Willow Oak Psychology

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Willow Oak Psychology

Willow Oak Psychology provides a range of behaviour support services within both individual and group environments.

Established in Brisbane by Dr Sarah Swannell, Willow Oak Psychology is recognised as a leader in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT). Willow Oak Psychology was founded by Dr Sarah Swannell. Sarah commenced her psychology career as a Senior Researcher in the Discipline of Psychiatry at The University of Queensland. She commenced clinical work in 2007, achieved full registration as a psychologist in 2009, completed a PhD in 2013, and earned a Master of Clinical Psychology in 2020. Sarah has 14 years of clinical experience across a variety of settings, including private practice, community mental health, acute inpatient and private psychiatric hospitals.

18/10/2026

Recovering from complex trauma involves more than understanding the past. It also means learning how to feel safer, more grounded and more connected in the present.

This weeks blog explores the Finding Solid Ground program and how it supports adults experiencing complex trauma and dissociation.

📖 Read our latest blog to learn more about building safety and stability in recovery.

🔗https://willowoak.com.au/finding-solid-ground/

15/10/2026

🌿 Feel more in control of your emotions.

Our Online DBT Emotion Regulation Skills Group is starting next week!

Emotions can sometimes feel overwhelming, but learning how to understand and manage them can make a meaningful difference in everyday life.

Through practical DBT skills, you can learn to:
🌱 Understand your emotions and what drives them
🌱 Manage difficult feelings more effectively
🌱 Reduce emotional overwhelm
🌱 Respond to challenging situations with greater confidence

💻 Join online from home, making it easier to access practical skills that support your wellbeing.

✨ Starting next week! Get in touch to learn more or enquire about joining.

🔗https://willowoak.com.au/services/group-therapy/

11/10/2026

Peta shares a little about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), exploring how it helps us navigate difficult thoughts and feelings while moving towards what matters most. 💚

Want to learn more? ↓
🔗 https://willowoak.com.au/

08/10/2026

Why is uncertainty so uncomfortable?

Not knowing what will happen can leave us wanting to check, overthink, seek reassurance, or find an answer. While these strategies can bring short-term relief, they can also make uncertainty harder to tolerate over time.

The goal isn’t to eliminate uncertainty. It’s to learn that we can experience the discomfort of not knowing and still move forward.

“I don’t know what will happen, and I can cope with not knowing.”

Want to learn more? ↓
🔗 https://willowoak.com.au/why-is-uncertainty-so-uncomfortable/

04/10/2026

🌿 Quote of the week

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”
— Carl Jung

Our past experiences can shape us, but they don’t have to define who we become. Sometimes growth begins with recognising that we still have choices about what comes next. 🤍

02/10/2026

Check the Facts 🧠

When emotions are strong, it can be easy to treat our first interpretation of a situation as fact. The DBT skill Check the Facts helps us slow down, notice what we actually know, and consider whether our emotional response fits the situation.

Our emotions are real, but we don’t always have to act on them straight away.

This week’s blog explores how Check the Facts can help us create more space to pause, understand what’s happening, and choose how we respond.

📖 Read the full blog via the link below 👇

https://willowoak.com.au/check-the-facts-understanding-your-emotions/

25/09/2026

Why do our brains keep expecting the worst?

This week’s blog explores how our brains respond to uncertainty, and how anxiety can create a cycle of threat, reassurance and avoidance.

Understanding these patterns can help us notice anxious thoughts without automatically believing them, and begin to respond differently. 🌿

⬇️ Read the full blog here:

🔗https://willowoak.com.au/resources/wop-blog/

24/09/2026

Are your emotions sometimes running the show?

Our DBT Emotion Regulation Skills Group is designed to help you better understand your emotions, build practical skills to manage intense feelings, and respond in ways that align with what matters to you.

🌿 Notice what you're feeling
🌿 Understand what your emotions are telling you
🌿 Regulate intense emotions
🌿 Respond with greater choice and control

Groups start October 20 and are available in person and online.

🔗https://willowoak.com.au/services/group-therapy/

20/09/2026

Quote of the Week 🌿

We can’t always control what happens around us, but we can create space to notice what’s happening within us before we respond.

That small pause can give us a chance to slow down, reflect, and choose a response that feels more aligned with who we want to be.

Sometimes, growth begins in that space between what happens and what we do next.

17/09/2026

Emotions aren't the enemy 🌿

They keep us safe, connect us with others, and prepare us to act. Every emotion, even the painful ones, is doing a job.

The difficulty is that acting on every emotional urge can backfire, especially when short-term relief pulls us away from our long-term goals.

One of the most freeing ideas in DBT is that you can respect an emotion without obeying it.

Read our latest blog to learn more about what emotions are for and how to respond to them effectively.

🔗willowoak.com.au/resources/wop-blog/

Address

4/21 Windorah Street
Stafford, QLD
4053

Website

https://willowoak.com.au/

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