Dr Ahona Guha is a clinical and forensic psychologist from Melbourne, Australia and holds a doctorate in clinical and forensic psychology from Swinburne University. Her doctoral research focused on assessing the health and mortality outcomes associated with child sex abuse. She has been embedded in the field of traumatology since.
She works within the public forensic mental health system and maintains a private psychology practice.
Dr Guha writes widely about a range of mental health and social justice related topics.
Her primary professional remit involves equipping people with the skills they need to lead psychologically healthy and relationally safe lives.
We often confuse mental illness with mental health and hold many myths about mental health.
Dr Guha wants to break down these myths and work with people and organisations to build a simple — but not simplistic — understanding of mental health, and recovery from mental illness.
She has a strong focus on social justice and seeks a world free of violence and harm, focusing her work on remedying the psychological drivers of these behaviours. She is passionate about equity, diversity, and advocacy and capacity-building for those historically marginalised.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
In Dr Guha’s private practice, she primarily works with clients with histories of trauma and abuse. She has broad experience with understanding the needs of survivors of abuse and marries this with comprehensive knowledge of ways to manage perpetrators of abuse or violence. This blend of training and experience allows her to work sensitively with victims of abuse and trauma to assist them with remaining safe; and with managing and recovering from a range of harmful behaviours.
She also enjoys working with clients who are struggling with burnout, perfectionism, anxiety, disordered eating, depression, and other mood disorders.
She has specific interests in working with other health professionals, and with professionals who are exposed to trauma at work (e.g., first responders).
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
Dr Guha’s forensic mental health work involves assessing risk and understanding the drivers of offending behaviour (including stalking, sex offending, general violence, intimate partner violence, arson, and threats); and providing individualised psychological treatment to perpetrators 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.
Dr Guha believes that people who make mistakes can often change their lives and behaviours with support and treatment. She brings compassion and respect, coupled with clear thinking and a comprehensive knowledge base to her forensic work.
OUTSIDE WORK
Dr Ahona Guha works hard to find balance outside her role as a psychologist.
She can often be found bouncing around Melbourne, with her beloved rescue greyhound in tow.
She reads voraciously, and learning and curiosity are two of the anchors of her life. She also values laughter, community, nature, new adventures, food, wine, travel, and yoga.
She is working on being a reformed perfectionist/high achiever. She is anti-hustle, prioritises and advocates rest and good boundaries around work (yes, even for those who work in the mental health and health fields), and values systems which truly support resilience and well-being.
She believes that the main pillars of mental health are a good diet (eating well, eating enough, eating without guilt), joyful movement, sleep, social connection, meaningful engagement —and enough rest and time away from the grind of work to facilitate all these.
She holds courage, compassion, and honesty as key values and attempts to embody these in her personal and professional endeavours.