Supportive psychological care in Palmerston, NT
Contemporary, neuro-affirming, and evidence-based psychological care, informed by extensive experience across education, mental health, disability, and justice settings. Supporting children, adolescents, adults, families, and professionals — in English and Afrikaans.
Focused support tailored to your goals.
Personalised one-on-one counselling for children, adolescents, and adults addressing anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. Sessions integrate a range of evidence-based approaches tailored to individual needs, supporting emotional healing, resilience, and adaptive functioning.
Support for couples to strengthen communication, resolve conflict, and deepen emotional connection through practical strategies and evidence-based relational approaches.
Support for families to navigate complex dynamics, strengthen relationships, and create more supportive home environments. Interventions include family systems therapy, parent-child work, and behavioural strategies.
Comprehensive assessments of cognitive, academic, emotional, and behavioural functioning. These standardised evaluations support early identification of learning difficulties, ADHD, giftedness, and mental health concerns, informing targeted intervention and support planning.
Clinical supervision for provisional psychologists and educational and developmental psychology registrars.
Support and consultation for educators, allied health practitioners, and professionals with complex challenges.
Two experienced psychologists supporting clients across mental health, education, and community settings.
Educational and Developmental Psychologist
Santie is a registered Educational and Developmental Psychologist and qualified teacher with extensive experience supporting children, families, and adults across learning, wellbeing, behaviour, and relationships.
Her career spans education, youth justice, disability services, and family support. She has worked as a teacher, school psychologist, family and domestic violence coordinator, and most recently as a principal psychologist in a youth detention centre, where she led multidisciplinary teams delivering integrated mental health, educational, and rehabilitation programs for young people with complex needs.
Santie provides psychological assessment, therapy, and consultation, with a strong focus on neuro-affirming, trauma-informed, and person-centred care. She collaborates closely with families, schools, and allied health professionals to ensure consistent and sustainable outcomes.
As a Board-approved Supervisor, she offers supervision and mentoring to psychologists and registrars, supporting reflective practice, ethical decision-making, and advanced clinical skills development.
She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology, with research focused on culturally responsive assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and has additional qualifications in criminal psychology and forensic science.
Psychologist and Educator
Adriaan is a psychologist, educator, and Army veteran with extensive experience across education, mental health, and correctional environments.
His early military experience contributed to a strong foundation in resilience, discipline, and cultural awareness. He later worked as a teacher, school leader, and senior psychologist, focusing on wellbeing, behaviour support, inclusion, and counselling across diverse populations.
Adriaan has also held academic roles at the University of Pretoria and Curtin University, contributing to the training of future educators and psychologists.
In the justice sector, he worked as a Senior Programs Officer and Prison Psychologist in Western Australia, delivering rehabilitation programs, particularly with Aboriginal clients. His work in remote regions, including the Ngaanyatjarra Lands and Kimberley, reflects a strong commitment to culturally responsive care.
He holds a Bachelor of Teaching, a Master's in Psychology, a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management (Flinders University), and an Executive Leadership qualification from The Brown's Collective.
Du Plessis Psychology is grounded in the belief that every person has the capacity for growth, resilience, and meaningful change. Our work integrates psychology, education, disability, and justice perspectives to provide compassionate, evidence-based care across the lifespan.
Therapy is informed by contemporary research and includes CBT, DBT, ACT, REBT, Logotherapy, Positive Psychology, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, applied within trauma-informed and strengths-based frameworks.
The practice is committed to culturally safe, respectful, and inclusive care, with significant experience working alongside Aboriginal communities and diverse populations. Interventions are tailored to each person's cultural identity, values, and lived experience.
Therapy is a collaborative process that values each client's story, strengths, and goals. The team works closely with families, schools, and other professionals to support meaningful and lasting change.
Wellbeing is understood as a balance across emotional, relational, cognitive, and social domains. Interventions consider the broader systems influencing each individual, including family, school, and community contexts.
Book directly through Halaxy using the general practice link or a practitioner-specific link below.
Dr Santie: Fridays, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Adriaan: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Reach out for enquiries, referrals, and fee information.
Practice details
Du Plessis Psychology
24 Royal Circuit
Durack, Darwin NT
Services also available in schools for assessment and intervention.
0449 261 109 (Santie)
0477 359 164 (Adriaan)
Practice hours
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Dr Santie consults on Fridays.
Adriaan consults on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Medicare and referrals
Self-referrals are welcome — contact the practice directly or book online. Medicare and Veterans' Affairs rebates may be available with a GP Mental Health Care Plan under the Better Access initiative.
Medicare informationFees and funding
Fees may be funded via private payment, Medicare, NDIS, Department of Veterans' Affairs, or workers' compensation depending on eligibility.
Fees vary depending on service type, duration, and funding source. A written estimate of costs is provided prior to commencement of services, and payment options are discussed at booking.
