Karen Pereira- York

Karen Pereira-York is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience, who has worked both in the public and private sector in South Africa, and New Zealand is now working in Australia. She works from a psychodynamic understanding of the person, and uses diverse modalities to tailor a personalized approach for each client.

She often looks at a person’s early childhood and formative relationships, as these experiences are believed to shape one’s world and patterns of relating to others. She helps clients uncover unresolved conflicts from childhood that continue to impact their current relationships and behaviour. She helps one look for patterns in relationships, and process unresolved emotional conflicts, which ultimately helps one gain insight, and emotional growth, through the exploration of past experiences.

 She works with unpacking trauma, managing anxiety, or understanding the intricacies of relationships. She has also worked extensively with sexual abuse trauma. She believes that healing is a process of rediscovery. Together, you will explore what it means to be vulnerable, to desire, to grow, and, ultimately, to reclaim a sense of agency in one’s life. She often uses EMDR to address past wounds, particularly those shaped by relational and complex trauma.

Her practice is attuned to racial and cultural identity, exploring how these shapes one’s sense of self, in a world that imposes rigid definitions.  She supports people navigating life transitions—aging, fertility challenges, miscarriage, and maternal mental health—helping you process grief and pain. Grief and loss, whether from the death of a loved one, medical diagnosis or cancer, shifting roles, or personal transformation, are central to her work.

Having experienced the complexities of emigration herself, she has a unique understanding of the emotional and professional shifts that come with moving. She is passionate about supporting those in transition.

In working together, she provides a space for empathy, insight, and healing, where together you explore your inner world, understand your patterns, and work through the wounds that may be holding you back.