Peter Defina

Peter is a registered Clinical Psychologist (AHPRA), an authorised health practitioner under section 7.52 of the Motor Injury Injuries Act 2017, and an SIRA certified provider of psychological services under WorkCover. Peter completed his undergraduate training at UNSW in 1982. Since 1983 Peter has been employed in a range of settings, including Corrective Services, Family and Community Services, Community Health, and drug and alcohol treatment services. He has been the clinical director of inpatient and outpatient drug and alcohol treatment facilities, and a National Clinical Educator with the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW. Since 1996 he has worked as a medico-legal consultant and clinical psychologist in private practice, vocational rehabilitation, and pain management facilities. Peter believes it is important to adopt a therapeutic approach based on the needs of the client, drawing on approaches such as client centred counselling, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness, and solution focused therapy. He aims to integrate those approaches with more recent advances in neuroplasticity. His goal for treatment is to enable his patients to become their own therapist, with the skills and capacity to apply treatment principles and procedures in their daily lives for the achievement of their personal goals.