
Zilla is also a qualified DRUMBEAT facilitator and runs programs throughout the year at the Social Learning Studio. DRUMBEAT is a group program that uses music, rhythm and teamwork to build social-emotional skills.
Meet Beth Binyam
Speech Pathologist
(She/Her)
Beth is a speech pathologist who will be supporting clients at our Brunswick West and Coburg clinics. She has over three years' experience working with children, adolescents, and young adults in private practice in regional Victoria.
She is passionate about neurodiversity-affirming practice, person-centred care, and fostering confidence in her clients. Beth considers her client's strengths, preferences, and lived experiences to tailor therapy sessions to their needs in her therapeutic approach.
She can provide support in the areas of social communication, literacy, speech sound development, language, fluency (stuttering), and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) or complex communication needs (CCN).
Meet Tarsha Nowell
Psychologist
Tarsha is a psychologist who holds a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) from the University of Melbourne.
Tarsha adopts a warm, compassionate and person-centred approach in her work with clients. She brings creativity and enthusiasm to her practice alongside evidence-based modalities to support a range of challenges impacting wellbeing. Tarsha offers support for children, adolescents, adults and their families in counselling and assessment capacities.
She is passionate about neurodiversity affirming practice and adopts a trauma-informed lens. Tarsha is passionate about empowering clients to fulfil their goals, grow and thrive.
Meet Kate Augello
Speech Pathologist
(She/Her)
With a Master of Speech Pathology (2014), Kate brings in-depth clinical experience working with school-aged children, teens and young adults. Her primary areas of practice are intervention in literacy, language, social communication and executive function, in addition to assessment (e.g. Specific Learning Disorder, DLD), advocacy, and case management.
Her passion lies in particular working with adolescent clients, in language/literacy (including written expression), social communication and the intersection of speech pathology and numeracy. Kate is a knowledge seeker and continuous learner. At the core of her support is neurodiverse affirming approaches, kindness and collaboration with her clients’ care team.
Kate also currently provides school-based speech pathology support in secondary schools, in addition to 1:1 and group-based support.
Outside of work, you’ll find Kate at the footy, enjoying musicals, art and crafting or out in nature.
Meet Tess Henning
Occupational Therapist
Tess is an Occupational Therapist who graduated with a Master of Occupational Therapy in 2023. She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Psychology and a Graduate Certificate in Careers Counselling.
Tess is passionate about empowering individuals to engage in activities that are meaningful to them, using a collaborative, strengths-based and trauma-informed approach. She enjoys working alongside clients from primary school age through to adulthood to build on their strengths, navigate challenges, and work towards their goals.
Tess has a strong interest in sensory approaches, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and interoception. She is particularly interested in supporting adults with ADHD and trauma-related experiences.
In her spare time, Tess enjoys reading a good book or trying out a new café..
Meet Melia Miltiadou
Reception & Accounts Manager
(She/Her)
A former teacher, and bank manager, Melia's skill set keeps us all in line. If you call us, it's likely you'll be speaking to Melia. Melia has supported our team for many years, very familiar with each clinician's unique style. Melia can help to identify whether someone from our team will be a right fit for your needs.
Meet Ellie
Reception & Accounts Manager
(She/Her)
Ellie is one of the first faces you see when you arrive at the clinic. Originally from England, Ellie relocated to Australia in January 2025 after what was meant to be a two-month holiday turned into a new chapter abroad. She brings a compassionate background to her role at the clinic, having previously worked as a support worker on an organic care farm in England. Now part of the clinic on Tuesdays, Ellie supports the practice through her administrative work. She’s highly organised, approachable, and committed to making the space feel welcoming and inclusive for everyone who walks through the door.
Outside of the clinic, Ellie is a passionate artist and hopes to one day illustrate a children's book!
Meet Bronwen
Reception & Accounts Manager
(She/Her)
Bronwen is one of the friendly faces you will see when you come through the doors at our Brunswick studio.
Bronwen has over a decade of experience as an Administrator working across a variety of sectors with a diverse range of people. During that time she has developed a passion for contributing to the health and well-being of clients by providing a warm welcome and genuinely helpful approach. With a background in Community Development and Early Childhood education, Bronwen enjoys using her organisational and problem solving skills to streamline processes and help implement positive outcomes for clients and colleagues alike.
Outside of work Bronwen enjoys spending time with loved ones in nature, cooking, baking, walking and exercising.
