Phil Bird

Principal Psychologist/Director

Phil is a Principal Psychologist in Newcastle, NSW. He is the director of The Nest Health Hub , a unique service that Phil created in collaboration with child Mental Health Occupational Therapist, Rhiannon Pilgrim to bridge the gap between Child Psychology and Occupational Therapy intervention for children, adolescents and adults.

Phil has extensive experience working with children, adolescents and adults with a range of challenges including developmental trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, bullying, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, ODD, aggressive behaviours, attachment difficulties, dissociation and complex behaviour problems.

Phil has a particular knowledge, skills and experience in supporting individuals who have experienced childhood trauma and attachment difficulties. He utilises a range of treatment approaches to meet the specific needs of his clients including:

·      Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

·      Neuropsychotherapy

·      Neurofeedback

·      EMDR Therapy

·      Play Based Therapy

Phil has also developed the NEuroSensory Therapeutic (NEST) Program in collaboration with Mental Health Occupational Therapist, Rhiannon Pilgrim who is the co-director of the Nest Health Hub. The NEST Program is a 6-month intensive program that integrates psychology and occupational therapy. It is an intervention that seeks to support children and adolescents who have experienced developmental trauma to regulate their nervous system while developing attachment security with their caregivers.  

Phil is an advocate for bridging the gap between neuroscience and clinical practice. He has subsequently developed the Building New Pathways series, an integrative clinical model for supporting individuals who have experienced childhood trauma.  Phil has provided training in the Building New Pathways model across a variety of settings including mental health professionals, occupational therpaists, speech pathologists, child and adolescent mental health settings, foster care agencies, residential care agencies, schools and early childhood education settings.

Phil also provides trauma-informed supervision, training and consultancy to a range of mental health professionals, out of home care staff, school staff, parents and foster and kinship carers.

Phil is able to provide services through Medicare, NDIS, third-party and private funding.