Psychology That
Gets Up and Moves.
Active Psychology combines evidence-based psychological intervention with movement and exercise — so your sessions happen alongside life, not in spite of it. It’s psychology, reimagined for people who thrive when they’re in motion.
Walk & Talk Sessions
Exercise as Intervention
Mind-Body Integration
Medicare Rebates May Apply
10+
Years delivering Active Psychology in NQ
More than talk therapy -
psychology in motion.
Traditional psychology is powerful. But for many people — particularly those who find it difficult to open up in a face-to-face clinical setting — integrating movement into the therapeutic process can be genuinely transformative.
Active Psychology draws on the well-established evidence base linking physical movement with improved mental health outcomes. We don’t just talk about wellbeing — we build it, step by step.
It’s not exercise coaching. It’s not personal training with therapy bolted on. It’s evidence-based psychological intervention, thoughtfully combined with movement in a way that’s clinical, safe, and proven.
Walk & Talk Therapy
Sessions conducted outdoors or in motion — walking alongside your psychologist in a natural setting. Reduces the clinical pressure of face-to-face, supports self-disclosure, and integrates the proven wellbeing benefits of time in nature.
Exercise as Intervention
Structured physical activity as a clinical intervention — prescribed and monitored alongside your psychological goals. Particularly effective for anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma presentations where movement plays a therapeutic role.
Mind-Body Integration
Therapeutic frameworks that recognise the body as central to psychological health — including somatic awareness, breathwork, and regulation strategies that are grounded in movement, not just cognition.
Active Psychology works for
a wide range of people.
It’s not limited to athletes or people who are already active. Many of our most successful Active Psychology clients start with very low levels of physical activity.
Children & Adolescents
Young People Who Struggle to Sit Still
For children and teenagers with ADHD, anxiety, or who simply find traditional therapy difficult — movement-based sessions can reduce barriers to engagement and improve therapeutic outcomes significantly.
Adults
People Managing Anxiety & Depression
The evidence for exercise as an adjunct to psychological treatment for anxiety and depression is compelling. Active Psychology makes this integration structured, safe, and clinically led.
Athletes
Elite & Recreational Athletes
For athletes whose identity and mental health are deeply connected to physical activity, working in a movement-integrated context feels natural — and helps them process challenges without stepping away from what they know.
Families
Families Seeking Active Support
Family-based Active Psychology sessions that incorporate shared physical activity — building connection, communication, and co-regulation outside of the clinical room.
Trauma & Stress
Those Processing Trauma
Somatic and movement-based approaches are increasingly recognised in trauma-informed care. Active Psychology offers a pathway that works with the body, not around it.
Clinical Presentations
Anyone Who Finds Standard Sessions Hard
For many people, a face-to-face clinical setting creates barriers to openness. Walking, moving, and talking side-by-side shifts the dynamic in a way that makes the therapeutic work more accessible.
Three ways we deliver
Active Psychology.
Sessions are flexible and tailored to your clinical presentation, physical capacity, and personal preferences. Active Psychology is never one-size-fits-all.
FORMAT 01
Walk & Talk Sessions
Your session takes place outdoors — walking alongside your psychologist through parks, nature trails, or quiet paths near our Douglas clinic. Typically 50 minutes, same therapeutic rigour as any in-room session.
FORMAT 02
Exercise-Integrated Therapy
Psychological work structured around or alongside an outdoor activity (e.g., basketball, handball) — particularly suited to those where it is being used as a specific clinical tool for a range of presentations (this covers play therapy, ADHD interventions, depression, anxiety etc).
FORMAT 03
Combined In-Room & Active
A blended approach — some sessions in the clinic, some in motion. Useful when processing requires both structured reflection and the different quality of conversation that movement enables.
Duration
50 minutes
Per session
Location
Douglas & Railway Estate
Outdoor trails nearby
Referral
Not required
Self-referral welcome
Medicare
Rebates may apply
With a Mental Health Plan
From your first enquiry
to your first session.
Active Psychology sessions are clinically led from the outset. Before any movement-based work begins, your psychologist will take a thorough history, understand your presentation, and ensure the approach is appropriate for your specific situation.
Physical capacity is never assumed. If you’re not currently active — that’s fine. The level and type of movement is always determined by what’s therapeutically and physically right for you.
Active Psychology draws on the well-established evidence base linking physical movement with improved mental health outcomes. We don’t just talk about wellbeing — we build it, step by step.
It’s not exercise coaching. It’s not personal training with therapy bolted on. It’s evidence-based psychological intervention, thoughtfully combined with movement in a way that’s clinical, safe, and proven.
What to wear
Comfortable clothes you can walk in. Depending on the active psychology session, you may be required to wear closed in shoes if attending the gym.
Fitness level
No minimum — sessions adapt entirely to your capacity
Weatherproofing
Wet weather plans in place — sessions flex to conditions
Confidentiality
Fully maintained — outdoor sessions are conducted discreetly
Enquire or Self-Refer
Contact us online, by phone, or via the referral form. No GP referral needed — though a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP is recommended if you'd like to access Medicare rebates.
Initial Assessment
Your first appointment is to understand your background, history, goals of therapy and develop a collaborative treatment plan.
Tailored Treatment Plan
Your psychologist will design an approach specific to your presentation — determining the right format, frequency, and blend of in-room and active work to achieve your goals.
Ongoing Sessions & Review
Regular sessions with built-in progress reviews. As your goals evolve, so does the approach — Active Psychology is always clinically responsive, not a fixed program.
RD
Active Psychology
Deep expertise in
mind-body psychology.
Active Psychology at Active Health Psychology is led by practitioners with genuine clinical training in movement-integrated approaches — not just enthusiasm for sport or exercise. The approach is grounded in psychology first.
Our team includes psychologists with experience in Active Psychology, performance settings, and working with clients across the full age and presentation range — from young children to elite athletes.
Reece Danaher
Principal Psychologist · Active Psychology Lead
Over a decade developing and delivering Active Psychology programs. Reece brings a rare combination of clinical rigour and lived understanding of the mind-body connection in performance and wellbeing contexts.
Active Psychology
Performance Psychology
10+ Years Experience
APS Member
AHPRA Registered
Active Psychology
FAQs
Questions about what Active Psychology involves, whether it’s right for you, or how sessions work in practice.
Do I need to be fit or physically active to do Active Psychology?
Not at all. Active Psychology is appropriate for people across the full spectrum of fitness levels — including those who are completely sedentary. Your psychologist will work entirely within your physical capacity and comfort. The movement element is always tailored to what is clinically and physically appropriate for you, and can be as simple as a gentle walk.
Is Active Psychology a real clinical treatment or just walking and talking?
It’s a genuine clinical approach, delivered by registered psychologists. The evidence base for integrating physical movement into psychological treatment is robust and growing — particularly for anxiety, depression, and trauma presentations. Sessions are clinically structured, goal-directed, and regularly reviewed — the movement context simply changes where and how the therapeutic work happens, not its rigour.
Can I claim Medicare rebates for Active Psychology sessions?
Medicare rebates may apply if you have a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your GP. Active Psychology sessions delivered by a registered psychologist are billed under standard psychology item numbers. We recommend speaking with your GP about obtaining an MHCP before your first appointment if you’d like to access rebates. If you’re unsure, contact us and we’ll walk you through it.
What happens in bad weather?
We have plans in place for inclement weather — sessions can be moved in-room at our Douglas or Cowboys’ Community, Training and High-Performance Centre, utilising either the indoor basketball court and gym facilities, with minimal disruption. For clients who prefer a consistent outdoor format, we’ll work around the weather wherever possible. Townsville’s climate means this is rarely an issue, but you’ll never be left without a session due to weather.
Is confidentiality maintained in outdoor sessions?
Yes. Your psychologist takes deliberate care to select routes and locations that preserve your privacy. Sessions are conducted in a way that makes the professional context unobvious to others — you’re simply two people walking. All standard confidentiality obligations of the therapeutic relationship remain fully in effect, regardless of where your session takes place.
Is Active Psychology suitable for children?
Yes — Active Psychology can be particularly effective for children and adolescents who find traditional face-to-face sessions difficult. Movement reduces the social pressure of direct eye contact and formal clinical settings, which can help young people engage more naturally with the therapeutic process. Our team includes psychologists who work with children and adolescents in Active Psychology formats.
Explore Other Services
For Athletes
Performance Psychology
Elite sport & athlete mental performance — focus, resilience, and peak performance under pressure.
Traditional
Traditional Psychology
Evidence-based face-to-face psychology for anxiety, depression, life transitions, and more.
Group
Group Programs
Structured group psychology programs — combining peer connection with evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
Ready to take
the first step?
No referral required · Medicare rebates may apply · Telehealth options