Dr Valentina Bianchi
Bachelor of Psychological Science, Master of Social, Organisational and Communication Psychology, Master of Clinical Psychology, PhD in Social Psychology
Hello, my name is Valentina. My name is pronounced va-lin-TEA-na bee·AANK·ee. I am a senior Clinical Psychologist supporting adults who want to improve their individual and relational well-being.
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The majority of my practice focuses on:​
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personality disorders
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substance use
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suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury
I am passionate about helping my clients make sense of their own experiences. First, I aim to connect as a human with another human. Then, I share my perspectives on how to work towards each client’s well-being goals. My practice is rooted in evidence-based approaches, and moulded around people’s needs and objectives.
More about my work
I am originally from Italy, and lived for a few years in the Netherlands and in the UK, before moving permanently to Australia in 2011. Over the last 15 years, I have gained experience in a range of mental health settings (i.e., public, private, inpatient and outpatient services). When I am not consulting, I work at The University of Melbourne, and investigate three main research areas:
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the impact of secrecy on people’s well-being
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affect dynamics
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emotion regulation processes in everyday life
Outside of work, I enjoy live music, dark humour and visiting culturally vibrant destinations.
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I am trained and experienced in addressing difficulties intertwined with: emotion dysregulation, personality disorders, trauma (including PTSD and complex trauma), substance use, identity and sense of self, and eating disorders. I am particularly well-versed in identifying and treating long-standing problematic patterns of behaviour (including suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury).
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​I bring a transdiagnostic, challenging and irreverent style to the therapy room, and I have extensive training in a range of evidence-based treatment approaches.
Even more about my work
For those who love to nerd out on therapy
I take an integrative approach to therapy, drawing from the following evidence-based modalities:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)​​
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E)
- Schema Therapy​​
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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
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Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
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EMDR Structural Dissociation
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EMDRAA Accredited Practitioner
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Motivational Interviewing
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Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)
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I am fluent in English and Italian, and have basic communication skills in French and Spanish.​