Dr Shalya Hirschson is a psychologist who runs her own private practice in Melbourne. She holds a Doctorate (PhD) and a master’s degree in educational psychology and an honours degree in clinical psychology. Shalya provides counselling and assessment to children and adolescents, together with child focussed parent work for children under 5yrs of age.

Shalya’s fields of specialised practice include play therapy, parenting support, social skills, childhood trauma, depression, anxiety, grief, loss, Autism, ADHD, school refusal, learning difficulties and the impact of medical conditions on psychological well-being. One of her other domains of specialized attention falls on the provision of full psychoeducational assessments for independent children’s lawyers, courts and families navigating separation and divorce. With regards to assessment, Shalya’s recognised strengths include children’s cognitive, academic achievement, learning difficulties, behavioural difficulties, Autism and ADHD assessments. Shalya also works with adults experiencing relationship difficulties, life adjustments, grief, anxiety and depression, attachment difficulties and medical conditions.

Shalya has worked as an educator and psychologist in schools and universities in South Africa, UK and Australia. Prior to her emigration to Australia in 2017, Shalya founded a not-for-profit organization, where she served as Director of Clinical and Counselling Services. The organization provided mental health services to children and families in vulnerable and impoverished areas. Part of the organization was established in the paediatric oncology ward of the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg and at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, two well-known training hospitals. There, Shalya trained clinical psychologists and social workers in the use of play therapy and psychotherapy. Many of the children and families came from non-English-speaking backgrounds. A large portion of those same families were unable to articulate the words of their trauma and adverse experiences, hence the use of play therapy and creative expressive arts in psychotherapy. Counselling and therapy were also provided to parents and siblings of those facing life threatening illnesses, within the various hospital wards.

Shalya was also afforded a position on the steercom advisory committee, of the newly established Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Johannesburg. In this capacity, she provided insight and planning advice, for the development of a psychology department at the hospital. She has also presented at international conferences on Trauma and on Children’s Development and Healthcare.

Throughout her career in South Africa and UK, Shalya provided professional development training for psychologists, social workers, medical staff, and allied health professionals, working in the field of child development and care. She continues with this field of work in Australia, having gained experience in two practices and two primary schools since her migration.

Shalya’s compassionate and warm approach enables her to connect with her clients, empowering them to overcome adversity and live their lives with a sense of confidence, purpose, and hope. She enjoys facilitating training and professional development and providing supervision for other therapists.

Shalya is married and has two teenage children. She also practices in Bentleigh and Caulfield South.

Contact Shalya:
T: 0401 800 248 
E: drshirschson@gmail.com