Women's Health, Support Groups and Allied Health at Embrace Medical on Crown

Embrace Medical on Crown is a full-scope general practice. It is also a clinic that has been deliberately built around the idea that healthcare should feel human — which means the services here go beyond what fits into a standard appointment. This is a practical guide to what is available and who each service is for.

Women's Circle

Women's Circle is a facilitated gathering for women at any stage of life. It is not a clinical service and it is not therapy. It is a held space for women to come together, connect, and be heard.

The circle is facilitated by Clementina Velasco. Sessions move through themes relevant to women's lives — identity, transitions, relationships, seasons of change — through conversation and reflection rather than instruction.

Who it is for: Women who want genuine connection with other women and a space to slow down. No particular issue or diagnosis is required. We offer Circles focussing on new parents (third trimester through to 6 months post partum), and perimenopause.

To find out more: Contact the clinic for current session dates. We also post updates follow us on social media @embracemedical

The Mental Health and Allied Health Team

Embrace Medical on Crown has a mental health allied health team that works alongside the GP team to provide whole-person care. Each practitioner brings a distinct area of experience.

Emma Jackson — Clinical Psychologist Emma provides psychological assessment and therapy. A clinical psychologist is qualified to work with a broad range of mental health presentations, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and more complex conditions. Referral from a GP via a mental health care plan can provide Medicare-subsidised access to Emma's sessions.

Jessica Kent — Mental Health Social Worker Jessica works with individuals navigating mental health challenges with a whole-person, contextually informed approach. Mental health social workers are recognised providers under mental health care plans, meaning Medicare rebates apply with a GP referral.

Abbey Hamilton — Accredited Practising Dietitian Abbey supports clients across a range of concerns including disordered eating, chronic health conditions where nutrition plays a role, and general nutritional wellbeing. Nutrition and mental health are closely connected, and having a dietitian embedded within the practice means this dimension of health can be addressed without navigating referrals across multiple locations. Abbey can be accessed directly or through a GP care plan.

Mental Health Care Plans

Any of the Embrace GPs can prepare a mental health care plan for patients experiencing anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions. This plan provides access to Medicare-subsidised sessions with a psychologist or eligible allied health provider — including the practitioners listed above.

If you are unsure whether a mental health care plan is right for your situation, a conversation with your GP is the place to start. The plan does not commit you to a specific pathway; it opens options.

The GP Team

The foundation of everything at Embrace is its GP team. Across the five doctors, the clinic covers broad general practice and a range of specific areas of interest and expertise.

Dr Marisa Nguyen is a GP and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and the founder of Embrace Medical. She holds a Diploma of Child Health, a Master of International Public Health, and accreditation in Neuroprotective Developmental Care (Possums) and Holistic Sleep Coaching. Her clinical focus is breastfeeding, infant sleep, and early parenting support, and she offers IBCLC lactation consults, sleep support, perinatal signature consults, and preparation for parenthood appointments. She can also perform tongue-tie assessments and release where indicated.

Dr Hayley Glasson is a Fellow of the RACGP and Perinatal GP with a Diploma of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (DRANZCOG), a Diploma of Child Health, and accreditation in Neuroprotective Developmental Care (Possums). She has extensive experience supporting families through the full perinatal journey, from preparation for pregnancy through to postnatal mental health and infant sleep. Alongside clinic appointments, Hayley offers home visits in the early postnatal weeks and facilitates mothers' groups at Embrace grounded in the Possums/NDC approach.

Dr Kate McCullough is a Fellow of the RACGP with a Graduate Certificate in Child Health and accreditation in Neuroprotective Developmental Care (Possums). Her focus sits firmly in perinatal care, infant sleep, breastfeeding support, paediatrics, and parental mental health. She provides antenatal shared care with Wollongong Hospital and offers a range of specialist consults covering lactation, sleep, and the transition to parenthood. Kate also enjoys the full range of general practice and has recently re-opened her books for new patients.

Dr Rebecca Goodman has over 20 years of GP experience and a Master of Public Health with a focus on women's health. She has a particular interest in menopause care and holds a Certificate of Sexual and Reproductive Health. Alongside her work at Embrace, Rebecca contributes as a Clinical Editor for HealthPathways and works with the WellFemme online menopause clinic. She offers an extended Embrace Signature Consult for menopause, covering symptoms, hormones, mood, sleep, and lifestyle in one unhurried appointment.

Dr Helen Jones trained as a registered nurse before completing her medical degree, with postgraduate experience across paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and sexual health. She holds a Certificate of Child and Family Health, the National Certificate in Reproduction and Sexual Health, an ANZAED Eating Disorder Credential, and a Certificate of Dermoscopy. Her interests span paediatrics, women's and sexual health, antenatal and postnatal care, skin checks, and preparation for pregnancy consults.

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Ready to Find the Right Support?

Whether you are looking for a GP who genuinely has time for you, a space to connect with other women, or support that goes a little deeper — Embrace Medical on Crown is worth a visit.

Book online at embracemedical.com.au, call us on (02) 4288 8807, or follow us on Instagram at @embrace.medical for updates on groups, circles, and new services.

We are at 479 Crown Street, West Wollongong. Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.