MEET OUR TEAM
Meet Your Shine Strong Psychology Professionals
Karen Dow
Psychologist
B.Psych (Hons)
Being in love with travel and curious about people and their cultures, Karen has chosen to spend every spare moment chasing adventure, challenging herself, and giving back to others. Before becoming a psychologist in her early 40s, Karen had a long career in the travel industry and has had the privilege of travelling to far flung regions on this beautiful planet as well as hosting many adventurous trips. Since becoming a psychologist, she has endeavoured to marry her two loves in life – adventure and empowering others.
In her daily practice at Shine Strong Psychology, Karen works with individuals from 18 years and upwards and incorporates many different therapeutic approaches such as EMDR, Mindfulness, CBT, Neuropsychotherapy and Ego-state therapy. Her focus is to work with individuals who have experienced trauma or suffer from anxiety, depression, however she also treats addictions, grief and workplace stress.
More recently facilitated women's anxiety therapy groups and three 2 day women's retreats on Fitzroy Island. These groups demonstrated the need for women to gather and share their experiences as part of the healing process.i. These have been a great success which proved to be an empowering journey for both the host and participants!
This year Karen is hosting a retreat in Bali, on 1st June to 6th June 2024.
"When women come together and share each other’s journeys away from the daily pressures of life you witness something very powerful and beautiful. They become relaxed as they open themselves to new challenges, whilst being inspired and supported by their fellow sisters. The memories then begin to be created of fun, laughter and humour. I’ll take that!”
Karen Dow.
Phoebe Hynes
Psychologist
BHIthSc (Psych & Psychophys), BSci (Hons) & MPsych
Phoebe is new to Cairns having moved from sunny Victoria to chase the tropical lifestyle. She enjoys the outdoor lifestyle and traveling around this beautiful country of ours.
Phoebe specializes in working with adolescents (12+) and young adults, drawing from her experience in both public and private settings and working with diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Passionate about holistic and person-centered treatment, she helps clients navigate stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, emotional dysregulation, major life transitions, relationship and interpersonal issues.
Phoebe creates a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to explore their experiences, recognizing that each person is unique. She offers personalized treatment plans tailored to each individual's specific needs. Her warm and empathetic therapeutic approach encourages collaboration with clients to enhance their well-being. Utilizing evidence-based best practices, she employs a combination of therapies, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, Mindfulness, and Relaxation Techniques.
Monica Suhrbier
Psychologist
B.Psych (Hons); M.Ed (Guidance & Counselling); B.Ed
Monica has had the pleasure of enjoying two separate careers. Her previous professional life was as a teacher and a guidance officer where she gained deep insight into the developing child and how this can impact us as adults. She brings all this insight into her current profession as a psychologist.
Monica has lived and worked in various rural and regional towns in Queensland before settling in Cairns in 2017, As a result of this she brings a diverse perspective to her practice with an understanding of cultural diversity.
Monica's passion lies in helping clients move towards higher levels of well-being and over coming mental health issues. She employs a range of therapeutic approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Evidence-Based Emotion Freedom Techniques, CBT and Mindfulness. Her commitment to ongoing professional development is evident as she is currently undergoing training in EMDR, which will further enrich her intervention toolkit.
In her current practice, Monica focuses on supporting clients dealing with stress, adjustment difficulties, work-life satisfaction, grief, anxiety, and depression. By using her diverse therapeutic toolkit, she aims to help clients reduce the intensity and impact of difficult emotions, guiding them toward a more fulfilling life.
Emily Hapea
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
(AMHSW)
Emily comes to the team as and EMDR therapist with over 15 years of experience working with individuals who have experienced trauma. Emily works with individuals across the lifespan, from 12 years old to older age.
Emily is an accredited mental health social worker who is passionate about being inclusive in her practice. She has had the pleasure of a varied work career that has provided her an incredible wealth of knowledge that she brings to the practice. Some of these organizations include Royal Flying Doctors, Centacare, and Mookai Rosi Bi-Baya.
Emily is experienced in working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. She has worked with people who struggle with substance use, parental support, depression, anxiety, grief, and PTSD. Her therapeutic toolbox includes EMDR, CBT, behavioral interventions, exposure techniques, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing.
She has a warm, non-judgmental approach that puts people at ease and creates a safe space to explore problems and solutions.
Zoe Swan
Psychologist
B.Sc (Hons), M.ProPsych
Zoe is a proud Aboriginal woman from the Kamilaroi Nation and is also of Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander descent. Zoe’s therapeutic toolkit, including EMDR, somatic therapy, ego state therapy, CBT, and acceptance and commitment therapy, highlights her versatility and adaptability in addressing different concerns. Her focus on trauma resulting in PTSD, anxiety, depression, relationship breakdowns and grief, underscores her comprehensive approach to supporting individuals through a variety of life challenges.
Zoe’s commitment to psychology as a means of aiding others on their journey to self-improvement, is evident in her 10-years counselling experience. Her work with gambling and other addictions in therapeutic settings showcases her dedication to addressing complex issues and helping individuals overcome challenges.
With a board client base ranging from children to adults, Zoe’s inclusive approach creates a welcoming therapeutic space for individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Zoe is the Treasurer of the Australian Psychological Society Far North Queensland Branch - an organization that promotes the advancement of psychology. She is a compassionate and experienced psychologist who not only brings a rich culture perspective to her practice but also supports individuals on their path of healing and personal growth.
Zoe is passionate about making psychological services assessable and delivers services both in person and via telehealth.
Jade Kempton
Social Media/Marketing
Meet Jade, the magic thumbs behind our socials and marketing of Shine Strong. Jade brings a huge amount of fun and enthusiasm to the office.
She is currently studying a Bachelor of Marine Science majoring in Archaeology with the intent to protect World Heritage and Archaeological sites around the world. As a former gymnastics’ instructor and gymnast, herself, Jade spends most of her free times staying active and enjoys physical challenges.
Jade has lived in Cairns for most of her life and loves the laid-back lifestyle of Tropical North Queensland and does not shy away from a little adventure on the weekends. She has a desire to travel so that she can put her passion for speaking foreign languages to the test and to see the ancient wonders that the world has to offer.
Romeo Lor
Administration
Born and raised in Cairns, Romeo has returned home after spending 4 years down south in Brisbane. Aside from the heat, Romeo loves the tropical lifestyle of Cairns and enjoys spending time with his family.
Romeo completed his certificate course in Health Administration and is currently studying Health Informatics online at QUT. Romeo hopes to pursue a career in Clinical Coding to help transfer hospitals and health clinics from paper to electronic records.
Outside of work and university Romeo loves singing karaoke and playing video games. His secret talent is his amazing sushi making skills (having 4 years of sushi-train employment) which is a crowd favourite when spending quality time with family and friends.
Amelia Laycock
Senior Administrator
Amelia grew up in Townsville, and relocated to Cairns in January of 2022. She has since ventured to Adelaide and is now our remote Senior Administrator and Accounts Leader.
Amelia has spent most of her working career in allied health settings including dental and GP clinics. She thoroughly enjoys getting to know clients within the practice and understands the importance of creating a calm, welcoming environment while striving to ensure each client feels valued.
Amelia has just completed her Bachelor of Psychological Science and with plans to attain Honours by mid-2025. Amelia finds working alongside the dedicated and knowledgeable Psychologists and Social Workers at Shine Strong Psychology to be an invaluable addition to her studies.
Outside of work, you can find Amelia working on university assignments, exploring the incredible scenery that Adelaide has to offer, and spending time with her dog Benny.
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