Meet Our Team at Acorn Psychology

CLAUDIA GEILS
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Claudia is a clinical psychologist with a calm and reassuring presence, creating a space where clients feel safe, heard, and supported. She is committed to helping individuals navigate challenges related to anxiety, stress, OCD, depression, ADHD, complex trauma, early life trauma, self-esteem, and emotional regulation. Clients appreciate her patient and thoughtful approach, as well as her ability to make things feel clear and manageable, even in difficult times.

We admire Claudia’s dedication to learning and her ability to adapt her therapeutic style to suit each client’s needs. She is known for her warmth, kindness, and natural ability to put people at ease. She takes the time to listen properly and reflect thoughtfully, ensuring therapy is both meaningful and practical.

Outside of work, Claudia enjoys dancing and is a passionate foodie, always eager to explore new flavours and cuisines. Her sense of humour and grounded nature make her a valued member of our team, and we appreciate the calm and clarity she brings to both her clients and colleagues.

Claudia’s Approaches: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Schema Therapy-informed practice as needed.

MEG BLACKIE
PROVISIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Meg is deeply committed to client care, going above and beyond to ensure clients receive the most effective support. Her calm and easy going nature fosters a safe and steady environment, where clients feel at ease. Meg takes the time to understand each person’s needs, ensuring therapy is not only meaningful, but also practical and tailored to the individual.

We appreciate Meg’s humour and optimism. She is generous with her knowledge, time, and energy, and her capacity to support and bring positivity to the team is truly valued. Meg is looking forward to greater freedom once she submits her Ph.D (very soon!), and takes comfort caring for her two gorgeous blue staffies.

Meg enjoys working with clients through many of life’s challenges. She has a special interest in working with clients experiencing anxiety-related disorders, including OCD and social anxiety, and highly values her work supporting those who have experienced a history of trauma. Meg also finds her work supporting clients experiencing grief, depression, and challenges associated with ADHD to be highly rewarding. 

Meg’s Approaches: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy. 

 

SHANNON STOLAR
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Shannon has a natural ability to connect with people, bringing empathy, energy, and a creative spark to therapy. Known for making child therapy sessions fun and engaging, she adapts her approach to suit each client’s personality and needs—whether through  play, storytelling, or more traditional approaches. When working with adults and teens, Shannon’s humour and flexibility support strong therapeutic relationships. 

Shannon works with clients navigating depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, stress, emotional regulation difficulties, parenting challenges, and self-esteem concerns. Her bubbly personality brightens Acorn, and we are grateful for the positive energy and willingness to help she brings to both clients and colleagues. Outside of the practice, Shannon enjoys visiting new places and spending time with her loved ones, including her black cat Luna.

Shannon’s Approaches: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and evidence-based parenting interventions (Tuning in to Kids and Collaborative & Proactive Solutions). Shannon also draws on Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and Schema Therapy informed practices as needed.

LYNN NG
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

With knowledge and experience across various therapeutic modalities, Lynn is skilled in working with diverse populations and conducting comprehensive assessments. Known for her calm and thoughtful presence, she is consistent, reliable, and persistent, collaborating with multiple support agencies and locating valuable resources for both clients and colleagues. 

Lynn enjoys working with individuals across the lifespan and with a range of presentations including depression, anxiety, ADHD, relationship/attachment challenges, life transitions, and interpersonal difficulties. Her patience, humour, and optimism are deeply valued, and her reliability makes her someone both clients and the team at Acorn can count on. When not working, Lynn is full of surprising talents - sharing expert travel tips, speaking multiple languages, and impressing everyone with her cooking and baking skills. Her kindness and optimism shine through in every aspect of her work, leaving a genuine and lasting impact on those she supports. Lynn provides therapy in both English and conversational Mandarin.

Lynn’s approaches: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and Schema Therapy (ST). She is also keen on learning and is pursuing training in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Psychodynamic Therapy.  

 

PENNY CROPPER
PROVISIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Penny is known for her empathy and ability to create a welcoming space where clients feel valued - because they are. Meticulous in her preparation, she works collaboratively with other health professionals to ensure her clients receive the highest standard of care. Her commitment to thoughtful, client-focused support is evident in everything she does. 

Penny enjoys working with clients experiencing a range of psychological challenges across the lifespan, with a particular passion for  supporting children, young people, and their families. Her kind, genuine, and down-to-earth nature  puts people at ease and is widely appreciated within the Acorn team. It’s often said that Penny makes Acorn a better place to work, bringing a balance of professionalism, lightness, and humour to her practice. She has a natural ability to truly listen, fostering meaningful connections with clients and colleagues. Beyond her work as a psychologist, Penny’s life experience adds depth to her practice. She enjoys time with family and friends and is currently juggling the final tasks associated with her Clinical Masters.

Penny’s Approaches: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness. 

 

DR ERIN HOLLOWAY
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Dr Erin Holloway is a clinical psychologist who has worked extensively in community services. Being trauma informed and inclusive in her approach is important. Erin is friendly, warm, and non-judgmental and will work with you to create a safe space to connect and explore.

Erin is trained in a variety of evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), Positive Psychology, Neurotherapy, and will work with you to find the approach that works. She enjoys working with adolescents, young adults, and adults across a broad range of issues including trauma, anxiety & panic, depression, and coping behaviours (self-harm, addictions, suicidal thought). She also works with caregivers to support children and young people.

Erin works independently from Acorn Psychology and sets her own rates. While largely similar to those of Acorn, if you would like an accurate cost, please contact us to chat about her rates.

SAM HOPPE
PSYCHOLOGIST/CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY REGISTRAR

Sam is a registered psychologist who recently completed his Master of Clinical Psychology at RMIT. He is passionate about helping people work through life’s challenges and move towards their goals. With a calm and approachable style, Sam aims to create a supportive and comfortable space for clients.

Sam works with children, adolescents, and adults and supports people with a range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, neurodivergence (e.g., ADHD and Autism), OCD, and emotion regulation. Furthermore, Sam integrates an evidenced-based practice with a strength-focused perspective that considers unique characteristics (e.g., culture, background and identity) to ensure therapy is practical and meaningful.  His goal is to make therapy practical, respectful, and meaningful for each person he works with.

Sam mainly uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and also includes strategies from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Schema-informed approaches when helpful.

 

MILLY LI
PROVISIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Milly is a provisional psychologist joining the Acorn Psychology team under the supervision of Dr Kelly Murray while studying her Clinical PhD at Swinburne University. She is passionate about supporting both adults and children in achieving their goals and navigating challenges. She values building trusting, collaborative relationships with her clients to help them feel heard, respected, and empowered. Primarily working from a CBT and ACT perspective, she integrates evidence-based practice with a strengths-focused perspective, helping clients harness their unique capabilities to work towards their goals. 

 
 
 

DR KELLY MURRAY
PRACTICE DIRECTOR

Kelly is an experienced clinical psychologist and director at Acorn Psychology. A longstanding member of the Australian Psychological Society and the College of Clinical Psychologists, she currently serves as State Chair of the Clinical College. Known for her balance of approachability, structure, and professionalism, Kelly fosters a safe and supportive space for both clients and colleagues. She is deeply compassionate, always striving to accommodate clients when their circumstances change, and is dedicated to helping individuals develop emotional competence, build new skills, and navigate life’s challenges with confidence. 

Beyond her clinical work, Kelly is a dedicated mentor and supervisor, supporting her team in refining their skills and professional growth. Colleagues describe her as assuring, kind, and someone who fosters both personal and professional development with encouragement and genuine care. Outside of work, Kelly is a keen kayaking parent/spectator, and enjoys cooking and reading an eclectic selection of easy fiction especially if paired with a good cup of tea.

Kelly’s Approaches: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPT), EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and the Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens programs.

 

JANE, VIV, EMMA & TAYLA - OUR RECEPTIONIST STAFF

Our reception team—Jane, Viv, Tayla and Emma—are the friendly faces that welcome you to our clinic. They care about making your experience as smooth and comfortable as possible, whether that’s offering you a cup of tea, answering questions, or helping to organise appointments. 

Known for their empathy and efficiency, they communicate seamlessly with both clients and clinicians to ensure continuity of care. Jane’s soothing presence, Viv’s meticulous attention to detail, Tayla’s positivity and Emma’s welcoming nature all contribute to a team that keeps things running smoothly for our clients and also our clinical team. Whether you need help navigating Medicare, rescheduling an appointment, or just a reassuring voice at the other end of the phone, they are here to support you. Reception is available Monday - Wednesday 9-3.30pm, Thursday 9-7.30pm, Friday 9-3.30pm and Saturday 8-12pm, and if you leave a message outside of these times, rest assured a team member will follow up with you the next business day.