At COGNITION, we want our clients to feel assured they are ‘in good hands’. Our Psychologists adhere to the codes of ethics of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Institute of Private Practising Psychologists (IPPP). When we utilise Social Workers, they practise according to the Code of Ethics specified by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). Each professional in the COGNITION team holds membership of appropriate professional bodies and demonstrates commitment to on-going professional development.
We are confident that our clients will find a practitioner in our team with whom they will feel comfortable working. Offering a mix of skills, experience and approaches, the COGNITION team enjoy what they do and look forward to assisting individuals and organisations build their capacity to be better.
Dr Denise Keenan, has been registered as a Psychologist since 1986 and has been in private practice as the Managing Director of COGNITION since 1991. Her work has been divided between organisational consulting and individual consultations for clinical and general psychological issues. She has extensive experience in conducting consultations to address well-being issues and also in diagnosing, treating and reporting on psychological conditions, especially those associated with work-related psychological stress and trauma. She utilises a range of therapeutic methods including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), amongst others. Denise sees clients through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), she accepts work injury, third party, Medicare and private health referrals. She is known for her practical, thorough and compassionate approach.
Denise holds an endorsement as an Organisational Psychologist and her organisational consulting experience includes training and facilitation, coaching, analysing organisational difficulties and designing and implementing intervention programs. She is accustomed to working with senior executive, management, supervisors and general staff across a broad range of industry sectors.
Denise’s particular practice interests are:
Denise holds membership of multiple professional organisations, including the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and College of Organisational Psychologists. She is an active contributor to the psychology profession, and spent many years as the President (and Life Member) of the Institute of Private Practising Psychologists. She is frequently asked to present at conferences, including giving key note addresses.
Sandra has a wealth of practical experience as a psychologist, having first registered to practise in 1994. She holds an Honours degree in psychology and a Diploma in Hypnotherapy. Sandra studied towards a Master of Psychology (Clinical), completing all bar the thesis requirement. She continues to be active in her professional development, and prefers to attend practical, skills-based workshops where she learns knowledge and skills that she can put to immediate use with her clients.
Sandra also brings background knowledge and skills that help set her apart from many practitioners. For example, she has held a number of positions as a rehabilitation consultant, including for a number of years with SAPOL. She has extensive experience in the provision of return to work services, vocational assessments and assessing the needs of injured workers and their employing organisations.
As a psychologist, Sandra has practised with adults, adolescents and organisations. Sandra enjoys working with individuals presenting with general and clinical conditions and has an interest in the link between gut health and mental health and the neuroscience behind psychological practice. She has a caring approach towards the individuals with whom she works, drawing on a range of therapeutic techniques to help people achieve their best outcomes. For example, Sandra may employ Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness or Schema Therapy, to name a few.
Sandra also enjoys conducting group work, and she has solid experience in running facilitated group sessions and other worksite interventions following traumatic or distressing events.
Sandra’s particular practice interests are:
Sandra sees individuals referred under Medicare or private health. She enjoys assisting individuals who have a work injury or Third Party claim and she has sound experience in working with individuals who seek help through Employee Assistance Programs.
Linde moved to Australia in 2020 from her homeland of South Africa, where she had practised as a fully registered Psychologist from 2007.
Linde is a well-qualified Clinical Psychologist. She started her professional life as a Dietician, initially graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, before choosing to retrain in clinical psychology. Amongst other qualifications, she holds a Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology) and a Diploma in Life Coaching.
In South Africa Linde worked in a multi-disciplinary team treating individuals suffering from eating disorders and assisting their families. She was accustomed to working with psychological trauma and understands the far-reaching effects of violence.
Since joining COGNITION, Linde has demonstrated her calm and reassuring manner. She has a sunny and generous-hearted disposition, as well as sound clinical skills and experience, all of which blend well to enable her to assist teens and adults with a broad range of mental health and life issues.
Linde practises from a systems approach to therapy, using a range of therapeutic models, including cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Mindfulness. She is trauma-treatment informed, being trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). She enjoys helping individuals set goals, plan and problem-solve. Linde is accustomed to working with individuals, families and groups and enjoys working with both short-term interventions under Employee Assistance Programs and also working more slowly and deliberately over a longer time frame, when appropriate. She welcomes referrals from individuals using private health insurance or a Mental Health Care Plan (Medicare), and is pleased to assist work injury and Third Party claimants.
Linde’s particular practice interests are:
Linde also has interest and expertise in assisting people who have moved away from their country of birth and/or are separated from loved ones. She clearly has first-hand experience of this, as well as being able to draw on psychological theory!
Jane has been registered to practice since 2010. She holds various qualifications including a Master of Psychology (Work and Organisational) a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) and a Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. She provides general, wellbeing and mental health psychological services and is also an endorsed Organisational Psychologist.
Jane enjoys working with individuals and draws on various approaches including: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution Focussed Therapy and Positive Psychology. She has also undertaken specific practical training, for example, to assist her to work more effectively with males, and she has completed domestic violence training, suicide prevention training and Mental Health First Aid training.
Jane has strong interest in working with individuals to address a broad range of issues and is pleased to receive referrals for matters, such as:
Jane is available to accept referrals under Medicare or private health and will see individuals with work injury claims within her range of expertise. She is also available to accept referrals under Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). With her combination of mental health and organisational knowledge, people often seek Jane out to assist them, as she is able to provide a balanced perspective and useful insights. In addition, Jane offers ‘tips and tools’ to individuals who wish to perform more effectively at work or navigate complex organisational factors influencing their health and wellbeing.
Regarding Jane’s interests in conducting organisational interventions, she has solid skills and experience in areas such as:
Jane is respectful, compassionate and thoughtful. She is well-regarded for her considered approach, whether that be in working with individuals, teams or on a broader organisational scale.
