I’m a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in Somatic Psychotherapy.

Hi, I’m Janelle Stanbury

Janelle Stanbury Clinical Psychologist

I help clients and therapists who want to grow into a more embodied,  nourished,  authentic, worthy sense of self with a full heart, wise head and clear boundaries. 

The truth is you are not stupid or lazy.  You are not broken or bad either.

If you could solve emotional issues with logic only, you would have done this months or years ago. Emotional issues require a different, ‘bottom up’ approach that uses the mind but also includes the body. The body is the first speaker to life's experiences. It remembers everything. 

Psychological approaches which focus on talking about challenging issues, learning skills or that emphasise the psychodynamic relationship can be extremely helpful for a wide variety of problems. A Somatic approach that includes mind-body awareness, trauma informed practices and experiential learning can take the therapeutic experience a step further and address core unconscious material in a safe gentle way.

Somatic Therapy is based on the understanding that people experience the world not only through the filter of thinking but also through their bodies. It is underpinned by neuroscientific findings that our early experiences and relationships in childhood shaped the way we see ourselves and the world. These experiences created automatic, unconscious patterns of physical sensations, thoughts, emotions and behaviour that continue to influence our present-moment experience, most often out of our awareness. Body-centered therapy can guide clients to become aware of these underground patterns and understand how these patterns may be impacting their lives.

My approach to therapy is evidence-based, mindfulness-centred and body-inclusive.

It focuses on what is happening in the body as a means of accessing the past and facilitating the healing process.  I believe that both a sound cognitive understanding of issues as well as a body-inclusive, ‘bottom up’, experiential understanding of yourself is the key to healing and growth. 

 This approach is particularly helpful for individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, the impacts of trauma, relationship difficulties or life transitions. It is also a gentle yet powerful approach for those looking to improve their overall well-being and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others.


How I Work 

There is no such thing as THE WAY to heal and grow but when these elements are present good things tend to follow.

  • Safety

    Nothing new (that sticks) is going to happen unless you feel wholly safe. Learn what safety feels like, looks like, sounds like in your body/mind.

  • Awareness

    The ability to notice what is happening in your internal world (and not just your head) is key. This is our main lever in therapy. It is a skill that is both natural and can be learned.

  • Including The Body

    The body remembers everything and it does not lie. It gives us the raw data about how we are interpreting the present moment. We can learn to listen to what it is telling us rather than being hijacked by our usual narratives.

  • Curiosity

    This is the polar opposite of stuckn-ess, rigidity, old stories or thinking that you know. It is an openness to discovering what is not known, felt or recognised yet; what has been unconscious, automatic or deeply conditioned.

  • Connection

    We long for connection AND it can be scary and hard to do at times especially if you have had some early experiences that have paired connection with hurt, fear or shame.

  • Keeping it Experiential

    In order to change we have to have a new experience. Talking ABOUT lots of stuff (especially about stuff you already know) will not invite new learning.

  • Loving Presence

    Synonyms are kindness, compassion, tenderness, warm eyes, warm heart .. without this we don’t feel safe and nothing will shift. Learn how to bring this quality to all parts of yourself.

  • A Practical Eye

    A focus on what works for you in your circumstances, at this specific developmental period in your life, with your given history.

Learn more about Janelle 

I love what I do. I have had the pleasure of being a Clinical Psychologist in private practice for 14 years. 

I have a lot of experience with treating trauma. Prior to private practice,  I worked in the Health Department helping adults who had survived challenging and traumatic childhood experiences. They suffered from intense emotions and behaviours that were difficult to regulate.

This work led me to understand the central role of the nervous system in attachment and developmental trauma. It also made clear the importance having new learning experiences in sessions.

I am a graduate of the Hakomi method, a mindfulness-centered, experiential Somatic Psychotherapy. It is a gentle, compassionate approach that helps clients gain insight into unconscious patterns and core beliefs through the present-moment experience of the body. It allows access to new information about how past experiences have impacted us. It is also an opportunity to have new healing experiences. This work has been profoundly life-changing for me and has bought to my work a depth and spirit that is a lasting joy.

My practice has evolved to include supporting fellow therapists and health professionals in their journeys toward greater self-awareness and growth.

Qualifications and Accreditations 

  • Bachelor of Education

  • Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

  • Masters in Clinical Psychology

  • Graduate of the Hakomi Method : Mindfulness-Centred Somatic Psychotherapy

  • Endorsed by the Australian Health Practitioners Agency (AHPRA) as Clinical Psychologist and approved Medicare Provider. 

  • Board Approved (AHPRA) Supervisor for Clinical Psychologists including Registrars.