About
Dr Deberea Sherlock – Who am I?
I am an Educational and Developmental Psychologist specialising in children’s learning and development and offer specialised therapy support for children aged 5 – 13 years.
I completed my undergraduate studies in Psychology at the University of New England and graduated with a Bachelor of Psychology, First Class Honours in 2001. Post-graduate studies followed at The University of Queensland with attainment of my Doctorate in Psychology in 2007.
At Developmental Support for Children, you will receive exceptional care, guidance and support in empowering your child to thrive. Your child will be welcomed into a warm and friendly space where evidence-based, goal-directed therapy is provided in a developmentally appropriate and engaging way.
I bring to my practice over 20 years of dedicated clinical experience working with children, their families and schools in a variety of settings.
Children’s learning, and social and emotional strengths and challenges, remain the focus of my clinical work. I have a special interest in impulse and attention control (ADHD), behavioural and emotional regulation, and childhood anxiety.
How do I practise?
I adopt a strong family-centred and neuro-affirming framework that draws from a range of evidence-based clinical approaches including the following:
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Narrative Therapy
Expressive Therapy
Metacognitive Therapy (pre-teens with attentional challenges)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Accredited training in Positive Parenting Program ® and Circle of Security ™ (COS) Program
Goals for support are developed in collaboration with parents and child in working towards desired outcomes in identified areas of challenge. When considered appropriate, I support the partnership between home and school through the connection of a shared language of support for the child.
I prefer to work with a child accompanied by their parent, as each session involves a parent psychoeducation component. At the close of therapy, a school teleconference may be organised with the child’s class teacher or educational team for the purpose of sharing understandings, resources, strategies and supports for the child.
What I can offer you and your child
Creative learning, evidence-based practice, and commitment to excellence in professional practice
I bring to my work extensive specialised experience in children’s social and emotional development, a love of working with children, their families and schools, thoughtful and reflective practice, and a creative approach to both content and delivery of therapy.
The value I place on creative learning is expressed in co-authorship of educational resources, and a series of children’s clinical books called The Ant Patrol Children’s Stories ® that both educate and delight. The Ant Patrol® resources for homes and schools teach children how to manage a range of everyday childhood challenges - whether to be less ‘bouncy’, more attentive, a caring and considerate friend, braver or calmer. You may investigate further at www.masterinstitute.com.au
My clinical experience is research informed and powered by continuous learning in my areas of practice. Working with children facing attentional challenges has not only been a significant area of my clinical practice but has led to a research collaboration with The University of Queensland.
I hold full registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). I am a Fellow of The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologists Association (FAEDPA) and a member of the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi).
Publications
Mulvihill, A., Matthews, N., Chidley, K., Macmahon, S., Armitage, K.L., Sherlock, D., Dux., P.E., & Carroll, A. (2025). The Meta-attention Knowledge Questionnaire (MAKQ, Sherlock, D., 2016): A New Instrument for Investigating Meta-attention in a Young Adolescent Sample. Journal of Metacognition and Learning. Accepted for publication 2 July 2025.
Sherlock & Mulvihill (2021) - The MASTER™ Focus Program: A Theoretically Informed Meta-Attention Intervention for Early Adolescence. In Carroll, A., Cunnington, R., & Nugent, A. Learning Under the Lens: Applying Findings from the Science of Learning to the Classroom. London, UK: Taylor and Francis Ltd. ISBN: 9780367136635).
