Athelas Psychiatry

Profile

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Dr Megan Richardson is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP), with subspecialist qualifications in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She graduated from the University of Queensland in 2010 and has worked exclusively in private psychiatric practice since 2019.

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Her practice is focused on intensive, ongoing psychotherapy within a psychiatric framework. She works primarily with adolescents and adults experiencing complex, longstanding difficulties where identity, emotional regulation, and relational patterns are central.

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Clinical Focus

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Dr Richardson works with:

• Complex and developmental trauma
• Late-recognised autism and ADHD, particularly where masking and identity disruption are prominent
• Anxiety disorders, OCD, and chronic affective instability
• Adjustment difficulties in the context of relational or developmental stress

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Therapeutic Approach

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Dr Richardson’s work is centred on psychodynamic psychotherapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS), which form the core of her clinical practice.

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She offers weekly, 50-minute psychotherapy, with an emphasis on depth, continuity, and the therapeutic relationship as the central mechanism of change.

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Therapy focuses on:

• Developing a more coherent and continuous sense of self
• Understanding and working with internal parts (IFS)
• Exploring patterns of attachment, expectation, and relational experience (psychodynamic)
• Working with affect as it emerges within the therapeutic relationship
• Repairing disruptions in self-experience and interpersonal connection

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Role of Psychiatry in Treatment

Dr Richardson integrates psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care, with psychotherapy as the primary modality.

This may include:

• Diagnostic clarification where it informs the therapeutic process
• Careful and considered use of medication where clinically indicated
• Deprescribing where appropriate
• Integration of neurodevelopmental and biological factors into the therapeutic understanding

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Medication is used selectively and in context, and is not offered as a stand-alone intervention.

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Structure of Care

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Dr Richardson primarily offers:

• Weekly psychotherapy appointments of 50 minutes
• Ongoing, continuity-based care

Her practice is designed for patients who are able to engage in regular, consistent psychotherapy.

Weekly therapy provides the foundation for this way of working. Those looking for less frequent appointments or medication-only care will find a different provider better suited to their needs.

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Training & Professional Development

Dr Richardson has undertaken extensive psychotherapy training, with a particular focus on:

• Internal Family Systems (IFS): Level 1, with ongoing supervision
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy: ongoing supervision and advanced training
• Circle of Security: Facilitator training

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She is trained in autism assessment, including ADOS-2 and MIGDAS-2, though her current clinical focus is on therapeutic work with neurodivergent individuals.

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She receives regular psychotherapy supervision and provides supervision to medical colleagues working with complex presentations.

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Scope of Practice

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Dr Richardson’s practice is outpatient and non-admitting. She does not provide medico-legal assessments.

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Where inpatient or higher-intensity care is required, she supports coordinated referral and transition to appropriate services.