Our Team
At Althea Collective, we’re here to help individuals and couples navigate life’s challenges with confidence and self-understanding. We believe in real, honest conversations and creating a space where you feel truly heard and supported. Our approach is inclusive, grounded in evidence-based care, and always tailored to what works best for you.
Bethanie Hannagan
Clinical Director & Founder
Bethanie is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and holds a Master of Clinical Social Work (MCSW). As the Clinical Director and Founder of Althea Collective, Bethanie is dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based care tailored to each individual.
With specialised training in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and extensive experience in trauma, mental health, and relationship therapy, Bethanie takes an eclectic approach—integrating a range of therapeutic modalities to best support her clients. Her passion lies in finding the most effective interventions to foster healing, resilience, and personal growth.
Bethanie’s work is grounded in warmth, authenticity, and deep clinical expertise, ensuring that clients feel supported, empowered, and understood throughout their therapeutic journey. She is passionate about supporting individuals with complex mental health challenges, including personality disorders, trauma, and emotional dysregulation.
Charlie Wesley
Mental Health & Research Assistant
Charlie is Althea Collective’s resident expert in comfort skills, social awareness, and emotional intelligence. With a heart as big as his love for cuddles, Charlie thrives on providing warmth and support to anyone who needs it. Always ready for a snuggle, he has a keen ability to sense emotions and offer his signature gentle headbutts as a sign of reassurance.
Beyond his therapeutic talents, Charlie is also a dedicated researcher in the fields of sniff testing, box exploration, and trash appreciation. No box is too small, no piece of crinkly paper too insignificant—Charlie finds joy in the little things and encourages others to do the same.
Client Relations
Our Client Relations and Administration Team are dedicated to ensuring each client’s journey begins with clarity and ease, managing appointments, answering inquiries, and ensuring our practice runs smoothly behind the scenes. With exceptional communication skills and an empathetic approach, they make sure that every client feels heard and supported from the first contact to the last.
This role is vital in creating the nurturing environment that Althea Collective is known for, providing crucial administrative support while maintaining a compassionate and professional demeanor. The Client Relations and Administration Team is truly an integral part of our team, ensuring that all logistical and operational details are handled efficiently, allowing our therapists to focus on delivering the best care possible to our clients.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
DBT is highly effective for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and improving relationships. It is particularly helpful for individuals struggling with intense emotions, self-destructive behaviours, or personality disorders.
The primary goal of DBT is to help individuals develop skills to manage intense emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviours, and build healthier relationships, ultimately leading to a life that feels more balanced, meaningful, and fulfilling.
Schema Therapy
A powerful approach that explores deep-rooted patterns from childhood that may be impacting your current relationships and emotional well-being. It is particularly effective for long-standing difficulties and personality disorders.
Schema Therapy shares a similar focus with IFS on understanding and healing the parts of ourselves that influence our thoughts and behaviours. Schema Therapy focuses more on identifying and changing deeply rooted patterns or "schemas" that develop from early life experiences and developing more healthy ways to cope.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours. It is widely used for anxiety, depression, and many other mental health concerns.
The goal of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is to help individuals identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours that contribute to emotional distress. By learning to challenge negative thinking and adopt healthier coping strategies, clients can improve their emotional regulation and overall well-being. It empowers individuals to create lasting change in how they think, feel, and interact with the world around them.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly effective therapy designed to help individuals process and heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. By targeting the emotional and cognitive impact of traumatic memories, EMDR helps reduce their intensity and helps individuals move forward in a healthier, more balanced way.
The outcomes of EMDR include reduced trauma symptoms, improved emotional regulation, and a greater sense of emotional resilience. It’s especially beneficial for those struggling with PTSD, anxiety, and unresolved trauma, as it promotes lasting healing and recovery.
Therapies We Offer
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a structured approach to therapy that helps individuals and couples strengthen their emotional bonds and improve communication. Grounded in attachment theory, EFT focuses on identifying and reshaping negative patterns of interaction, helping clients express and understand their emotions in a healthy way. The goal of EFT is to create secure emotional connections, reduce distress, and foster deeper intimacy, enabling individuals to build stronger, more supportive relationships.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy
The Gottman Method is a research-based approach to couples therapy developed by Drs. John and Julie Schwartz Gottman. It focuses on enhancing relationship dynamics by improving communication, increasing emotional intimacy, and resolving conflicts effectively. The goal of the Gottman Method is to help couples build a strong, lasting relationship by fostering respect, trust, and understanding, while teaching practical tools for managing conflict and deepening their emotional connection.
With expertise in DBT, EFT, EMDR, and the Gottman Method, our team offers a wide range of therapeutic approaches to meet your needs. Whether you're facing individual challenges or relationship difficulties, we are here to provide support and help you thrive.
Let’s work together.
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