Caroline Shahbaz – Senior Clinical Psychologist
Masters of Clinical Psychology

Caroline’s work is shaped by a deep belief that lasting change is possible — and that it rarely happens in a straight line. Her approach holds complexity with care, understanding the deeper factors that drive a person’s experience to find what is truly driving distress.

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Caroline is an AHPRA-registered Psychologist (MAPS) with over 30 years of clinical experience supporting individuals, couples, and families. She has a particular interest in relationships and couples therapy, helping people navigate communication difficulties, conflict, trust injuries, attachment wounds, intimacy concerns, separation, and the complex patterns that often emerge in close relationships.

Her work is grounded in the belief that meaningful and lasting change becomes possible when we understand not only what is happening in our lives, but the deeper relational, family, cultural, and psychological influences that shape our experiences. Caroline is known for her warmth, curiosity, and ability to help people make sense of longstanding difficulties with both compassion and clarity.

Whether working with an individual, a couple, or a family, Caroline seeks to understand the underlying patterns driving distress and to support clients in developing healthier, more conscious ways of relating to themselves and others.

Background and Experience

Caroline holds a Master of Psychology (Clinical) and Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours) from La Trobe University, as well as a Master of Arts in Depth and Liberation Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in California.

Alongside her clinical practice, Caroline is an educator, author, and presenter. She co-authored Becoming a Kink-Aware Therapist (Routledge, 2016) and has presented internationally on trauma, relationships, sexuality, identity, and ethical practice. She is a Visiting Tutor at HOMA Psychotherapy in London, Core Faculty with the Kink Knowledgeable Academy, and an Assessor for Mind Medicine Australia’s Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies (CPAT).

Areas of Support Caroline Works With:
Couples and Relationship Therapy

Communication difficulties and recurring conflict cycles

Trust injuries, betrayal, and relationship repair

Emotional disconnection and intimacy concerns

Attachment dynamics and relational patterns

Life transitions affecting relationships

Diverse relationship structures and relationship agreements

Individual Therapy

Depression, anxiety, and complex mood difficulties

Attachment wounds and childhood emotional neglect

Developmental, intergenerational, and complex trauma

Grief, loss, and major life transitions

Identity development, shame, and self-worth concerns

Addiction and dual-diagnosis presentations

Existential concerns, purpose, and meaning-making

Diverse Communities

LGBTQIA+ clients and diverse relationship structures

Culturally and linguistically diverse communities

Clients seeking an affirming and non-pathologising therapeutic environment

Therapeutic Approach

Caroline’s approach is systemic, integrative, relational, and trauma-informed. Drawing from a range of evidence-based and depth-oriented therapies, she tailors treatment to the unique needs of each person or couple. Her work incorporates:

Psychodynamic and depth psychological approaches

Attachment-theory and trauma-informed care

Family Systems and Family Constellation approaches

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Schema Therapy and Schema Therapy for Couples

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Creative and experiential methods, including imagery and symbolic exploration

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), ACT, and DBT-informed approaches

Caroline’s work is particularly suited to individuals and couples who feel stuck in recurring patterns, are navigating the impact of trauma on relationships, or are seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their connections with others. While grounded in practical therapeutic outcomes, her approach also recognises the importance of meaning, identity, and the broader emotional and relational dimensions of human experience.

Caroline consults from Kew East on Fridays and is also available via telehealth.

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