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Dr. Mike Spurrier

Clinical Psychologist
PhD, DClinPsych, BASc (Hons)

I started Happy Place Psychology with the aim of providing people with a safe, accessible space to challenge and overcome personal barriers.

I specialize in helping clients address patterns that span a range of life areas, including self-esteem and our connection with others.

I work with adults, adolescents and relationships/couples. I have more than fifteen years experience, working with:

• Trauma, PTSD & the impact of early life experiences

• Couples, relationships & attachment

• ADHD & neurodivergence

• Self-worth & shame

• Issues related to identity, gender & sexuality

• How we regulate ourselves via our emotions, routines & habits

• Anxiety, addictive & mood disorders (e.g., panic, phobias, social anxiety, OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, substance use)

“As psychologists, we often talk about how important relationships are to the effectiveness of therapy. Here, we’re talking not just about your relationships with the significant people in your life, but also about our relationship with you – the person seeking help.

What we talk about in therapy is often very personal and sensitive – so it’s incredibly important that we feel comfortable and supported by our therapist – not just in the sense of feeling free from judgment and criticism, but also that the person we’re talking to is being earnest and upfront with us, and is tuned in to what we’re talking about.

Having a good experience of the ‘therapeutic relationship’ can be helpful in a number of important ways. It can help us repair attachment and other injuries from our pasts. It can help us overcome shame, and improve our relationships with other people (past and present). It can also help us establish a safe space to work on things that we find difficult to sit with.”

Treatment Approach & Modalities

I have an collaborative, integrative approach. I draw from various techniques and modalities, depending on what you want to work on, what pace works for you, and what may be most helpful ‘in the moment’, including:

• Schema Therapy

• Psychodynamic Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• EMDR, DBT & Prolonged Exposure (for trauma)

• EFT & Gottman Therapy (for couples & relationships)

Main Treatment Modalities

• Schema Therapy: Helps identify and shift long-standing patterns developed early in life, often used when other therapies haven’t led to lasting change.

• Psychodynamic Therapy: Explores unconscious patterns and early relationships to better understand current thoughts, behaviours, and emotional responses.

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): A practical, evidence-based therapy focused on recognising and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours.

• EMDR, DBT & Prolonged Exposure (for trauma): EMDR supports processing of traumatic memories; DBT helps with emotional regulation and distress tolerance; Prolonged Exposure reduces trauma-related fear by gently confronting difficult memories.

• EFT & Gottman Therapy (for couples): EFT builds emotional connection and secure attachment; Gottman Therapy provides research-based tools to strengthen relationships and manage conflict.

Qualifications & Registration

• PhD in Psychology, University of Sydney

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Sydney

• Bachelor of Science (Honours, 1st Class), University of Melbourne

• Bachelor of Arts and Sciences, University of Melbourne

• Diploma of Visual Arts (New Media), Swinburne University of Technology

• Registered as a Clinical Psychologist with the Australian Health Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

Selected Publications

1. Fogarty, A.S., Spurrier, M., et al. (2017). Tensions in perspectives on suicide prevention between men who have attempted suicide and their support networks: Secondary analysis of qualitative data. Health Expectations.

2. Shand, F.L., et al. (2015). What might interrupt men’s suicide? Results from an online survey of men. BMJ Open.

3. Player, M.J., et al. (2015). What interrupts suicide attempts in men: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE.

4. Spurrier, M., Blaszczynski, A., & Rhodes, P. (2014). Gambler risk perception: A mental model and grounded theory analysis. Journal of Gambling Studies.

5. Spurrier, M., Blaszczynski, A., & Rhodes, P. (2014). An expert map of gambling risk perception. Journal of Gambling Studies.

6. Spurrier, M., & Blaszczynski, A. (2013). Risk perception in gambling: A systematic review. Journal of Gambling Studies.

Reasons to choose online therapy