Dr Fiona Zandt
96 Elgin St, Carlton VIC 3053
- Clinic
About Dr Fiona Zandt
Dr Fiona Zandt and Associates is a small group of dedicated psychologists who specialise in working with children and families. We see children with a broad range of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Fiona utilises a range of therapeutic approaches including play therapy, ACT, narrative therapy, EMDR, and parent and family work, depending on what is the best fit for your child and family.
What's offered
Clinic sessions
Services provided
Dr Fiona Zandt lists
- Play Therapy and Emotional/Behavioural Support
- Therapy for children aged 2-12 with emotional and behavioural difficulties, anxiety, anger, trauma, and relationship challenges. Uses play, games, art and stories with parent involvement and family sessions as needed.
- Developmental and Diagnostic Assessments
- Assessments to identify autism, attentional difficulties, intellectual disability and learning difficulties. Includes information gathering, child assessment, and comprehensive reports.
Get to know Dr Fiona Zandt
From Dr Fiona Zandt's website.
Our approach
Therapy sessions are tailored to each child's needs using play, games, art and stories to engage children actively in the therapeutic process. A range of evidence-based approaches are used, including play therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, ACT, EMDR, narrative therapy, and emotion coaching, selected based on what fits best for your child and family. Parents and carers are involved throughout, either staying in sessions or joining at the beginning or end, and may participate in whole family sessions or parent-only sessions depending on what's needed. The aim is to help build connection and communication within your family and equip you with strategies to support your child outside of sessions. Assessment begins by getting to know your child and family to develop a shared plan, with a respectful and gentle approach ensuring everyone feels well supported throughout.
Working with families
Parents and carers are central to the therapeutic process and are involved throughout treatment. You may remain in sessions with your child throughout, or join at the beginning or end of each session, depending on what works best for your family. Whole family sessions or parent-only sessions may also be arranged based on your family's needs. The service believes children do best when all professionals supporting them communicate and work together, so there's discussion about how to best liaise with other members of your child's team, such as paediatricians, teachers, speech and occupational therapists.
Meet the team
Dr Fiona Zandt is a Clinical Psychologist and Registered Play Therapist with over 20 years of experience working with children and families experiencing emotional, social and behavioural challenges. She holds qualifications including a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Melbourne (specialising in child and family psychology), Play Therapy Supervisor credentials through the Australian Play Therapists Association, and membership in the EMDR Association of Australia. In addition to her private practice, Fiona works as a senior Clinical Psychologist at the Royal Children's Hospital and is a guest lecturer at several universities. While the website mentions "Associates," specific details about other team members are not provided.
Your first visit
The first step in therapy is getting to know your child and family, which is generally the focus of the first couple of sessions. During this time, you'll discuss what's happening for your child and work together to understand their needs. You'll then collaboratively develop therapy goals and create a plan for ongoing sessions. For assessments, an initial information-gathering session involves meeting with parents to hear about the child, collecting information from childcare, kindergarten or school, and reviewing any previous assessments. You'll learn what the assessment will involve, how many appointments it will take, and the cost before proceeding.
Locations & areas served
Not sure where to start?
Answer a few questions about your child and we will help connect you with providers that suit your needs and your funding.