Val has an Honours degree in Psychology from Deakin University and a Masters in Psychology (Counselling) from Monash University. She is registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and is a full Member of the Australian Psychological Society. She is also an Associate Member of the Australian Society of Hypnosis.

Val worked in several different private practice settings for a number of years, prior to establishing her own clinic, Eltham Mind and Body Psychology, in 2013. She has since opened three more clinics which are tenanted by psychologists and other allied health professionals.

She uses a range of therapeutic techniques that are grounded in an understanding of Attachment theory to promote healing and change. Each are tailored to the specific needs of the client. She has a particular interest in working with clients with a complex childhood trauma history and in the field of Perinatal Psychology with an emphasis on infant mental health. She has completed training in relationship-based approaches to perinatal mood disturbance and has a deep understanding of the difficulties that the transition to parenthood can present. Her preference is to work with new mothers/parents experiencing postnatal anxiety/depression and attachment issues.

She undertakes regular professional development training and supervision and is passionate about providing the best possible care to her clients.

Therapy Approaches include; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Trauma Model Therapy, Mindfulness-based Interventions, Sensorimotor Processing, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Hypnosis and Yoga.