By Julie Le Franc, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist and Psychologist
Julie Le Franc, psychoanalytic psychotherapist at the Southport Specialist Centre, says that a person’s particular psychology is seldom due to a single cause and is more likely to have multiple causes.
“In assessing my patients, I consider the biological, psychological and social factors that can operate together, influencing and perpetuating their illness,” she explained.
Mental Health
When a patient is suffering from a Major Depressive Disorder and is caught up in negative thoughts, attitudes and beliefs, they usually have a story to tell. “Depression is often linked to stressful life events, family, social relationships and/or unresolved issues relating to their childhood,” said Julie.
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
“A person’s troubled mind can stimulate internal, often unconscious vulnerabilities that can literally make patients ill. In psychotherapy, patients are able to work through their attitudes and feelings that have led to their illness” . Julie also said “Psychotherapy allows the patient to look into the unconscious and face their pain and anxiety in a safe and structured therapeutic space.”
Julie has worked with doctors and the medical model for many years, and is really enjoying working with doctors and their referrals on the Gold Coast.
Julie has a Master’s Degree in Psychoanalytic, a rigorous program of clinical studies and research in psychoanalytic theory and practice. As a major component of her training, she has many years of personal analysis and clinical supervision.
Besides working in private practice, Julie completed a research thesis on “The roles of attachment, cognition and depression’ at Bond University. This study drew on the work of psychiatrist John Bowlby and his trilogy on attachment and loss.
Julie believes that a good outcome from antidepressant medication and psychotherapy includes a significantly reduced risk of relapse of a major depressive disorder in the future.
Julie Le Franc, Psychotherapist and Psychologist