Q&A with Jahne Coutts-Smith, Psychologist

Interview completed and written by Ashleigh Cohen, UNSW psychology undergraduate on a 3-month internship at Inlight Psychology.

Jahne Coutts-Smith is a psychologist at Inlight Psychology, Bondi Junction. Jahne is deeply compassionate and attuned to her clients needs. She believes in the importance of creating a safe, non-judgmental space for her clients, where they can experience true acceptance and safety to explore their thoughts and feelings.

Jahne utilises Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Family Systems, Relational and Attachment-Based approaches in her work with her clients.

Ashleigh (Interviewer): As part of my internship here at Inlight Psychology, I sat down with Jahne, a psychologist with a deep passion for helping others, to chat about her journey, what she loves about her work, and what she wishes people knew about mental health and psychology. Our conversation was honest, insightful, and provoked a lot of self-reflection. I hope you get as much from it as I did.

Ash: What got you into psychology?

Jahne (Psychologist): I’ve always been fascinated by people and why we do the things we do, what motivates behaviour, and how we navigate challenges. Ever since I was a kid, I found that people, even strangers, would naturally open up to me. I think I’ve always been good at just holding space, sitting with someone and really listening in a way that feels safe and non-judgmental for them. I often say I was kind of like an “accidental counsellor” growing up because it’s been a pattern throughout my life.

Ash: That’s really interesting! That must have been a sign from early on that you were meant for this work.

Jahne: Yeah, I think so. I didn’t necessarily set out to become a psychologist at first, but over time I began to realise that it wasn’t just a coincidence that people were opening up to me. I’ve always had a natural pull toward wanting to help, especially when people are struggling and just needing a space to talk without judgment, so it just felt right to lean into psychology and develop my skills as a therapist.

Ash: That’s such a rare and important skill, being able to just listen without judgment.

Jahne: Exactly. A lot of people underestimate how powerful it is to have someone really listen to them. Just creating a space where someone feels safe enough to be vulnerable can allow people to come up with their own answers or make their own realisations about themselves and their lives. That’s what I love about this work, being able to help people untangle their thoughts, understand themselves better, and ultimately find ways to move forward.

Q: What do you love most about your work?

Jahne: The people, 100%. I get to meet so many incredible individuals and I love helping them be kinder to themselves.

Ash: That’s such an important one! We’re so hard on ourselves.

Jahne: Oh, so hard. I think most people don’t realise how critical they are toward themselves on a daily basis and what’s even more interesting is that people often don’t see the link between their self-talk and how they feel. For example, if someone is constantly telling themselves, “I’m a failure”, or “I’m not good enough”, that thought doesn’t just stay in their head, but also impacts their emotions, their behaviours, and their relationships. It becomes this cycle where the way they think about themselves shapes their reality, which then only reinforces those beliefs and ideas further.

Ash: That makes complete sense. I recently heard an interesting podcast featuring a neuroscientist who discussed “automatic negative thoughts” and explained how these thoughts could impact our brains to the point where they become visible on brain scans.

Jahne: Yes! That aligns with what we know about neuroplasticity. The more you have a certain thought, the more you reinforce that neural pathway. It’s like a well-trodden path in your brain—the more you use it, the stronger it gets and the more automatically you default to it. Human beings are also very prone to confirmation bias – which is when we are more likely to see and register evidence that already confirms our pre-existing beliefs, and we tend to disregard opposing evidence as “exceptions”.

That’s why learning to shift thought patterns is so powerful. It’s not about just “thinking positive” or pretending everything is fine, but about creating new, healthier pathways that serve you better and maybe seeing things in a bit more of a balanced way.

Ash: And when people start changing their self-talk, do they see shifts in other areas of their lives, too?

Jahne: Absolutely. Once someone starts treating themselves with more kindness, it affects everything: their relationships, their work, and how they handle challenges. It’s like a domino effect. They might find they’re able to set better boundaries, communicate more openly, or handle stress in a healthier way. That’s one of the most rewarding parts of this work—seeing those changes ripple out into all areas of a person’s life.

Q: What’s something surprising about being a psychologist?

Jahne: Honestly? The admin! There’s so much paperwork.

Ash: I feel like no one talks about that! People just picture you sitting in a cozy office, having deep conversations all day.

Jahne: I wish! The reality is that every session has preparation beforehand and notes afterwards. There’s also a lot of time spent doing assessments, reports, and keeping up with professional development.

And I think a lot of people don’t realise that when they see a psychologist for an hour, that’s not the only time we’re working on their case. There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes to ensure clients get the best support.

Q: What’s a mental health myth you wish people would stop believing?

Jahne: That struggling is abnormal.

Ash: Yes! People think they should be able to handle everything alone.

Jahne: Yes, but everyone struggles. Everyone has hard moments, and needing support isn’t a weakness, it’s human. If you break your leg, you don’t just “push through” without treatment. The same should apply to mental health.

Ash: I love that analogy. You wouldn’t ignore a broken bone, so why ignore your mental health?

Jahne: Exactly. You don’t have to suffer in silence. And in fact, getting help early before things become unbearable can make all the difference.

Q: You’ve worked in crisis support—what insights did that give you?

Jahne: One of the biggest things I learned is the power of simply being there for someone. I saw firsthand how much strength people can find in the most difficult circumstances, but also how valuable it is to have even one person who listens and cares. That’s the foundation of therapy too - providing a supportive relationship that helps hold someone through their struggles. When someone feels truly heard, when they feel like their pain is acknowledged and validated, it can make an enormous difference. You don’t have to have the perfect words or the right answer. You just have to be present.

Ash: That really resonates. It sounds like providing a supportive relationship is what makes all the difference, just being there with someone in their struggle. That makes me wonder, how do you actually create that kind of space for someone? How do you help them feel safe enough to be vulnerable?

Jahne: Non-judgment is key. If someone is opening up, the best thing you can do is really listen, without immediately jumping in with advice or trying to make it “better”. We often have this instinct to say things like, “have you tried this?” or “I think this could be helpful”, but sometimes people just need space to express how they’re feeling. Also trying to reframe things too quickly can feel really invalidating. Instead, approach them with empathy, curiosity, and a genuine openness to hear their experience, even if it’s different from your own. When someone feels truly seen and accepted, that’s when real connection and healing happen.

Q: What would you say to someone who’s never had therapy before but is thinking about trying it?

Jahne: Do it.

Ash: No hesitation at all!

Jahne: None! Therapy isn’t just for when things are falling apart. It’s a space to better understand yourself, work through challenges, and develop tools to navigate life more effectively.

And I get why it can feel intimidating, especially if you’ve never done it before or if you’ve had a negative experience in the past, but therapy should feel safe. It’s your space, and you never have to share more than what you’re ready for.

Ash: That’s such an important point. People think they have to spill their deepest, darkest secrets in the first session.

Jahne: Not at all! I always tell clients, “You don’t have to share anything you’re not ready to share.”. If something feels too big or overwhelming, that’s okay. Therapy is a process, and we take it at your pace.

Q: What do you hope your clients take away from therapy?

Jahne: If I had to sum it up, I’d say a deeper understanding of themselves, the skills to navigate life’s challenges, and maybe most importantly, greater compassion for themselves. Most people are so much harder on themselves than they even realise, carrying around self-judgment and pressure that weighs them down. One of my biggest hopes is that therapy helps people be a little kinder to themselves because when that happens, everything else starts to shift. Relationships improve, decisions feel clearer, and life just becomes a little easier to navigate. Therapy isn’t about “fixing” someone; it’s about giving them the tools to move through life in a way that feels more fulfilling and less painful.

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INLIGHT PSYCHOLOGY | BONDI JUNCTION

Jahne is offering therapy at Inlight Psychology, located in the heart of Bondi Junction. She sees clients from all over Sydney, the eastern suburbs and surrounds, and more remotely via telehealth.

Jahne strongly values her relationship with her clients, and sees clients with a variety of presentations, including anxiety and mood difficulties, difficulties with intimacy and vulnerability, relationship and family difficulties, body image and confidence issues, emotion regulation difficulties, health and wellbeing, work and academic difficulties, etc. View Jahne's profile for a full list of her presentations: https://www.inlightpsychology.com.au/jahne

All our psychologists have tertiary qualifications in Clinical Psychology, as a minimum.

Inlight Psychology offers therapy in-person or via telehealth/video call.

If you would like to learn more about the team at Inlight Psychology, click here.

If you would like to book an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact Inlight Psychology on (02) 8320 0566 or contact@inlightpsychology.com.au.