Rachel Brace

Rachel is a nationally registered psychologist with a Masters Degree (Social Science) majoring in Psychology and Behaviour Analysis, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Social Health (Drug and Alcohol Strand). She is a trained facilitator for the ‘Cool Anxiety Program Kids’, ‘Tuning into Teens’, ‘Circle of Security’ and ‘Seasons for Growth Children and Young People's Program’.

Rachel has worked in a range of private, public and non-government organisational settings across New Zealand, United Kingdom and Australia. For the past 17 years Rachel has worked with, and supported, children, adolescents and their parents/carers who are in situations of family conflict, separation and divorce. This included nine years employed as a Family Consultant within the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia where she acquired comprehensive experience in the preparation of child focused family reports incorporating a social science, evidence based perspective to achieve good outcomes for children.

In addition to work within the Australian Family Law Courts, Rachel’s extensive professional experiences includes working in the fields of child protection, residential and out of home care, and disabilities. She has a keen interest in stepfamilies and in working with and supporting parents, stepparents and co-parents who are adjusting to shared care arrangements. She has published two picture books to assist children’s emotional adjustment as they navigate a new family structure, ‘Max’s Divorce Earthquake’ and ‘Harriet’s Expanding Heart’.

Rachel currently undertakes single expert work for Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. She also consults privately to children and families facing transition, loss, growth and change.