Individual Therapy for Adults
Tailored Therapy
At Common Ground, Dr Vlatka Duric works short and long term using validated, evidence-based and individually tailored methods from an integrative, systemic perspective, with a focus on therapeutic alliance and positive outcomes.
Vlatka works with you on problems which might manifest day to day as emotional reactivity, low mood, disconnection, a lack of meaning and purpose, relationship difficulties, and other challenges. While these concerns can feel immediate and overwhelming, they often have deeper roots. Sometimes a major life event, such as a medical diagnosis including cancer, can trigger old ways of coping that no longer serve you. At other times, these patterns may be linked to past experiences, trauma, or unmet emotional needs.
Many of us were never taught how to understand our emotions, navigate difficult experiences or build the kinds of relationships that help us feel secure, connected and supported. Instead, we develop ways of coping that make sense in the context of our life experiences. While these ways of coping may have helped us through difficult times, they can sometimes become obstacles to living the life we want. Therapy can help you better understand yourself, your patterns and your strengths, while developing more adaptive ways of responding to challenges. This often leads to greater wellbeing, more fulfilling relationships, and a stronger sense of meaning and purpose.
Vlatka’s special interest area is to provide psychological therapy where you can develop insight into the intricately and uniquely formed constellations of your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and life experiences that influence both your individual wellbeing and your relationships. Vlatka’s aim is to help you to develop more adaptive pathways that remain true to your unique values, identity and goals.
At Common Ground, Vlatka provides therapy to individuals for various issues including:
Trauma
Adjustment to illness, medical events, major life change
Grief and Loss
Anxiety
Depression
Relational difficulties
Psychological Therapies for Individuals
Vlatka works with you online and provides the following psychological treatments (or therapies, sometimes referred to as psychotherapies):
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We are designed to attach and to seek connection, understanding and healthy growth. As children, and through to young adulthood, we have certain needs which, when met, support this healthy attachment and development. For a range of reasons, this is not always possible, and we may develop ways of coping that made sense at the time but can become entrenched and less helpful in later life.
These patterns may continue to influence how we respond to relationships, stress, or major life events, and can contribute to ongoing difficulties such as anxiety, depression, or relational challenges. Schema therapy is an integrative, depth-oriented approach that works with these longstanding patterns, supporting healing, change, and the development of more adaptive ways of being.
Schema Therapy is supported by a Level I evidence base, including randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews, and incorporates techniques such as imagery rescripting. Level I evidence means that the effectiveness of Schema Therapy and imagery rescripting is supported by systematic reviews of multiple high-quality randomised controlled trials (see the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia guidelines of evidence base levels).
Imagery Rescripting is one of the first-line treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Schema Therapy as a whole has Level I evidence for helping with a vulnerable personality structure and a growing evidence base in other areas.
In some situations, these patterns can be adaptive while in others profoundly unhelpful and perpetuate anxiety, depression and relationship problems. They may seem stuck and unchangeable. This is why some people find themselves in therapy over and over or perhaps they find that they relapse after a few years back to the way things were when they first sought help from a psychologist.
Schema therapy is an integrative therapy which addresses our deepest core patterns for our own learning, healing and growth while helping us understand our environment and how we interact with it. Schema therapy helps us build on previous therapeutic work, heal old wounds, correct old patterns and build new healthy, adaptive ways of being.
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At times, overwhelming or distressing experiences can become stored in a way that feels unresolved, continuing to affect how we think, feel and respond in the present. We may notice this in the form of heightened anxiety, intrusive memories, or strong emotional reactions that seem difficult to shift leading to a diagnosis such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
EMDR is a structured therapy that supports the brain’s natural ability to process and integrate these experiences in a safe and gradual way. Through this process, past events can lose their intensity, allowing new, more adaptive understandings to emerge. This can help reduce distress and support a greater sense of stability and resilience. EMDR is a very extensively researched psychological therapy and has strong Level I evidence (as per the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines of evidence base levels). This means that the effectiveness of EMDR is supported by systematic reviews of multiple high-quality randomised controlled trials. It is one of the first-line treatments for PTSD.
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Our thoughts, feelings and behaviours are closely connected, and at times we can become caught in patterns that reinforce distress or unhelpful ways of coping. These patterns may have developed over time and can feel automatic or difficult to change. CBT is a practical, structured therapy that helps us identify and gently challenge unhelpful thinking styles while building more balanced and adaptive responses. It also supports behavioural changes that can improve mood and functioning in everyday life.
CBT is the most extensively researched psychological therapy and has strong Level I evidence (as per the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia guidelines) for its effectiveness across a broad range of difficulties. This means that CBT’s effectiveness is supported by systematic reviews of multiple high-quality randomised controlled trials.
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It is part of being human to experience difficult thoughts and emotions, yet we can sometimes find ourselves struggling against them in ways that leave us feeling more stuck. In these moments, we may become disconnected from what truly matters to us.
ACT supports us in developing a different relationship with our inner experiences, learning to make space for them rather than fighting them. At the same time, it helps us clarify our values and take meaningful steps in directions that are important to us. This can foster greater psychological flexibility and a deeper sense of purpose and engagement in life. ACT has a substantial and growing evidence base, with multiple randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews supporting its effectiveness across a range of conditions, and is recognised within contemporary evidence-based practice frameworks.
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Our relationships and life roles play a central role in our emotional wellbeing, and difficulties in these areas can have a significant impact on how we feel. At times, we may be navigating changes, losses, or ongoing interpersonal challenges that feel overwhelming or unresolved. IPT focuses on understanding and improving our relationships, communication patterns, and social supports. By addressing these areas, it aims to reduce distress and strengthen our capacity to connect with others.
This can lead to improved mood and a greater sense of stability in our lives. IPT has strong empirical support, particularly for depression, and is recognised in clinical guidelines and systematic reviews, including those informing evidence-based practice in Australia.
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Many people experience a strong inner critic or feelings of shame that can be difficult to shift, even when they recognise these patterns are unhelpful. These responses often have understandable origins and may have once served a protective function.
CFT helps us develop a more compassionate and supportive way of relating to ourselves and our experiences. Through this process, we can begin to soothe distress, reduce self-criticism, and build a sense of inner safety. This can support emotional healing and foster a kinder, more balanced way of being.
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At certain points in life, particularly during times of illness, loss, or major transition, we may find ourselves questioning our sense of meaning and purpose. This can bring feelings of uncertainty, distress, or disconnection from what once felt important.
Meaning-Centred Psychotherapy focuses on helping individuals reconnect with sources of meaning, even in the face of adversity. It supports reflection on values, relationships, legacy, and the ways we make sense of our experiences. Through this process, people can rediscover a sense of purpose and sustain hope and dignity during challenging times.
This approach has been well validated, for example within psycho-oncology, with clinical trials and systematic research supporting its effectiveness in improving wellbeing, meaning, and psychological adjustment in individuals facing serious illness.
