About

What Is PsycHolistics?

PsycHolistics was created by Juanita Kay Miller BERRY. We use a blend of therapies that work synergistically to promote integrated mind-body healing. We make use also of multiple modalities including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), coupled with Theraplay, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, drama therapy and others mentioned below.

About Juanita K. M. Berry

Juanita uses evidence-based and clinically proven therapies, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing and EMDR. Her doctoral thesis is in the area of stress and pain management, including the management of headache disorders.

She has completed training in medical hypnosis and hypnotherapy for chronic pain, anxiety and depression as well as Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples. In addition she is one of the few people certified in Theraplay in Australia and with experience in  Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. These methods help develop or rebuild a bond between a parent and child where the attachment has been disrupted by trauma, prolonged illness, separation, abuse or displacement, as for example in foster chidlren. These methods can also be used to help children and adolescents on the autistic spectrum develop stronger social functioning and relationship awareness.

Juanita has had a long and varied career working as a youth worker with the Uniting Church, a foster and residential carer, child care worker, high school science teacher, special education teacher and lecturer in Child Care. She has taught psychology units at Curtin University and worked as a psychologist in adult migrant education, drug rehabilitation centres, workers compensation and  child protection. Her Psychology Honours thesis was in the area of institutional abuse, which received Australia-wide recognition and is the subject of a forthcoming book. She has also written, trains and supervises in the area of therapeutic parenting. She was a member and an Australian delegate to a Category B United Nations committee on children’s rights (Article 31) and was the designated  Australian delegate to Washington DC in 1988. She was a member of the women’s artistic gymnastic team chosen to represent Australia in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, although an ankle injury prevented her from competing.

A married mother of two grown –up children and four grandchildren, born and raised in Western Australia, she enjoys gardening, swimming and walking her dog.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
• Doctor of Psychology (Clinical) – candidate
• Bachelor of Education
• Teacher’s Certificate

Specialities

Complex trauma in adults (e.g. following institutional abuse), Therapeutic Parenting, trauma-attachment disorders in children and adolescents, addiction issues. In particular Juanita relishes the challenge of helping people reconnect and form stronger or new bonds after adversity.