Dr James Morandini

Clinical leadership, multidisciplinary care and research

James founded King Street Psychology Clinic in Newtown to integrate evidence-based and culturally aware psychological care with specialist supervision and research.

The multidisciplinary practice brings together clinical psychologists and psychologists, including clinical psychology registrars, alongside speech pathology. It provides general mental-health care and specialist support involving gender dysphoria, gender identity, neurodiversity, sexual-orientation-related mental health, and sexual dysfunction or disorders.

The clinic also contributes to research that connects current scientific and clinical developments with ethical, evidence-based care.

International collaboration and professional contribution

James was one of a small number of international sexual-orientation experts invited to the five-yearly Puzzle of Sexual Orientation Conference, hosted by Professor Paul Vasey at the University of Lethbridge.

James holds an adjunct appointment at Western Sydney University and has held research affiliations at the University of Technology Sydney. He has taught gender and sexuality content across UTS, Western Sydney University, Australian Catholic University, the Australian College of Applied Professions and the University of Sydney. He supervises higher-degree research at the University of Sydney and has supervised approximately a dozen postgraduate psychology researchers, including several PhD candidates. He also provides clinical supervision to psychologists and other health professionals in Australia and internationally.

The Gender Centre and future clinician training

James works one day each week at The Gender Centre in Sydney as Clinical Lead of its Counselling and Psychology Service. He established a Clinical Psychology Master’s placement programme that trains future clinical psychologists in assessment, formulation and evidence-based support for transgender, non-binary and gender-questioning people.

The programme is one of relatively few Australian clinical psychology placements specialising in the mental health of gender-diverse people. It has involved trainees from:

• Macquarie University
• Australian Catholic University
• University of Wollongong
• University of New England
• Western Sydney University
• The University of Sydney
• Australian College of Applied Professions

James and placement interns have also delivered a tailored eight-week Tuning in to Teens group to help parents understand and support transgender, non-binary and gender-questioning teenagers.