Welcome to
Resilience Matters Clinical Psychology
A modern and relatable approach to therapy
Meet Your Psychologists
At our clinical psychology practice, you will be supported by qualified and compassionate psychologists each bringing a unique breadth of experience to their work.
Mr Stuart Lokhee
Stuart Lokhee is a skilled and empathetic psychologist with over 25 years of experience in law enforcement, where he developed a deep understanding of trauma, resilience, and human behaviour in high-pressure environments. Stuart has also worked as a casual high school teacher, giving him valuable insight into the challenges faced by adolescents and young adults. As a qualified Child Clinical Psychologist, Stuart is dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and families through evidence-based interventions tailored to their developmental needs.
Dr Phillip Aouad
Dr Phillip Aouad is a psychologist with a specialisation in eating, feeding, and body image disorders. Dr Phil’s expertise extends to working with individuals across the lifespan who are experiencing challenges with their relationship to food and body image. In addition to his clinical work, Dr Phil is a hospital scientist and serves as an Adjunct Professor in clinical psychology research, ensuring that his practice is informed by the latest scientific evidence. His integrative approach combines compassion with research-driven strategies to help clients achieve lasting change.
Together, Stuart and Dr Phil are committed to providing a safe, supportive, and confidential environment where you can explore your concerns and work towards positive mental health and wellbeing.
Scientist Practitioner Psychology
We are scientist practitioners who critically evaluate psychological research, apply it thoughtfully in therapy, and remain engaged in the ongoing development of psychological knowledge.
We take a whole, person centred approach, which means we consider not only symptoms, but also your life context, values, relationships, physical health, work demands, and personal history. Therapy is tailored to you as an individual, rather than applied as a one size fits all model.
This approach allows treatment to be evidence-based, flexible, and responsive, balancing scientific rigour with clinical judgement to support meaningful and sustainable change.
Clinical Focus
- Young People
- First Responders
- People experiencing work-related distress and pain, including SIRA clients
- Adults with eating, feeding and body image issues
Every individual’s experience is different, which is why we focus on creating a therapy plan centred around clients needs, pace and goals.
Commonly we help people with Trauma, depression, anxiety, panic and sleep problems. We also help young people and adults with the impact of ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders & eating & feeding and body image issues.
We Value Our Referrers
Resilience Matters welcomes enquiries and referrals from Psychologists, GPs, Paediatricians, Psychiatrists, other allied health providers.
Psychologist for First Responders | Police, Paramedics & Firefighters
Mr Stuart Lokhee provides specialised psychological support for Police, Ambulance, and Fire Service personnel, as well as their partners and families.
With an extensive background in law enforcement, Stuart brings a genuine understanding of the unique operational pressures, culture, and psychological demands experienced by emergency service workers.
This insight allows therapy to be practical, relevant, and respectful of the realities of frontline work.
Supporting the Mental Health of First Responders
Careers in policing, paramedicine, and firefighting often involve repeated exposure to trauma, critical incidents, operational stress, and demanding shift work. Over time, these pressures can affect sleep, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and overall functioning.
Support is available for:
Cumulative trauma and exposure to critical incidents
Anger, irritability, hypervigilance, or emotional withdrawal
Sleep disturbance, fatigue, and shift-work related stress
Moral injury and distress following difficult operational decisions
Burnout, relationship strain, or career transition from emergency services
Therapy is collaborative, practical, and tailored to your individual needs. Sessions focus on developing effective strategies that support resilience, recovery, and long-term wellbeing.
Importantly, therapy is not a mandated program or reporting process. The focus remains on helping you identify goals and develop strategies that align with your circumstances, values, and preferences.
Confidential and Professional Support
Confidentiality is a cornerstone of psychological care.
Your privacy is respected at all times. Information is not shared with employers, agencies, or third parties without your consent, except where required by law. Boundaries and confidentiality are discussed clearly from the outset to ensure you feel safe and supported.
Seeking Support
If you are a first responder, emergency services employee, or a family member seeking psychological support, you are welcome to make contact.
Stuart provides a respectful, confidential space to discuss the challenges associated with emergency service work and to support lasting mental health and wellbeing.
Two Session Support For Police Applicants
Psychological support includes:
Independent psychological assessment tailored to police applicant requirements
- Strategies for managing stress, anxiety, and performance pressure
- Support in building resilience, confidence, and emotional regulation
- Guidance on coping with the demands and expectations of police work
- Feedback and recommendations to strengthen psychological readiness
The goal is to help you feel prepared, confident, and mentally equipped for the challenges of police recruitment and future service.
Confidentiality:
All sessions and assessments are strictly confidential and not shared without your consent, except where legally required. Boundaries and privacy are discussed clearly at the outset.
If you are applying to the police force and would like psychological support or an independent assessment, you are welcome to contact Stuart for a consultation.
Support for Work Psycho-Social Issues & SIRA WorkCover
Chronic Pain and Injury Management
Psychological strategies can help to adjust to pain, injury, and reduced function. We focus on helping you understand the connection between physical injury, emotional strain, and decision-making, while supporting recovery.
We have capacity to see SIRA patients or refer them to other SIRA qualified psychologists. physiotherapists, Pain Doctors and Psychiatrists if its needed.
How to make an Appointment
Appointment Enquiries
For all appointment enquiries, please use the contact button on this site.
You are welcome to request an appointment via email or phone, or you can ask us to contact you directly to discuss your needs and arrange a suitable time.
We aim to respond promptly and ensure your enquiry is handled confidentially and professionally.
How Psychology Can Help
The following fictional scenarios to show the range of work psychologists can do. Note they do not describe real clients.
Trauma
A police officer experiencing trauma, low mood, and increasing anger sought support from a psychologist outside the police organisation through a GP Mental Health Care Plan. Their goal was to access independent and confidential psychological support separate from the workplace.
Under NSW Police Health Policy, the remaining “gap” fee for sessions was covered, meaning the officer did not incur any out-of-pocket costs for treatment.
This arrangement allowed the member to receive confidential, evidence-based psychological therapy in a private setting, while still accessing available health supports. For many first responders, working with a psychologist outside their organisation can provide a space to speak openly about work experiences, operational stress, and personal wellbeing.
ADHD
A Year 12 student preparing for the Higher School Certificate (HSC) sought support to manage the academic demands of their final school year. The student had a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and was being treated with prescribed stimulant medication under the care of their medical practitioner.
Alongside medical treatment, psychological sessions focused on practical study and executive functioning skills, including planning, time management, scheduling, and organising study tasks. These strategies were designed to help the student structure their workload, maintain focus, and manage the increased pressure associated with HSC examinations.
Psychological support aimed to strengthen study routines, task initiation, and sustained attention, enabling the student to approach their exams with greater confidence and organisation.
Anxiety
A teacher experiencing family stress alongside workplace conflict sought psychological support to better manage the emotional impact of these pressures.
Therapy focused on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approaches. Sessions helped the client identify and manage anxious thoughts, develop skills to “let go” of unhelpful thinking patterns, and build greater psychological flexibility.
Mindfulness-based strategies were also introduced to support emotional regulation, present-moment awareness, and more balanced responses to stress. These skills assisted the client in managing anxiety, improving coping at work, and maintaining wellbeing during a challenging period.
Workplace Psycho-Social Stress
An adult experiencing a workplace injury and chronic pain, while navigating a workers compensation claim, sought psychological support under the NSW State Insurance regulatory framework.
The individual chose to engage with a psychologist independent of their employer, allowing for confidential and impartial psychological care during a complex and often stressful period.
Therapy focused on approaches drawn from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and narrative-based therapy to help the client better understand and manage the relationship between pain, stress, and emotional wellbeing.
Flexible Appointments
Telehealth
Telehealth in Australia has revolutionised psychological services by offering convenient access to mental health professionals through video calls and phone consultations. The increased convenience and accessibility potentially enable more people to receive support.
Evidence suggests that telehealth is an effective form of mental health care (Snoswell, C. et.al.,2023).
In-Person or Telehealth?
For most clients and evidence-based therapies, both telehealth and in-person sessions are effective. It's more about your choice and convenience.
Back in Control
You don’t have to manage alone.
Whether you’re recovering from a difficult job event, navigating workplace conflict, dealing with cumulative stress, or managing the impact of shift work, we collaborate to help you feel more grounded, more capable, and more in control of your path forward.
Moving Forward
If you are unsure which type of appointment is right for you, we can help you explore your options. Reach out with any questions about availability or how we can support your needs.
Contact
If you need help, you can contact your GP, Lifeline, or NSW Mental Health 24/7. If your or someone else’s life is in danger, please contact emergency services on 000.
