DR DEBBIE COLLAROS

Dr Debbie Collaros is a seasoned Senior Psychologist in her 29th year of practice, working predominantly with Adult and Adolescent neurodiversity (ADHD and ASD), Anxiety, Complex Trauma, Dissociation, Individual issues such as attachment or family of origin challenges as well as the complexities of marital and family relationships and work/colleagial conflicts. Hailing from Johannesburg in South Africa, she is now based in the Hills District of Sydney.

In addition to psychotherapy, Debbie is a Board Approved Supervisor, offering supervision to Psychology Interns and Registered Psychologists both within and beyond the practice.

Debbie obtained two Masters degrees in Psychology. One in Research Psychology (cum laude) in which she was selected to work with the Chairman of the Association of Christian Counsellors in South Africa to develop an Honours level curriculum for the efficient training of lay Christian counsellors at the University of Johannesburg. The second Masters degree was in Counselling Psychology (1st year cum laude) and involved an internship at an established Therapy and Assessment Centre in Johannesburg as well as a dissertation on assessing the impact of a Christian self-help group facilitation programme that she ran at her local church.

She was the first PhD candidate in the Division of Forensic Medicine and Pathology (Faculty of Health Sciences) at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Medical School. Her thesis is also the first to explore the Geographical Profiling of Serial Murder in South Africa. Debbie interviewed 15 (a national record) of South Africa’s most notorious and incarcerated serial murderers within several Correctional Centres in the country. During her final year of her PhD, she was invited by her primary supervisor Dr Guin Gordon (Forensic Anthropologist) to set up and coordinate the Forensic Psychology curriculum for the Honours students in the Division of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. Debbie lectured half of this course alongside her secondary supervisor and ex-colleague, Prof Gérard Labuschagne (Head of the Investigative Psychology Services of the South African Police at the time). She has also been a forensic consultant to an Australian corporate investigations firm.

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Debbie presented a paper on Technology at the 2017 Conference of the Australian Counselling Association and was also requested to write and present part of the course material for the newly introduced Bachelor of Social Science degree at Alphacrucis College where she lectured on Psychopathology as well as the Development of Counselling Skills. She then went on to lecture predominantly on the subject of trauma at Excelsia College. Debbie is passionate about teaching students and sharing psychoeducation via the media to the general public for improved insight and wellbeing and to potentially minimise their need for expensive psychotherapy.

When Debbie is not in session, lecturing or at home/church with the family, she will usually be found with her four pets, watching forensic investigations, doing puzzles or rocking some therapeutic grooves on her drum kit.