About Dr Ahona Guha, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist

Dr Ahona Guha is a clinical and forensic psychologist in Melbourne, Australia with over a decade of experience in mental health settings. She holds a doctorate in clinical and forensic psychology from Swinburne University, and her doctoral research examined the health and mortality outcomes associated with child sexual abuse. She has worked in the field of traumatology since. She works within the public forensic mental health system and maintains a private psychology practice in Brunswick and via telehealth.

Her focus is on equipping people with the skills they need to lead psychologically healthy and relationally safe lives. She wants to break down common myths about mental health and work with people and organisations to build a simple, but not simplistic, understanding of mental health and recovery from mental illness. She is committed to equity, diversity and advocacy for those who have been historically marginalised, and works to understand and reduce the psychological drivers of violence and harm.

Clinical Psychology

In her private practice, Dr Guha provides clinical psychology to adults with histories of trauma and abuse, including complex trauma, as discussed in her book Reclaim. Her forensic experience informs her understanding of both survivors of abuse and people who have caused harm, which helps her work sensitively with clients to stay safe and recover.

She also works with clients experiencing burnout, perfectionism, anxiety, disordered eating, depression and other mood disorders, and has a particular interest in supporting health professionals and first responders exposed to trauma at work. She provides therapy to people seeking help with their own difficulties with anger, impulse control or problematic behaviour, but does not provide forensic treatment in private practice.

Forensic Psychology

Through the public forensic mental health system, Dr Guha assesses risk, works to understand the drivers of offending behaviour (including stalking, sexual offending, general violence, intimate partner violence, arson and threats), and provides individualised psychological treatment to support behaviour change. She has worked in custodial settings with male and female offenders, in acute forensic mental health settings and in community forensic mental health.

In private practice, she provides forensic assessments and expert reports for legal practitioners; forensic treatment is not offered privately. Dr Guha believes that people who have engaged in harmful behaviour can change with the right support and treatment, and with accountability for the harm caused while prioritising the safety of victims and the community.

Supervision, Workshops and Writing

Dr Guha is also a Psychology Board-approved supervisor, delivers workshops and consultation for professionals across Australia, and writes widely about mental health, health and social justice.