Rehab is my passion - early psychological treatment supporting recovery and return to work.

A peek into my journey — a mix of what’s happened in my life and what goes on in my mind.

Including my life timeline, values, favourite things, challenges, and a few guiding principles.
 

Last Updated: October 2025 – Sydney, Australia
Currently balancing life as a Psychologist, Rehabilitation Consultant, and Medical-Legal Assessor, while raising two daughters and building new ventures in psychology and public speaking.

 

Timeline

1985 → Born in Iraq
Born into a small Christian minority (the Assyrian community), my early memories are filled with love—but also with war.


1995 → Left Iraq as a refugee (10 years old)
After months in Jordan, my family and I settled in Greece. Life was far from easy — I was the eldest of three, working and selling scratchies on the streets to help support my family (no school, as this was not allowed back then). My father would follow me from a distance for safety. Those moments taught me grit, courage, and responsibility, and what it feels like to be independent... but I also felt different from the other kids who went to school and had stability in their lives.


1998 → Arrived in Australia 
Australia became my chosen country and home. I went to Fairfield High School, one of the most multicultural schools in the Sydney. Every class had more than 15 nationalities — we all shared the common thread of starting over, and the majority were refugees, with English being their second or even fourth language.I learned English as a second language (or better 4th language in my case), skipped ahead a grade too early, and finished high school in 2002 — one of my proudest achievements, and most difficult times in my life.


2003–2004 → Began Bachelor of Medical Science at University of Western Sydney
I originally wanted to study medicine but soon discovered my curiosity for the human mind, and I could not give up on working and studying at that time, which is a must….in most cases.


2005–2006 → Transferred to the University of Sydney

Completed a Bachelor of Science (Microbiology & Psychology). Coming from an ESL (English as a Second Language) background, adjusting to academic writing and calculus at a top-tier university was tough. I spent countless nights at the math centre just trying to keep up — but I did…just scrapping through and passing my 4-maths subject that was a requirement to graduate from a science degree.


2010–2012 → Returned to study at the University of New England (25 years old)
While working full-time (as a job seeking consultant for a rehab provider in Parramatta), I studied part-time to improve my GPA for future psychology registration. This was my “second chance” phase — proving to myself that persistence pays off…it was still difficult to obtain an honours or postgraduate position in Sydney just based on my marks alone…….


2014–2017 → Postgraduate Psychology at ACAP
Completed further studies to expand my knowledge and raise my GPA. By this point, I was working in rehabilitation (and registered with ASORC as a Rehabilitation Consultant) and had discovered my love for helping people rebuild their lives after injury especially in the workers compensation field, while getting married and having my first child.


2020 → Accepted into Federation University (Melbourne)
Got into my dream program — the Fourth-Year (Graduate Diploma of Psychology). With a 6-month-old baby and a 3-year-old, I flew weekly from Sydney to Ballarat (Melbourne) for compulsory classes, catching the first flight out and the last flight home (Monday and returning Tuesday evening). When COVID-19 hit, everything moved online — a blessing in disguise that let me complete my degree Graduate Diploma of Psychology from home while raising my two kids, and working……and graduated with distinction with the help of family and friends.


2021–2024 → Psychology Internship 
Completed a four-year part-time internship while working, managing family, and running side ventures. Failed the national exam (NPA ) — then paused everything, reset my focus, and finally passed the NPA That day marked one of the biggest milestones of my life — full registration as a psychologist.


2025 → Now (40 Years Old)
A Psychologist, Rehabilitation Consultant, Medical-Legal Assessor, and venturing towards public speaker to inspire more people based on research-backed methods and lived life experience. Passionate about mental health, resilience, and rehabilitation. Building something bigger — a platform that bridges psychology, purpose, and empowerment….to the ones that society thought they will be “no one”…

 

My favourite people (those I share a meal with, wash dishes with, or walk with — via YouTube):

  • Dr. Jordan Peterson
  • Dr. Ramani Durvasula
  • Dr. Robert J. Gilbert
  • Dr. Iain McGilchrist
  • Dr. Ibrahim Karim (Founder of BioGeometry)


Book a session or Let's Talk

I read every email personally and respond to most.


→ caroni@ercrehab.com.au

Contact Us
  • Access to target, effective psychological treatment.
  • Aimed to help workers self-manage their recovery.
  • Interdisciplinary care to enhance mental health outcomes and work participation.
  • Virtual assessment and therapy


Caroni

Caroni works collaboratively with her clients in an empathic, validating, respectful and empowering way. She aims to provide a safe space to speak openly about experiences, gain insight into beliefs and patterns, and move toward more effective responses to life’s challenges—at work and in life. With over a decade in occupational rehabilitation, she brings particular experience supporting adults (18+) with work-related stress, anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, grief and loss, perfectionism and performance concerns, interpersonal issues, and recovery after physical injury—always with an eye to each person’s values and return-to-life or return-to-work goals.


In her sessions, Caroni supports meaningful behavioural shifts and helps clients understand and change limiting patterns—both in how they see themselves (e.g., self-worth, confidence, self-esteem, perfectionism) and how they relate to others (e.g., fear of rejection or abandonment, people-pleasing, self-sacrifice, approval-seeking). She equips clients with practical strategies and skills to manage symptoms (e.g., anxiety, low mood, sleep and stress), while also working at the root—exploring early experiences, trauma processing and current life stressors. She draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) , Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Schema Therapy, mindfulness-based and solution-focused approaches, Motivational Interviewing and an integrative, person-centred style to tailor care to each individual.


Caroni feels privileged to help her clients feel truly understood and validated, to share in their “aha” moments, and to witness them feeling proud and excited about what they’re now able to do—despite how daunting or distressing it once felt.


When she’s not working, Caroni enjoys spending time with her family and playing soccer.