Rudy Gonzalez

Director of Clinical Services & Senior Psychologist

  • BPsych(Honours), MAppPsych, MAPS
thumbnail_Rudy Photo

Clinical Expertise

Rudy has extensive experience as a clinician, supervisor and manager in work with children, young people, families and communities impacted by trauma. His clinical work across his life span, has included trauma informed work in family services, forensic mental health with youth and adults, child and adolescent mental health, torture and trauma services, out of home care and homelessness services.

 

Treatment Approaches

Rudy’s clinical work is influenced by trauma-focused and informed practice, psychodynamic, culturally inclusive and recovery-oriented practice. He is trained and has experience in applying a number of other approaches including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, elements of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Power Threat Meaning Framework, and other approaches, with the individual needs of the client and what works for them always at the centre.

 

Location & Availability

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
- Hawthorn East - North Melbourne -
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About

Rudy is the Director of Clinical Services at Cairnmillar Institute. He was previously the General Manager Practice and Sector Development at Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House). He was also in the role of Principal Practice Leader in the Department of Health and Human Services, Secure Services, and the founding Executive Director of Lighthouse Institute, an attachment and trauma informed knowledge centre that provided clinical supervision, training and consultancy to practitioners and organisations working with survivors of trauma, as well as conducting research on trauma informed systems. He is a Board approved supervisor and member of the APS. Rudy has previously held the role of Director of Care Services at Lighthouse Foundation, as well as roles in child youth and family services and therapeutic communities in forensic settings. He was a lecturer with the School of Psychology and Social Sciences at Victoria University, and an Honorary Fellow of University of Melbourne. Rudy co-authored the book Therapeutic Residential for Children and Young People: An Attachment and Trauma Informed Model for Practice. His work as a leader was recognized in 2013 receiving the SACS and Leadership Victoria Award for Excellence for Executives working in Not For Profit organisations. Rudy was also on the Board for the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, the peak body for Child, Youth and Family Services in Victoria.

Rudy’s areas of interest include:

  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health
  • Trauma Focused and Informed Practice
  • Trauma Oriented Practice
  • Community Psychology
  • Family Systems
  • Forensic Mental Health
  • Psychodynamic Approaches
  • Organisational Development
  • Clinical Program Development
  • Leadership Development
  • Evaluation and Research
  • Culturally Inclusive Practice
  • Clinical Supervision

 

Qualifications

Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

Master of Applied Psychology

Board Approved Supervisor