Kara Vermaak
Associate Psychologist
(She/her)
Accepting new clients from August 2026
Seeking help when we’re struggling can be really difficult, but Kara hopes to make therapy a positive and growth-filled experience for her clients. She wants her clients to feel as though the therapeutic space is their time – a space where they won’t be judged and where their feedback is valued.
Kara sees clients who are 16 years and older, from diverse walks of life. She takes a warm, authentic, and collaborative approach with her clients, and enjoys drawing from a range of evidence-based therapeutic modalities to provide holistic care. Kara believes everyone has unique strengths to harness in their mental health and wellbeing journey. She works with her clients to discover and use these strengths to achieve their therapeutic goals and live life according to their values.
Therapeutic Approaches
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Schema Therapy
- Mindfulness-based practices
- Motivational Interviewing
Areas of Practice
Kara works with clients experiencing:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Low Self-Worth
- Stress and Burnout
- Trauma
- Meaning and Purpose
- Identity Exploration
- Neurodivergence, including Autism & ADHD
- Grief and Loss
- Relational difficulties
- Parenting challenges
Professional Memberships
- The National Psychology Board – AHPRA (Membership number: PSY0002596630)
- Australian Association of Psychologists INC (AAPi)
Academic Qualifications
- Master of Professional Psychology
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology
- Graduate Diploma in Science (Psychology)
Referrals and Funding
- In order to see Kara, we require you have a referral from your GP, Specialist or Psychiatrist.
- Kara is a registered Medicare Provider.
- If claiming through Private health, a referral is still required.
- Kara sees NDIS self-managed clients.
- No other funding options available.
More about Kara
Before becoming a psychologist, Kara worked as a disability support worker, and has recent experience completing ADHD and Autism assessments. She takes a neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed approach with her clients.
Kara was born in South Africa, and has also spent many years living in the UK. She has always loved travelling, and is most at peace hiking, camping or swimming in the ocean. She also dabbles in anything creative, and usually has a few creative pursuits on the go, including pottery, drawing, learning guitar and writing.
Availabilities
Tuesday 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Wednesday 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Friday 8.00 am – 4.00 pm
We’re here to help you find the right support.
If you would like to see one of our psychologists, please submit an enquiry using the form below or call our team on (03) 9989 0107.
Please note that Breathe Psychology is not a crisis or emergency service and wait times to see a psychologist can vary. If you need immediate help, please contact:
- 000 – Emergency Services
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
- Barwon Mental Health Services (24/7): 1300 094 187
- Suicide Line: 1300 651 251
- Safe Steps (Family Violence, 24/7): 1800 015 188
-1800RESPECT (Sexual, Domestic & Family Violence): 1800 737 732
-MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78
- Rainbow Door (LGBTIQA+ Support): 1800 729 367
Before you contact us:
To help save you time, we want to be clear about when Breathe Psychology may not be the right service.
We are unable to provide support for:
-psychosis
-eating disorders and treatment under an eating disorder management plan.
-alcohol or substance use as the primary concern
-People under the age of 16
-court-related assessments, legal reports, or medico-legal matters
-services funded under TAC, WorkCover/WorkSafe, NDIS, or FAS
For some mental health conditions, a psychiatrist referral is required:
If you have a history of mania, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder, a referral from a psychiatrist is required before engaging in our service. This helps us ensure your treatment pathway is safe, appropriate, and well supported.
If we are the right service for you:
We will ask you to complete an intake form. Your answers help us:
-understand what you would like support with
-learn about your goals and preferences
-identify any safety or clinical factors
-match you with a psychologist whose skills and availability fit your needs
Our Intake Officer and Admin Team review your information as part of our matching process. This process was developed by our Principal Clinical Psychologist to make sure matching is ethical, safe, and aligned with best practice.
If you have any questions or prefer to speak with someone first, please call our friendly admin team otherwise please submit an enquiry below.