Mind Aware Clinic - Psychologist in Balgownie, Wollongong.
Evidence-based psychological therapy for adults experiencing anxiety, low mood, stress, or patterns of behaviour that feel difficult to change.
If things feel stuck, overwhelming, or out of control, therapy can help you make sense of what’s going on and support you moving forward.
Appointments are available in Balgownie, Wollongong and online across Australia.
Our Approach
Our approach is collaborative, practical, and grounded in evidence-based psychological therapy. We take time to understand what you’re experiencing and the patterns contributing to current difficulties, and work together to find more helpful and manageable ways of responding. Therapy provides space to build self-awareness, make sense of what feels stuck or overwhelming, and develop practical skills for change. Sessions are guided by what is most useful for you, with a focus on creating realistic, sustainable change aligned with the life you want.
Our Service
Anxiety, Stress and Burnout
Anxiety can show up in many different ways — constant worry, overthinking, difficulty relaxing, sleep problems, or feeling permanently “on edge.”
Therapy can help you better understand your anxiety, develop practical coping strategies, improve emotion regulation, and feel more confident managing everyday challenges.
Gambling and Behaviour Addictions
If you feel like a behaviour is becoming difficult to control or is beginning to impact your wellbeing, relationships, work, or finances, support is available.
With over 15 years of specialist experience supporting people affected by gambling harm, we provide treatment for a wide range of behavioural addictions and compulsive behaviours.
Low Mood and Depression
Feeling flat, emotionally drained, unmotivated, or disconnected from life can make even simple tasks feel difficult.
Therapy provides a supportive space to explore what may be contributing to these experiences while helping you build resilience, reconnect with your values, and improve overall wellbeing.
Emotion Regulation
Sometimes emotions can feel overwhelming, difficult to understand, or hard to respond to in ways that reflect how you want to live. You may find yourself reacting quickly, becoming caught in intense emotions, or struggling to manage distress when situations feel challenging.
I often draw on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), including mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal skills, to support adults who want to develop more effective ways of managing emotions and navigating challenging situations.
Supervision for Psychologists and Counsellors
We provide professional supervision in a supportive, reflective, and collaborative environment. With more than 10 years of experience supervising intern, provisional psychologists, psychologists and counsellors.
Supervision focuses on developing confidence, strengthening clinical skills, supporting ethical practice, and promoting practitioner wellbeing.
Our Clinician
Janine Coombs
I am a Registered Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor, providing psychological services in Balgownie, Wollongong and across the Illawarra. With more than 20 years of experience, I support adults through anxiety, depression, gambling harm, health behaviour change, and other significant life challenges.
I believe that therapy can create space for reflection, self-discovery, and growth. By working together to better understand patterns, challenges, and strengths, you can take meaningful steps towards living a life that feels more aligned with what matters most to you.
I hold a Master of Professional Psychology from the University of Wollongong and spent 15 years working at the Sydney University Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic. I have also worked in community health settings through the Primary Health Network and in the private sector, including Medibank Private.
Principal Psychologist