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About Dr. Liza Chervonsky & Inlight Psychology
Dr. Liza Chervonsky is the principal clinical psychologist and director at Inlight Psychology in Bondi Junction. She holds a Doctor of Clinical Psychology and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Sydney. Liza has a deep interest in working with people who have personality disorders and interpersonal and relationship difficulties. In particular, she focuses on individuals who struggle with opening up and trusting others, and those with avoidant or narcissistic coping defenses or traits. Liza uses a psychological approach that examines the role of shame, identity, and relational/attachment wounds in the development and maintenance of many psychological challenges.
Liza also supervises and mentors her large team at Inlight Psychology, as well as psychologists outside the clinic. This is a great source of enjoyment for her, and she applies the same relational framework within supervision. Liza believes that self-reflection, self-awareness, and attunement to the relational dynamic between psychologist and client are crucial to the therapeutic process. This principle has guided her in choosing her team members at Inlight, resulting in a group that not only shares her values and beliefs about what is essential in therapy but is also a wonderful, intelligent, and highly supportive team, making supervising them a truly rewarding experience for Liza.
The Interview
In this interview, Liza Chervonsky, a clinical psychologist and business owner in Bondi, shares her journey into psychology and the challenges of running her own clinic, Inlight Psychology. She describes her early determination to pursue a career in clinical psychology, which involved a lengthy academic path including a PhD and a Doctor of Clinical Psychology. Liza reflects on the unexpected difficulties she faced when she did not get into the Master’s program initially and how she adapted by pursuing a PhD, which eventually helped her gain entry into the clinical psychology program.
Liza also discusses the differences between various psychology degrees and emphasizes the importance of gaining practical experience before jumping into advanced degrees. She advises taking time between academic milestones to gain life experience, which she believes is crucial for a successful career in psychology.
Liza’s journey into business ownership began unexpectedly when a colleague suggested opening a clinic together. Though her colleague later left to start a family, Liza continued to build the clinic on her own. She emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive and collaborative environment for her team, which she achieves by organizing social events, offering free supervision to early-career psychologists, and ensuring a strong sense of community within the clinic.
One of the key challenges Liza highlights is balancing the administrative and clinical sides of her work. She also discusses the difficulties of marketing in the psychology field, both for attracting clients and for recruiting the right team members. Liza places a strong emphasis on hiring individuals who are reflective, self-aware, and a good fit for the clinic’s culture.
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