Meet the Team!

Glenn Mackintosh

Glenn Mackintosh is the Founder of Weight Management Psychology.  His public work has seen him accept the challenging position as consultant psychologist for Ten’s The Biggest Loser: Transformed and feature regularly in the media.

He is a member of the Australian Psychological Society and the Queensland representative for the APS Psychology of Eating, Weight, and Body-image Interest Group.  Before venturing into private practice, he was the Director of Psychology at the Wesley Lifeshape Clinic and he also supports Qld Bariatrics patients pre- and post-surgery.

Glenn’s research investigated psychological and social factors and weight management, and he has lectured in health psychology, the psychology of eating, and sport and exercise psychology at the University of Queensland and several other universities.

He has also developed the self-help resources The Complete Reprogramming Series, co-created Weight Management Psychology – Emotional Freedom Techniques for Weight Management Online Program with Professor Peta Stapleton, and developed The Twelve Month Transformation, a group and online program helping people free themselves from yo-yo dieting and develop naturally healthy habits that last for life.

Glenn’s passion is in helping people manage their eating, physical activity, weight, and body-image and training other professionals in applying psychological principles to help clients grappling with weight concerns through his sold-out professional workshops with the APS, Filex, and the DAA, online courses for Personal Trainers through the Australian Fitness Network, and online courses for dietitians in conjunction with Dietitian Connection.  He is enjoying spreading evidence-based, weight-inclusive, innovative messages in his practice, the media and public life.

Emma Furner

Emma is a registered Psychologist and Yoga Instructor with a passion to support people in their journey towards life long health and wellbeing. Having worked as a Psychologist nationally and internationally for more than a decade, she has significant expertise in the areas of trauma and abuse, depression, anxiety and stress management, self-esteem and self-harm. Emma considers the relationship between these concerns and eating, physical activity, weight and body image concerns as often a very intricate and interrelated one. It is this synergy of expertise areas that, after understanding the need for deeper work underlying some of our clients’ challenges, compelled us to invite our third Emma to join the Weight Management Psychology team. In this capacity, Emma enjoys supporting a range of clients by following a mainly non-dieting approach, and has a special interest in supporting bariatric surgery clients before and after surgery, working with top surgeons in Queensland and interstate to help patients successfully navigate the surgery process and achieve the best long-term results possible.

Emma completed a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours and has received several awards for her research and teaching, including a Lifetime Membership of the Golden Key International Academic Honours Society and an Honorary Teaching Fellowship at Bond University.

Emma believes that each of us have the wisdom within to heal ourselves and become healthy, but that various factors can be barriers to accessing this wisdom. These factors can include (but are not limited to) our cultural context, family background, relationship with ourselves, trauma history and unconscious ways of coping. Having experienced her own challenges with body image and a not-so-loving relationship with herself, Emma considers psychotherapy to be one of the most beneficial endeavours a person can engage in – beneficial in helping one to identify and overcome their unique barriers to health and happiness, heal old hurts, and truly have a loving relationship with all aspects of self, food, physical movement and other people. It really is a possibility for us all and Emma is dedicated to supporting this by drawing on the following Treatment Modalities:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
• iRest Yoga Nidra and Trauma Sensitive Yoga

Shauna Spencer

Shauna Spencer is a psychologist with a special interest in weight management. She completed her Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology at the University of Queensland in 2007. She also holds a Diploma in Fitness and is one of the Accredited Practicing Dietitians on our team. She is incredibly passionate about helping people live happier, healthier lives.

Since graduating in 2007 Shauna has primarily supported clients with their eating, weight, and body image and she has had a wealth of experience prior to joining the team at Weight Management Psychology. Shauna has assisted people pre and post bariatric surgery at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital. She has worked as a weight management psychologist with Glenn at the Wesley Weight Management Clinic, where she was part of an interdisciplinary team. She ran one-on-one appointments aimed at helping people to overcome psychological barriers that prevented them from losing and maintaining weight loss. She has also worked as a psychologist at Adro Sarnelli’s (winner of season 1 Biggest Loser) The New Me Obesity Rehabilitation Centre in Melbourne where she ran group workshops and individualised consultations assisting people to develop healthy mindsets around food, eating and physical activity. She has owned and operated her own health coaching practice where she assisted a variety of people to make health related behavioural changes and improve their overall well-being. Further to this she has worked with families on a research project called NOURISH with QUT that aimed to prevent childhood obesity by setting up healthy eating habits in young children. Shauna also has a special interest in supporting people who experience Eating Disorders and disordered eating, a service our clients greatly appreciate.

Shauna’s treatment modalities include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Mindfulness

Nelson Laconi

Nelson a registered Psychologist and Fitness Instructor who is passionate about the psychology of eating, physical activity, weight, and body image, as well as helping people build meaningful and purpose filled lives. He believes that we each have inherent strengths within us, and that identifying these strengths can help us create positive change and navigate the natural challenges that are part of life. He also enjoys helping people uncover their personal values, which are powerful motivators that they already have within themselves, and finds this strengths-and-values based approach to therapy preferable to traditional approaches that focus more solely on the reduction of unwanted symptoms. Nelson began with Weight Management Psychology in 2007 and, after living in Sydney for an extended period, we were pleased to welcome him back to the team in 2021!

Nelson completed a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours, where he was awarded a Lifetime Membership to the Golden Key International Academic Honours Society based on his academic performance. A lover of continued learning, Nelson has also completed a Post-graduate Diploma in Education (Teaching), an Advanced Diploma in Leadership, a Certificate IV in Fitness, and is currently completing a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology.

Nelson is fascinated by the close relationship that exists between our minds and bodies, and how the health and wellbeing of each has a direct impact on the health and wellness of the other. He has a special interest in eating and physical activity, and their relationships with physical health, mental health, and longevity, and has extensively researched ‘Blue Zones’ – areas of the world where people live the longest – to help his clients understand how to live happier and longer lives. One of his main therapeutic goals is to help clients learn how to take care of their minds and bodies as a way of life.

With over fifteen years experience, Nelson supports clients not only with eating, physical activity, weight, and body image concerns, but also with a variety of general psychological concerns, such as depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and relationship concerns. He enjoys seeing women and men of all ages, and, with a background in teaching and school counselling, sees many of our adolescents. He also has special interests in balanced and sustainable weight loss, and in supporting bariatric surgery clients before and after surgery, working with top surgeons in Queensland and interstate to help patients successfully navigate the surgery process and achieve the best long-term results possible.

Nelson is enthusiastic about life, and his passion transfers to the therapy room. Our clients greatly enjoy Nelson’s compassionate, knowledgeable, and energetic approach, which is often compared with Glenn’s.

Nelson’s treatment modalities include:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Positive Psychotherapy (PPT)
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Cognitive Processing Therapy
• Exercise and Movement Therapy

Dr Tom Hannan

Tom is a psychologist with a special interest in helping people manage their eating, physical activity, and life-style concerns. Tom has completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours), along with a Master of Professional Psychology degree, and a PhD. His PhD research focused on better understanding what motivates people to participate in regular physical activity.

Tom has extensive experience working with a diverse range of clients, including children/adolescents, young adults, and older adults. Known for his warm and compassionate approach, Tom is LGBTQIA+ affirming and has a strong interest in supporting individuals who experience difficulties with disordered eating as well as general psychological health concerns.

Tom also has a special interest in supporting neurodiverse clients. He is experienced in the assessment of neurodiverse profiles such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism, and works closely with clients’ Psychiatrists and other mental health practitioners to ensure that each client receives an appropriate combination of behavioural and medical support. His interest in supporting people to understand their neurodiversity and its interplay with healthy living, eating, and weight concerns is something that many of our clients greatly value and appreciate.

In addition to his clinical work, Tom is a published author who has worked as a lecturer and post-doctoral research fellow in the university sector. His published works span health psychology and sport and exercise psychology, reflecting his dedication to understanding and enhancing human behaviours related to health, including nutrition, physical activity, and alcohol consumption. Using his expert knowledge in human health behaviour change, Tom has contributed significantly to government-funded community health campaigns, focusing on empowering individuals to adopt healthier lifestyle behaviours. Tom is also an editorial board member for the international academic journal, Psychology & Health.

During sessions, Tom utilises techniques from a range of evidence-based therapeutic frameworks, including:

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Neurodiversity Assessment & Support (e.g., ADHD/Autism)
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
• Mindfulness-Based Therapies

Gracyn Bower

Gracyn is a registered psychologist with a passion for supporting people with eating, physical activity, weight, and body image concerns, as well as general mental health and psychological concerns. She has had plenty of experience with the WMP approach, from being one of our original size-inclusive personal trainers, to supporting the members of our Twelve Month Transformation program, which formed the basis for our life-changing Transformation Support Community (which she now supports as one of our Transformation Support Coaches).

Along with a Masters in Psychology (Sport and Exercise), Gracyn has had over 8 years experience working in the fitness industry which has allowed her to gain valuable knowledge of how the human mind interplays with physical activity, eating, weight, and body image challenges. Gracyn also has a lived experience of applying psychological principles to help her transcend her own eating, movement, weight, and body image struggles, which our clients greatly value and appreciate. Gracyn also has experience working with people who struggle with chronic pain, injury rehabilitation, sports performance, and general mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, and stress, and relationship, family, and work challenges.

Gracyn’s approach to therapy is one of openness and warmth, with the understanding that collaboration and a strong therapeutic alliance can help to create and sustain meaningful mindset and behaviour changes.

Gracyn is here to support you with any eating, physical activity, weight, or body image concerns, and any mental health or general psychological concerns. Gracyn’s ongoing interests include EFT (tapping) and understanding ADHD and its interactions with eating, physical activity, weight, and overall mental wellbeing.

Using a person-centred approach, Gracyn draws from a diverse range of evidence-based therapeutic frameworks, and her treatment modalities include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT/Tapping)
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
• Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
• Mindfulness-Based Therapies

Lynette Armstrong

Lynette is a senior psychologist with over ten years’ experience who, since training with Glenn in 2017, has developed a special interest supporting people with eating, weight, and body-image concerns. Deeply understanding the role nutrition and lifestyle play in promoting mental and physical wellbeing, Lynette is passionate about helping our clients overcome weight concerns, emotional eating, and other eating concerns, and live their happiest, healthiest lives.

With a strong background working with a diverse range of clients, including working closely with Indigenous community health services and government mental health services, Lynette has cultivated a very intuitive, person-centred style of counselling, which our clients greatly appreciate.

Lynette also loves to help clients with a range of general psychological concerns, including depression, anxiety, low self-worth, relationships difficulties, and physical pain. Most specifically, we welcomed Lynette into our team due to her extensive experience in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and special interest in the impacts of trauma and Domestic Violence (in all its forms) as contributors to weight, eating and body image challenges.

Lynette’s approach to therapy is focused on creating a supportive, non-judgmental, and collaborative environment to facilitate change and growth.

Her treatment modalities include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
• Schema Therapy (ST)
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
• Emotional Focussed Therapy (EFT)

Julie Mackintosh

Julie is a counselor, coach, and psychotherapist who enjoys supporting our clients to successfully navigate a range of life’s challenges. She holds a Diploma of Counseling, a Bachelor’s Degree in Counseling with a major in coaching, and continues to complete a wide variety of professional development courses which add to her kind, caring, and person-centered counseling approach. Being our Founder Glenn Mackintosh’s mum, she has enjoyed the benefits of having Glenn as a supervisor since the beginning of her training in 2014, but nowhere near as much as Glenn has benefitted from countless conversations with her over the years.

Julie’s clients love working with her, enjoying her natural ability to listen attentively, draw from her extensive academic knowledge and personal experience, and form a supportive relationship that helps guide clients to a better place in a way that is right for them.

Having Julie’s wonderful, supportive, and life changing practice available to our clients adds to the mix of therapists Weight Management Psychology recommends in a variety of ways. Where most of our psychologists have a special interest in eating, movement, weight, and body image concerns, Julie enjoys supporting people with a wide variety of challenges, so she provides a good therapeutic option for people who have more general psychological concerns, as well as people who’s main goals lie in non-weight areas of life. And, with a fee of just $70.00/session, Julie’s practice offers a more affordable therapeutic option for many clients. Our client services team, clinical team, and clients appreciate how Julie’s practice helps round out our therapeutic offering!

To support our clinic, Julie offers a first session FREE of charge, so you can get to know each other, experience counseling with her, and then freely consider if it is for you. Julie’s private counseling practice is in her home office in Teneriffe, Qld (in the same building as our clinic) and she also sees clients via Telehealth, so the opportunity to see her is available for anyone who lives in Australia. Please give Julie a call directly on 0401 501 953 if you’d like to know more or take her up on her special offer, which is available only through Weight Management Psychology.

Please call 0401 501 953 to book in with Julie now.

To book in with one of our psychologists, or if you have any further questions, please contact us.