ROMI KAUFMAN PSYCHOLOGIST
A calm, practical approach to understanding yourself
MY APPROACH
I'm Romi Kaufman. I am a reistered psychologist and the director of Thriving Mind. For over two decades, I have supported adults and adolescents to navigate the complexities of life with greater clarity, choice, and ease.
Over my years in private practice, I’ve learned that people rarely come to therapy looking for rigid blueprints or clinical formality. They come looking for a real person—someone steady, open, and grounded—who can help them make sense of a busy mind. When you log onto a telehealth screen or sit in a space with me, you are entering a conversational, shared process. My approach is collaborative, warm, and highly personalised.
I believe that true, lasting therapeutic work happens when genuine, non-judgmental empathy meets practical strategy. Together, we look beneath the surface to understand the long-standing emotional or behavioural habits that might be keeping you stuck, while simultaneously equipping you with the real-world tools you need to move forward.
The modalities I draw from
Every individual’s history and inner world are unique, which is why I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all framework. I practice integratively, weaving together evidence-based modalities to support your specific needs and pace:
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY
A practical tool to help you identify, understand, and gently deconstruct unhelpful thought patterns that impact how you feel and behave daily.
MINDFULNESS
Cultivating a steady, present-moment awareness to help soothe an overactive nervous system and respond to life's stressors rather than react to them.
ACCEPTANCE & COMMITMENT THERAPY
Focusing on helping you drop the struggle with difficult thoughts and feelings, clarify what truly matters to you, and take meaningful action aligned with your values.
STRENGTHS & POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Shifting the focus entirely away from what is "wrong" with you to identify, honour, and amplify the internal resilience, resources, and character strengths you already possess.
TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE
A foundational layer of safety that respects how your past experiences and nervous system shape your present reality, ensuring we process deep-seated challenges at a pace that feels secure.
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS (PARTS)
A gentle, non-pathologizing framework that helps us explore the different, sometimes conflicting "parts" of your personality (like the inner critic or the people-pleaser) so you can lead your life from a place of core calm and confidence.
Background
Before focusing on my clinical private practice and creating self-guided tools, I spent many years developing and contributing to large-scale mental health initiatives and wellbeing platforms across Australia. This background informs the depth and practicality of the work we do together today.
TRAINING & CONSULTANCY
APPLIED POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY: In 2008 I trained directly under the discipline’s founder, Professor Martin Seligman, University of Pennsylvania. My subsequent training and consultancy frameworks in Applied Positive Psychology have been published by the Commonwealth Secretariat and presented at various national and international psychological forums, including the World Congress on Positive Psychology (Florida, 2015)
DIGITAL WELLBEING
DIGITAL MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS: I have long been passionate about making psychological tools accessible outside the traditional clinic walls. At the request of the Australian Government Department of Health, I co-created BITE BACK (2009-2010) with the Black Dog Institute and UNSW—a world-first online positive psychology platform designed to enhance wellbeing. I also collaborated with Smiling Mind, Australia’s premier mindfulness meditation app, to co-create their foundational teachers' manual.
IMPACT
CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY IMPACT: For eight years, I served as the Senior Psychologist and Head of Wellbeing for the Reach Foundation, building and leading a national clinical team of psychologists and social workers managing the care of tens of thousands of young people and adults annually. Throughout my career, I have provided secondary clinical consultation, training, and positive education implementation at major universities and educational institutions.
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
Registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA / AHPRA)
Medicare Provider (Eligible for psychological therapy rebates)
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi)
Member of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA)