My Professional Experience and Therapeutic Approach

Hi, I'm Alec. I'm a registered psychologist with a big, mixed bag of experience. I’ve been working as a psychologist for coming on four years now across both bulk billing and private practice. Through this, I've built experience supporting clients with a wide range of things. Nowadays, I support adults experiencing addiction, anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, relationship issues, WorkCover claims, and much more. I draw on a range of therapeutic frameworks, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. No one person is the same as another, and I adapt each approach to fit you.

Through my own lived experiences, I learned a deep appreciation that we're all, deep down, fundamentally human. No one is perfect, myself included, and nothing you bring is ever ‘too much’. There will be parts of life where things feel overwhelming, messy, and painful. At times, they may feel harder than we know how to put into words. Through these moments, I believe everybody deserves to be heard, and to know they're not alone.

At the centre of my therapy is a mantra I've come to live by: that change begins with awareness and deepens with compassion. It takes courage to be vulnerable, and therapy honours that. I’ll always aim to create a therapeutic journey that feels like a partnership, one that's safe, warm, and collaborative. Together, with curiosity, empathy, care, and patience, we can work through the harder chapters and move from surviving to thriving.
My journey to Reimagine was far from linear. I spent years studying law and working as a paralegal, before moving into organisational psychology and management consulting at Deloitte and other small firms. Deep down, I knew I'd never fully found my career. Something always felt unfulfilled, longing for "more." PowerPoint decks and excel spreadsheets just weren't for me, and that's okay. In hindsight, my life makes much more sense. I knew I was always drawn toward work that felt more human, authentic, and relational. Eventually, I made the jump to Reimagine, and I’ve never looked back.

Given my background, I also work with clients carrying the weight of professional responsibility, leaders and managers navigating workplace stress, burnout, or a WorkCover claim, as well as those looking for leadership development or coaching support. That said, most of my clients come to me for other reasons entirely. Whatever's brought you here, I'd be glad to help.

Alec Smith

Organisational Psychology Registrar

MPsych (Organisational)
BSci, BPsych (Honours)

AHPRA Registered Psychologist

PSY0002601744

Currently available for new clients with no waitlist.

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Addiction
Anxiety and Stress
ADHD and Emotional Regulation
Burnout and Recovery
Career Development
Communication and Conflict
Depression
Grief and Loss
Identity and Life Transitions
Motivation
OCD and Intrusive Thoughts
Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
Perfectionism and Imposter Syndrome

I can support clients with:

Performance Psychology
PTSD
Psychosocial Hazards and Work Injuiries
Relationship Issues
Self-esteem and Confidence
Sleep
Social Anxiety
Stress Management
Study and Career
Trauma
WorkCover and Work Related Stress
Workplace Issues
Work-life Balance

I’m trained in the following approaches:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Solutions Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

Motivational Interviewing
Positive Psychology

My Background and Beliefs

I grew up in the Yarra Valley, in a culturally mixed family. Mum is Italian, Dad is English. It was quite the clash growing up. To this day, I still find joy in watching my mother’s eyes roll as I make tribute to Inglourious Basterds and deliberately butcher the pronunciation of Italian words in a southern American accent like “Italian” (eye-talian), “buongiorno” (bon-jer-no), and "arrivederci" (ah-ree-va-der-chi). My first job was picking grapes at a local winery, which sounds nicer than the reality when it's 30+ degrees and you're lugging buckets of grapes around all day.

My family called me an 'old soul' from a young age. I don't know if that was because I was an odd kid, or just a kind way of calling me boring. I'd always been curious about the bigger questions of life, how people build meaning, and what actually matters once you strip everything else away.My formative years were a strange mix of having my head buried in books on philosophy, failing maths classes, and representing Australia at the junior Winter Olympics as a snowboarder, competing in slopestyle and boardercross.

Being naturally curious, I quickly came to appreciate that, no matter who we are, we're all fundamentally human. I strongly believe everyone deserves to be heard, to feel seen, and to have a safe place to reflect on their life with someone they trust, someone who brings compassion, curiosity, insight, and a bit of humour to the table.

Before training as a psychologist, I spent three and a half years studying law and working as a paralegal in law firms, before moving into management consulting. I’ve had my own experiences with perfectionism, anxiety, burnout, insomnia and the various other ways life can you throw challenges, whether we’re ready for it, or not. My time prior to Reimagine has given me an appreciation for what people mean when they feel ‘lost’ in life, or stuck in limbo.

I believe people are capable of change. It is a privilege and genuinely exciting to be part of that process. Often, sessions may begin with me supporting clients through some of the most difficult chapters of their lives. Real change doesn’t happen overnight, and it is rarely simple or straightforward. That’s okay, that’s what I’m here for. Being present for clients as they come to understand themselves differently, discover what matters to them, and begin to move towards a life that is closer to what want is some of the most rewarding parts of being a psychologist.

Qualifications and Memberships

Masters of Psychology (Organisational)
Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours)
Bachelor of Science (Psychology)

For further information or to make an appointment with Alec Smith, please email us at admin@reimaginepsychology.melbourne or phone our friendly reception team on (03) 8330 5588.