About Me
The Lightner Centre is a Clinical Psychology service that focuses upon recovery from trauma, mental health difficulties, and life’s challenges. Our mission at the Lightner Centre is to support the attainment of long-term recovery through the provision of comprehensive assessment that addresses the root cause of difficulties, and specialised treatments that specifically targets these areas to facilitate recovery and general wellbeing. The Lightner Centre provides a welcoming space where clients feel safe, respected, heard, and understood, and are empowered to navigate life’s challenges, and achieve meaningful and sustainable change. The Lightner Centre was founded by Dr Sharelle Smith who is an experienced Clinical Psychologist specialising in the treatment of trauma and complex mental health symptoms. Prior to launching the Lightner Centre, Sharelle worked for almost a decade as a Senior Clinical Psychologist within the Crisis Stabilisation Unit, Emergency Department, and Acute Mental Health Units of the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service. Sharelle has also worked as a Senior Clinician for the Department of Veterans Affairs and an Assistant Director for the Open Arms Family and Counselling 24/7 Contact Centre. Sharelle has worked with individuals exposed to a wide range of traumatic events as well as adults and children with severe and complex mental health difficulties. Due her experience with individuals experiencing complex and often chronic mental health symptoms, Sharelle became interested in early intervention and the factors that support the attainment of long-term recovery. This led her to the completion of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) which investigated the factors that contribute to PTSD and other mental health disorders, and to the development and validation of a definition and a model for Trauma Recovery. This research has informed the development of the Lightner Centre and forms the foundation of her clinical practice. Sharelle is trained in several therapeutic modalities including trauma-focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (TF-CBT), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Trauma Informed Stabilisation Treatment (TIST). Sharelle is a Board Approved Supervisor, has held teaching positions at Bond University, and has a passion for supporting psychologists at all stages of their careers. Sharelle strongly believes in the benefits of lifelong learning and the promotion of clinical psychology treatments, and provides community education, organisational training, workshops, professional development opportunities, and clinical practice supervision. Our team at the Lightner Center have vast experience across a range of specialisation and experience in treating mental health symptoms and concerns across the spectrum of general life difficulties through to complex mental health presentations.