Carla Anderson

Carla Anderson is a clinical psychologist based on the Sunshine Coast, Australia.  She is the Director of the Perinatal Child & Family Hub, a multidisciplinary practice.  Carla has been working in private practice with a focus on the perinatal period since 2005.

As a psychologist, Carla is passionate about supporting women and their families in all areas related to the perinatal period and the unique challenges and joys this period brings.

In addition to being a member of the Centre for Perinatal Psychology, Carla is also a member of the  Australian and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association (ANZICA), a provider of non-directive pregnancy counselling, and sees clients through Gidget’s Start Talking Program.

Carla has also been involved in a number of projects, training programs and research including:

• Centre for Perinatal Psychology’s Bearing the Unbearable: A Relationship-Based Training Program for Perinatal Loss
• Published journal article in the Australian Psychologist; Pregnancy-related anxiety; Re-examining it’s distinctiveness.
• Bonnie Babes national trainer training professionals in supporting families experiencing miscarriage and stillbirth.
• Member of the Gladstone Communities for Children Initiative identifying gaps in services for the 0-5 year old period , and establishing peer led perinatal mental health support groups and training of peer support volunteers
• Perinatal Mental Health Training for a range of professionals.

As a supervisor and trainer, Carla enjoys supporting supervisees through the development of their skills and confidence with working in the perinatal period, holding in mind developmental and relational frames.  Having experience across a broad range of perinatal related concerns helps guide the support for supervisees.

Carla offers in-person and video conferencing (Zoom) appointments and is also an AHPRA Board Approved Supervisor.

Areas of Special Interest

• Perinatal loss, including pregnancy after loss, and terminations
• Perinatal Mental Health
• Pregnancy specific concerns
• Fertility and IVF
• Birth trauma
• Transitions into parenthood
• Parent-infant relationships
• Supporting dyadic interaction
• LGBTQI+ families
• Intimacy difficulties particularly in the postnatal period and vaginismus.
• Supporting teen/young mums