Trauma Psychologist

Women’s Therapy in Perth

I’m Chantal Vander Kraats, a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and I’ve been working in mental health since 2008. I bring over 15 years of experience to my practice, and I approach therapy with deep care, interest, and presence.

I offer a warm, grounded, emotionally safe space where people can feel supported to explore what’s going on beneath the surface. I work with adult women navigating a range of challenges including trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, depression, emotional dysregulation, burnout, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. I have a special interest in working with adults who experienced childhood emotional neglect or complex trauma, and in supporting people with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), Autism, and ADHD. I also specialise in supporting women recovering from difficult or emotionally harmful relationships, including those involving coercive control or emotional trauma. I offer both therapy and assessment services. In addition to individual therapy, I run small women’s groups designed to support deep personal healing within the cocoon of group connection — a powerful space where women come together to breathe and let go of what no longer serves them.

Even though I carry a depth of therapeutic knowledge and clinical experience, what brings me the most joy is holding space in a down-to-earth and genuinely human way. I believe healing happens best in spaces that feel real and safe — where you're welcome to kick your shoes off, pop your feet on the couch, sip a cup of tea, and settle into the kind of conversation that helps us make sense of this thing called life. Therapy doesn’t need to feel clinical to be deeply effective.

My approach is holistic and integrative. While I draw from many evidence-based psychological therapies, I also pay close attention to the body, the nervous system, and the subtle ways we carry stress and pain. I’ve seen how powerful it is to bring nervous system healing into therapy, especially for those who’ve already done a lot of talking but still feel stuck. I’m passionate about helping individuals recognise and shift old stories and internal patterns that keep them stuck or disconnected from the life they long to live. My work is grounded in compassion, interest, and a belief that healing is never one-size-fits-all.

I work collaboratively, taking time to really understand each person — their story, their patterns, and what they long for. Together, we explore at your own pace, with therapy tailored to who you are and what you need most. Whether you’re navigating recent overwhelm or long-standing emotional pain, you are welcome here, exactly as you are.

Over the years, I’ve worked in a wide range of settings including hospitals, community health services, trauma centres, addiction programs, and women’s refuges, both in Australia and the U.S. I completed my first Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology in the U.S. in 2008 and later completed a second Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology in Australia.

I’m trained in a number of therapeutic modalities including Schema Therapy, EMDR, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT), Interpersonal Therapy, Mindfulness-Based approaches, Somatic Therapy, and body-based nervous system work informed by Polyvagal Theory.

Above all, I care deeply about walking alongside you with respect, gentleness, and attunement as you reconnect with your own inner strength, clarity, and calm.