At Capital Clinical Psychology, each of our practitioners runs their own private practice.
For a full list of our current practitioners, as well as their profiles and contact details, please see our ‘Consulting Room Practitioners‘ page.
Meet our directors, Dr Cristian Torres and Emily Jacka
Dr Cristian Torres
Dr Cristian Torres is a clinical psychologist, having completed his doctoral studies in clinical psychology at the Australian National University. He is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA), and also holds PsyBA Area of Practice Endorsement as a Clinical Psychologist.
Cristian is the former Chair of the Regional Board for ACT, Tasmania and Victoria of the Psychology Board of Australia (being a sitting member and Deputy Chair from July 2010 to 2012 and then Chair from 2012 to October 2017). Prior to this, Cristian served on the Psychologists Registration Board of the ACT. Cristian is a full Member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), and Fellow, APS College of Clinical Psychologists. He is also approved as a supervisor for prospective applicants to the College, as well as being a Board (PsyBA) certified generalist and clinical supervisor for Registrars seeking Clinical Area of Practice endorsement from the PsyBA. Cristian is a member of the Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ASTSS), as well as an associate member of the EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA). He also served as a practitioner member of the ACT Health Clinical Senate for 3 years until 2015.
Cristian was appointed to the Adjunct position of Professional Associate with the Faculty of Health at the University of Canberra in December 2011. Cristian continues to be actively involved with both local Canberra universities through the delivery of training and supervision to students in the clinical psychology postgraduate programs at UC & ANU, including student placements with Capital Clinical Psychology. In addition, a significant portion of Cristian’s time is dedicated to the supervision and training of junior psychologists, predominantly through the supervision of Clinical Registrars.
Therapeutic orientation
Cristian is committed to evidence-based therapeutic interventions (ie therapies that have been proven effective by scientific research), and operates as a scientist-practitioner. This means that Cristian will constantly evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for the client in order to maximise outcomes.
Cristian works primarily from a cognitive behavioural theoretical perspective, using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). However, drawing from a number of theoretical approaches, he adopts a very eclectic approach to therapy.
Depending on the client’s needs, other therapies that may be employed include; Schema Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focussed Brief Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Motivational Interviewing. Often tiimes the best outcome for a client is achieved through the implementation of a combined therapeutic intervention, such as CBT and ACT for instance. Thus, therapy is tailored to the individual client.
Experience
Cristian now works in full time private practice after many years working in both government and private sector roles. Cristian was with the AFP from 2004-2011, and during this time Cristian deployed to a number of domestic and international critical incidents in support of agency staff and other Australians. These incidents have provided Cristian invaluable experience in the management of critical incidents and trauma responses in individuals, leading to his current specialisation in the treatment of trauma, PTSD and other anxiety disorders.
Some of the incidents Cristian deployed to include: the Jakarta Australian Embassy bombing (2004); the Asian Tsunami disaster in Phuket, Thailand (December 2005); the YogJakarta plane crash (March 2007), among others. While at the AFP Cristian also looked after the Aviation, International and Counter Terrorism, and Axiom (undercover) portfolios of the organisation.
Cristian has served with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as a Staff Counsellor, and he also spent 12 months as the Principal Psychologist of ACT Corrective Services, establishing new psychological services for sex and violent offender rehabilitation in Canberra’s new prison, the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Cristian has also worked in community Mental Health both in NSW and Canberra. He was the first full time clinical psychologist in the inpatient psychiatric unit at the Canberra Hospital, the Psychiatric Service Unit (PSU), now named the Adult Mental Health Unit (AMHU), and has worked as a psychologist / case manager in ACT Health’s Alcohol and Drug Program (ADP).
Cristian also spent some time in the Australian Regular Army, initially as a soldier in Signals Corps, and later as a Staff Cadet at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, prior to undertaking his clinical studies.
With over 20 years experience in clinical psychology, Cristian strives to deliver an exceptional level of support and care to his clients. His aim is to empower his clients with the necessary tools to make positive change in their lives and to create successful outcomes.
Emily Jacka – Managing Director
Emily is Capital Clinical Psychology’s Managing Director, responsible for the day to day running of our 3 clinics and overseeing the administration for Dr Cristian Torres, a role she shares with Melissa Rhodes, our part-time administration assistant.
Emily brings with her a broad range experience, including retail, financial administration, and personnel research, in both the private and public sector. She has completed a Diploma in Business Studies, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science (Honours in Psychology) at The Australian National University, Diploma of Project Management, and Organisational/Executive Coaching Certification. After finishing university, Emily spent approximately 15 years working for the Department of Defence, including roles such as Director Strategic Personnel Research and Director Honours and Awards.
Since 2016, Emily has been managing Capital Clinical Psychology Consulting Rooms. She is passionate about providing space for psychologists to be the best practitioners they can be, thereby offering the community the optimum standard of psychological services. She is focused on providing support and the necessary infrastructure so that psychologists can build and manage their own private practice while being around likeminded professionals.
For information about becoming part of our team, click here. For details of all the practitioners currently working in our clinic consulting rooms, click here.