About Us

Actuate Health is a boutique health hub offering a range of psychological and physical health services to individuals and workplaces across South-East Queensland. Our Allied Health team currently includes Psychologists and an Exercise Physiologist.

Dr Katrina Norris

Director & Psychologist

I have a passion for a strengths-based, whole of person approach to mental health and wellbeing. I started Actuate Health in 2018 with the goal of supporting individuals, families, and workplaces to achieve health and wellbeing using psychological strategies for resilience and growth.  

I have over 10 years’ experience across private practice and occupational health settings including extensive knowledge and understanding of workers’ compensation, DVA, disability employment, and workplace health and safety. My experience in these areas has deepened my passion for working with injury, chronic illness, and pain, as well as supporting employers to build mentally healthy workplaces.  

My goal is to empower my clients to build long-term, mentally healthy habits and skills to support their social, emotional and physical wellbeing.   

Empowering recovery and resilience 

Key areas

  • Anxiety and Depression

  • Adjustment Disorder

  • Trauma, particularly work-related PTSD

  • Stress and burnout

  • Injury and pain management

  • Work overload

  • Chronic health and disability related psychological concerns

  • Career transition and guidance

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Organisational Psychology)

  • Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

  • Diploma Leadership and Management

Book with Katrina

Vanessa Batty

Psychologist

Empowering young minds to thrive emotionally and socially

I am a registered Psychologist working with young people to help them better understand, manage, and achieve their goals when it comes to their emotions and daily activities. My main passion and focus area are children and young people, (8 – 18 years) but have worked across all ages. 

I have extensive experience supporting people with varying needs including anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation, family conflict, school issues and friendships, emotion regulation, self-esteem, confidence and self-awareness as well as resilience.

I hope to create a welcoming and engaging and non-judgemental environment, and utilise different tools, games, fidgets and strategies in sessions, which focus on the individual and their story and difficulties they are experiencing. I find the challenge and diversity with young people to be so rewarding and enjoy being able to see their growth and resilience with varying situations and environments during the time I spend with them. 

  • Anxiety

  • Self Esteem

  • Depression

  • Emotion regulation

  • School challenges and refusal 

  • friendship and family difficulties 

  • Self harm and suicidal ideation 

  • ADHD

Key areas

Qualifications

  • Post Graduate Diploma Psychology

  • Post Graduate Certificate Psychology

  • Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology

Book with Vanessa

Sidney Mandis

Psychologist

I am a Registered Psychologist with an interest in general and sports psychology. I work with individuals using holistic and psychodynamic approaches to understand and identify their root cause(s), to then manage and achieve mental and physical well being. 

I have worked with individuals across the lifespan, including the general and athletic population. 

I have extensive experience assisting with various mental health issues such as PTSD/trauma, addiction, ADHD, sexual trauma, anxiety, depression, stress, relationship issues, grief and loss, emotional regulation, anger management, and sexual health. 

I have also helped athletes overcome issues relating to performance anxiety, injury rehabilitation, emotional regulation, focus and attention, mental fatigue, burnout, confidence, group dynamics, motivation, cognitive processing, retirement, and mental health.

Creating Stronger Minds Holistically

Key areas

  • Performance anxiety 

  • Motivation 

  • Injury rehabilitation 

  • Mental fatigue 

  • Burnout 

  • Confidence

  • Emotional regulation 

  • Focus and attention

  • Resilience

  • Retirement

  • Identity 

  • Group Dynamics 

Qualifications

  • Master of Psychology

  • Bachelor in Psychological Science

Book With Sidney

Dr Lisa Gusciora

Clinical Psychologist

I Completed my Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology in 2009 and went onto complete my Professional Doctorate of Clinical Psychology in 2017. I have over 10 years’ experience in public and private health settings in both inpatient and community services. I have worked with a wide range of individuals, including adults, children, and adolescents. However, over the past 7 years my focus has been on private practice working with adults in the perinatal mental health, trauma presentations and anxiety presentations. I have extensive experience in supporting clients through pregnancy, postpartum and the transition to parenthood, understanding this can be an anxious time for many. I enjoy supporting clients who experience birth trauma, postnatal depression, and anxiety, including general anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and perinatal OCD.

I am an accredited professional with The Centre for Perinatal Excellence (COPE) and a member of The Centre for Perinatal Psychology.

I also have a special interest in attachment theory, intergenerational trauma and working with clients who wish to explore family of origin patterns, relational trauma, and the impact this has on one’s own parenting. As a Circle of Security Facilitator, I aim to gently support clients in developing connected, and attuned relationships with their children, whilst helping parents to recover from their own childhood experiences.

  • Perinatal Depression and Anxiety

  • Adjustment to Parenting

  • Birth Trauma

  • Intrusive thoughts and OCD

Key areas

Qualifications

  • DClinPsych, MSc, BSc (Hons)

  • Registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (PSY0001620292)

  • Health Anxiety

  • Relational trauma (family of origin challenges)

  • Women’s health related distress.

I am passionate about normalising psychological distress and recognise that most people become ‘stuck’ at various points in life but believe that our difficulties do not define us. I work predominantly using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema framework and Mindfulness-based Exposure and Response Prevention (OCD). I hold attachment theory at the centre of my work.

I have specific experience in a number of mental health challenges including but not limited to:

Book with Lisa

Tegan Marron

Administrator

Hello! I’m Tegan, the administrator for the team at Actuate Health. With over a decade of experience in Business Management and Administration, I’m dedicated to being highly organised and efficient, with a strong focus on delivering outstanding customer service.

Whether you’re calling with an enquiry, to make/change an appointment, or processing a payment, I’m the person you’ll speak with.

I very much look forward to meeting all of you when you come into the office.