About Carmel

Carmel Pound's journey as a psychologist, after completing undergraduate studies in Melbourne, has taken her on an expat posting and to multiple states in Australia before settling in the Southern Highlands of NSW. This professional experience has given her a deep appreciation for the diverse ways people come to need and benefit from psychological support.

A period working in Vietnam further broadened her perspective, exposing her to different cultural frameworks around mental health, resilience, and healing — all of which she brings to her practice today. Eventually, Carmel settled in the Southern Highlands, where she has been in private practice for over a decade.

Over that time, she has developed a particular expertise and passion for EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. The evidence base for EMDR is among the strongest in psychological treatment, and Carmel found it consistently effective for her clients, particularly those carrying trauma. This led her to pursue advanced training and, eventually, Accredited Consultant status with the EMDR Association of Australia — one of only approximately 130 professionals who hold this designation.

Today, Carmel divides her practice between individual therapy (with EMDR where appropriate) and professional consultation and supervision for therapists who are themselves building EMDR skills. She is equally at home sitting with a client working through something deeply personal, and in conversation with a therapist navigating a complex case.

Carmel's approach is calm, collaborative, and unhurried. She believes that good therapy is built on a strong foundation of trust and genuine understanding — and that the therapeutic relationship itself is one of the most powerful ingredients in meaningful change.

"I came to psychology because I wanted to do something that genuinely mattered. Twenty-odd years later, that still feels true — particularly on the days when a client tells me something big has shifted."

Outside of her clinical work, Carmel is committed to giving back to the profession. Supporting therapists through EMDR consultation is a role she values highly — helping practitioners build the skills and confidence to offer this powerful therapy to their own clients has a multiplying effect that she finds deeply meaningful.

Most recently, Carmel has been selected to join a small panel of EMDR Consultants chosen by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) to provide EMDR case consultations to APS members across Australia — a recognition of both her expertise and her standing within the field.