Who We Are
Our Team
At Ferrari Consulting Group, each of our specialists holds a minimum qualification of a Master's degree in their field, having completed at least six years of study in psychology. This ensures that our clients have access to clinicians with strong skills in evidence-based practice and who have undertaken specialist postgraduate training and/or supervision within the forensic area of practice.
Our growing team currently comprises 12 psychologists; six are endorsed Forensic Psychologists, one is an endorsed Clinical Psychologist who additionally holds a law degree, and five are General Psychologists with expertise and interest in the forensic field.
At times, we also employ provisional psychologists under the direct supervision of our team of endorsed Forensic Psychologists, all of whom are Board-approved supervisors. Our Provisional Psychologists are in their final year of postgraduate training having also completed an appropriate Masters or Doctoral degree in the field of psychology, and are being supervised to ensure that they meet all required competencies for general registration as a psychologist.
We only employ suitably qualified provisional, general, and endorsed psychologists who have a strong interest in and experience within forensic settings and are undertaking regular professional development and further training.
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Director & Principal Forensic Psychologist
Master of Psychology (Forensic) - Bond University
Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology - Bond University
Bachelor of Psychological Science / Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice - Griffith University
Carla is the Director and Principal Forensic Psychologist of Ferrari Consulting Group. She established the practice due to the growing demand for services for forensic clients and her interest in exploring the interface between law and psychology.
With over 15 years of experience, Carla earned her Master’s in Forensic Psychology in 2010. She specialises in providing psychological assessments and reports for courts across Australia in both criminal and family law, as well as for medicolegal compensation cases related to institutional abuse. She also assesses cases for immigration matters. As an expert witness, Carla presents evidence in criminal and family court cases and before the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). She often works with diverse and complex clients in challenging situations.
Carla has developed skills in assessing fitness to stand trial and mental impairment defences, along with various psychometric tools for risk assessment. This includes structured assessments for violence (including family violence), stalking, and sexual offences.
Prior to establishing FCG, Carla was employed as a Senior Psychologist in both the public and private sectors, working within acute psychiatry in the Emergency Department of two busy metropolitan hospitals in Queensland for seven years before commencing private practice. This provided exposure to high-acuity cases and the ability to assess complex mental health presentations and evaluate risks rapidly.
Carla has developed specific expertise in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which has high prevalence in the criminal justice system. She has published research on personality factors associated with traffic offences and on the psychological impact of divorce and custody proceedings on parents.
She has also completed professional development courses in Family Law Counselling and trauma within the Criminal Justice System. She is a Board-approved supervisor to other psychologists and graduates, supporting them to develop and maintain high standards of evidence-based forensic practice.
Carla is a full-time member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc. (AAPi), the Australian Psychological Society (APS), a Fellow of the APS Forensic College, and holds membership to a number of relevant organizations including Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (ANZAPPL) and the Global Institute of Forensic Research (GIFR).
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Forensic Psychologist
BSc (Hons)Forensic Psychology & Criminal Justice - Liverpool John Moores University
MSc in Forensic Psychology - Birmingham City University
Doctorate in Forensic Psychology Practice - University of Nottingham, UK
Dr Dawson is a Forensic Psychologist and has experience working with a range of clients, both in the community and in secure settings. She is trained in the use of a number of psychometric tools and risk assessments and specialises in the assessment of general and violent offenders, cognition and capacity, as well as issues relating to Family Court proceedings.
Hannah has experience of providing assessment and treatment for individuals in secure and community settings, presenting with major mental illness, personality difficulties and developmental disorders. She has accreditation in the use of ACT and CFT and has provided individual and group therapies with CBT and DBT informed approaches. Hannah also has experience in offering consultation to practitioners working with high-risk offenders on Forensic/Correctional Orders, presenting with personality difficulties.
Her doctoral research focused on non-offending partners, personality assessment, and adverse childhood experiences, and she has published in relation to both offenders and victims. Whilst studying for her first degree, she gained criminological experience working as an Appropriate Adult for Youth Support Services and supporting prisoner rights with the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) in the UK.
Hannah works part-time for FCG, undertaking assessments. She spends the remainder of her time working as a therapist in a community setting, delivering interventions, assessments and consultation for individuals presenting with mental health challenges, developmental disorders, and personality difficulties.
She holds full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia, with a Forensic Psychology endorsement. Additionally, she has completed a compulsory transition programme for overseas qualified practitioners, as required by AHPRA. Hannah is also registered as a Forensic Psychology with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in the UK and is a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society - the Division of Forensic Psychology. She is also a member of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (ANZAPPL), the National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers (NOTA), and Mersey Care NHS Mental Health Trust.
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Forensic Psychologist
Bachelor of Arts and Science - University of Melbourne
Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology - Bond University
Master of Psychology (Forensic) - Bond University
Laura holds a Masters of Psychology (Forensic) completed in 2010 at Bond University in Queensland and is endorsed as a Forensic Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia.
She has almost 15 years of professional experience working as a Psychologist within the community, high-security forensic inpatient facilities, and mental health services. Laura has experience in providing psychological treatment for both youth and adult clients within custodial settings, particularly those with personality disorders and substance abuse. Laura also has expertise in providing assessment and intervention to a range of clinical and forensic clients within a private practice setting, including the provision of court reports for a range of matters.
Laura has completed training in psychometric assessments relevant to providing structured risk evaluation, including for violence, family violence, sexual offences and stalking; and assessments of cognitive capacity. She has experience working with clients with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Laura also provides professional supervision to provisionally registered psychologists undertaking university courses as well as the 4+2 and 5+1 pathways.
She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society and the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law.
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Psychologist
Bachelor of Social Science – Swinburne University
Graduate Diploma of Professional Psychology – Monash University
Master of Professional Psychology – Victoria University
Dani is a registered Psychologist who is skilled in conducting a range of clinical and forensic risk assessments and has expertise in writing psychological reports to inform various courts and bodies in civil and criminal matters. Dani has experience in providing psychological services to complex clients such as victims of crimes and individuals being accused of serious crimes. She has conducted psychological assessments for individuals in custodial and community settings with a range of complexities including mental illness, trauma, substance use issues, and problem behaviours.
Dani has knowledge of multiple risk assessment tools and the structured professional judgment model. She has completed training in psychometric assessments relevant to providing structured risk assessments. She has experience in conducting mental health assessments, violence risk assessments, sexual risk assessments, stalking risk assessments, cognitive assessments, and evidence-based case formulations.
She holds full registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, and she is a member of the Australian Psychological Society.
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Psychologist
Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) - Deakin University
Specialist Certificate in Criminology (Forensic Disability) - The University of Melbourne
Master of Professional Psychology - Deakin University
Sarah is a registered psychologist with a Master of Professional Psychology and specialist expertise in forensic disability. She has worked in private practice and the Forensic Disability Service, collaborating closely with forensic psychiatrists to gain extensive experience in conducting assessments for criminal matters, undertaking forensic risk assessments, and facilitating offence-specific individual and group interventions, including those for violent and sexual offending.
She has also worked in a Practice and Development management role, where she led projects focused on integrating best practice clinical work into existing treatment and case management services.
Sarah has been trained in various specific risk assessment tools, including for violence, psychppathy, sexual offences, and tools specific to assessing risk and manageability in individuals with developmental and intellectual limitations.
Historically, Sarah has conducted risk assessments with highly complex clients, typically involving a dual diagnosis that includes intellectual disability and/or acquired brain injury, and/or other mental health diagnoses or presentations, such as personality disorders, neurodivergence, trauma, and substance use issues.
She is a member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc. (AAPi).
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Psychologist
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology/Human Resources - Monash University
Post Graduate Diploma in Addictions - Victoria University
Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology - Swinburne University
Andrea has been a registered psychologist since 2008 and has worked in forensic, community, inpatient, and clinical treatment settings across both public and private sectors. Her specialist focus is on addictions, which includes assessment and treatment services, having worked for 16 years at a residential rehabilitation facility. Andrea has 29 years of experience in the field; before becoming a psychologist, she worked for Corrections as a prison officer in male prisons.
Andrea has gained specific experience in assessing and treating psychiatric disorders, personality issues, and drug/alcohol addiction, as well as preparing psycho-legal reports that focus on addiction-related criminal behaviour. She continues to offer ongoing AOD clinical assessment and treatment-focused supervision to various professionals.
Andrea has completed advanced training in conducting structured risk evaluations, including those for violent offending, intimate partner or family violence, and sexual offences.
Andrea is a member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi) and the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (ANZAPPL).
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Forensic Psychologist
Bachelor of Science – Monash University
Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) Honours – Bond University
Master of Psychology (Forensic) – Bond University
Marlese is a Forensic Psychologist who obtained full registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia in 2015 and later forensic practice endorsement. She has worked across both public and private sectors, working in a secure forensic inpatient facility, prisons, and private practice, where she has developed expertise in assessing and treating violent and sexual offenders.
In addition to undertaking psychological assessments for a range of criminal matters and preparing comprehensive psycholegal reports, Marlese also provides psychological intervention to forensic clients within the community and custodial settings. She sees clients presenting with a broad range of issues including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, alcohol and other substance-related issues, and trauma in addition to delivering offence-specific treatment. In her practice, she utilises a wide range of evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Schema Therapy.
Marlese has also held a number of academic positions, tutoring in forensic psychology and psychological assessments.
Marlese is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and a Fellow of the APS College of Forensic Psychologists.
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Psychologist
Bachelor of Psychological Science - La Trobe University
Graduate Diploma of Psychology - Deakin University
Master of Professional Psychology - Cairnmillar Institute
Rebecca specialises in providing psycholegal assessments and reports for the Court and conducting comprehensive structured risk assessments and treatment recommendations for general, sexual, and violent offenders. She works with all ages across the lifespan including youth offending. Rebecca most commonly conducts psychological assessments and reports involving a range of complexities including mental illness, trauma, substance use issues and problem behaviours.
She also has experience working in a counselling setting, with a range of demographics across the lifespan. Her clients within the counselling setting most commonly present with substance use disorders, trauma, depression, anxiety, ADHD and a range of other psychological disorders. She has experience in providing individual and group interventions in both clinical and forensic settings.
Rebecca has extensive experience with cognitive assessments and psychological interventions including CBT, DBT and ACT.
Rebecca holds full registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia and she is a member of the Australian Psychological Society.
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Psychologist
Bachelor of Psychological Science - Australian Catholic University
Graduate Diploma of Psychology - Federation University
Master of Professional Psychology - Cairnmillar Institute
Jane is a registered psychologist with extensive expertise in conducting assessments and preparing treatment completion reports for the forensic population. She has experience providing both individual and group psychological interventions in forensic and clinical settings.
Having worked in correctional facilities, Jane has received specialised training in facilitating Offending Behaviour Programmes (OBP), addressing issues related to violent and sexual offending, as well as offences involving alcohol and other drugs (AOD). Her treatment experience includes working closely with offenders who have histories of violence, problematic behaviours, personality disorders, sexual offences, and suicidal or self-harm tendencies. She has also provided interventions to non-offending populations, addressing a range of mental health issues from mild to complex.
Furthermore, Jane has provided critical incident response services across Australia in large first responder settings and delivered presentations on various mental health topics to targeted groups. She has also been involved in organisational selection processes, using psychometric assessments to identify suitable candidates for specific roles. Her skills include administering, scoring, and interpreting various psychological tools and risk assessments, as well as report writing for forensic risk assessments and psychological interventions.
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Psychologist
Bachelor of Psychology - Deakin University
Master of Counselling - Monash University
Alessia is a registered psychologist with experience in conducting forensic risk assessments and providing individual and group psychological interventions in both forensic and clinical settings.
Alessia has previously worked in prison settings as well as in private practice. She has experience in facilitating Offending Behaviour Programs (OBP), including those for violent and sexual offences, as well as offences related to alcohol and other drugs (AOD). Moreover, Alessia’s experience in providing treatment has included working individually with offenders who have a history of violence, problematic behaviours, personality disorders, sexual offences, and suicidal or self-harming behaviours. Treatment is provided on both a voluntary basis and as mandated by bail conditions or correctional orders.
Alessia also has experience in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of various psychological tools and risk assessments, along with report writing for both forensic risk assessments and psychological interventions. She has provided crisis intervention and critical incident response in custody, as well as individual psychological intervention to clients both in and out of custody.
Alessia is available for forensic treatment for individuals who are at risk or involved in the criminal justice system. She also supports clients dealing with stress and mental health issues related to various legal matters, including Family Court proceedings, a history of institutional abuse, or immigration issues such as deportation. Additionally, Alessia works with victims of crime to help them overcome trauma and other psychological distress associated with their experiences.
She is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and is a member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc. (AAPI).
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Forensic Psychologist
Bachelor of Science (Psychology) First Class Honours - Australian National University
Master of Psychology (Forensic) - University of New South Wales
Naomi holds full registration as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia and endorsement as a Forensic Psychologist. She is also a member of the Australian Psychological Society.
Naomi specialises in providing psycholegal assessments and reports for the court and conducting comprehensive risk assessments and treatment recommendations for general, sexual, and violent offenders.
Naomi has received specialised training in the formulation, assessment and treatment of forensic clientele, including advanced interviewing and intervention techniques, report writing and expert testimony skills, the law provisions and policies relevant to different forensic settings, and in the preparation, administration, scoring and interpretation of many psychological tools and risk assessments.
Naomi has forensic experience in providing assessment and treatment for individuals in custodial and community settings with a history of violence, serious mental illness, problem behaviours and personality disorders, and suicidal or self-harm behaviours, many of whom are on involuntary treatment or correctional orders. She has experience in conducting mental health assessments, risk assessments, cognitive assessments, parenting capacity and medicolegal assessments, and brief and comprehensive mental health reports for the Court.
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Clinical Psychologist
Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psych)(Hons) / Laws LLB(Hons) - Queensland University of Technology
Masters of Clinical Psychology - Queensland University of Technology
Courtney holds a Master of Clinical Psychology and has additionally completed her Bachelor of Laws. She is registered as a Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia and has completed further training and supervision to be recognised as an endorsed Clinical Psychologist. Courtney has specialised clinical training in the assessment, diagnosis, formulation, and treatment planning of mental health, behavioural, and emotional disorders, and her background in law is useful in understanding how this can have legal implications within a forensic population.
Courtney has a background working in psycho-legal settings as a Psychologist and Advocate due to her original qualification in law. She has worked as a Psychologist in private practice and community settings supporting people with complex and severe mental illnesses. She has also recently worked as a Disability Royal Commission Advocate at a Community Legal Centre for people with disabilities, where she supported people with psychosocial disabilities to engage with the Disability Royal Commission.
Courtney is trained in the provision of psychometric assessments, risk assessments, and treatment recommendations for people across the lifespan. She has extensive experience working with people from diverse backgrounds. She has worked in services specialising in support of LGBTIQ+ and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, with a focus on managing suicide risk and self-harm. She also has extensive experience with adolescents and people from rural and remote backgrounds. She brings a strong understanding of the impacts of trauma, intergenerational disadvantage, and minority stress on vulnerability to mental illness which can impact offending.
Courtney has extensive experience providing psychological treatment interventions in clinical settings. She is experienced working with people with a range of presentations, including trauma-related conditions, mood disorders, psychosis, substance use disorders, personality disorders, psychosomatic conditions, neurodiversity and dual diagnoses.
She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS) and the Australian Psychological Society.