Dr Katie Kjelsaas helps people improve the most important relationships in their lives—whether with a partner, a team, their community, or themselves.

Katie works with couples, families, and individuals to navigate emotional blocks, repair connection, and create lasting change. She also supports business leaders, ministry teams, and professionals who want to communicate more clearly, collaborate more meaningfully, and show up with authenticity in high-stakes environments.

Clients are often drawn to Katie’s warm, grounded presence and her ability to make complex emotional dynamics clear, understandable and workable. She believes that emotions make excellent servants but poor masters—and helps people understand, organise, and use their emotional experience flexibly and responsively to support the personal, relational, and professional outcomes they desire.

Katie is an ICEEFT Certified Emotionally Focused Therapist and Supervisor, using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) as her primary treatment approach. She also draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), depending on what best fits each client’s needs and goals.

Katie is passionate about nurturing growth in others—both in therapy and in her role as a mentor and trainer. She provides supervision and training to fellow therapists and health professionals as an ICEEFT Certified EFT Supervisor and AHPRA Approved Clinical Supervisor. She also writes ‘Elevate’ an empowering free monthly newsletter for therapists that empowers and equips them to build practices they love.

Katie holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Queensland and has received several academic honours, including the University Medal, APS Prize, McBride Psychology Prize, and the Tian P.S. Oei Clinical Research Prize.

Her research has explored topics including gender stereotypes, occupational burnout, social skills, and the impact of online social networking on mental health. Clinically, she has a special interest in:

• Navigating major life transitions (e.g. marriage, parenthood, career change, retirement)

• Exploring the dynamics of sexual desire in relationships

• Strengthening self-efficacy and supporting post-traumatic growth

Katie also welcomes clients who wish to integrate faith or spirituality into therapy. She offers a compassionate, non-judgmental space to explore spiritual questions and values alongside emotional and relational work.