Our Team

Sophie O’Dwyer

Health & Clinical Psychologist, Director & Co-Founder

Sophie supports people living with persistent pain, chronic health conditions, trauma and burnout to better understand their bodies and nervous system, and rebuild lives that feel meaningful and manageable. Her approach is compassionate, collaborative and evidence-based. She brings experience from 2.5 years working with multidisciplinary teams for persistent pain and enjoys working with individuals, groups and supporting psychologists through supervision.

  • Sophie is a Clinical & Health Psychologist with a particular interest in chronic pain, chronic illness, trauma and burnout. She understands that pain and other symptoms are influenced by many interconnected factors, including the nervous system, stress, emotions, relationships, life experiences and physical health. For this reason, she believes treatment should be tailored to the individual rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.

    Her approach is compassionate, collaborative and grounded in evidence. She aims to create a space where people feel heard, understood and empowered to make sense of what they are experiencing. Rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction, Sophie helps people develop confidence, flexibility and the skills needed to live a meaningful life alongside recovery.

    Sophie draws upon contemporary pain science and evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)-informed approaches.

    She enjoys working collaboratively and takes an active role within her clients’ treating teams, valuing clear communication and a multidisciplinary approach throughout the rehabilitation journey. Drawing upon six years of experience as a psychologist and over two years working within a multidisciplinary pain management team, Sophie has developed a deep appreciation for the value of integrated care. She enjoys facilitating both individual therapy and group programs and believes that some of the most meaningful shifts occur through shared learning, connection and collaboration.

    Qualifications:

    • BPsych (Hons)

    • MPsych (Health)

Lachlan Townend

Physiotherapist, Director & Co-Founder

Lachlan Townend is an accredited Physiotherapist and co-founder of Paced Health, with over eight years of experience and a special interest in chronic pain. Driven by a single purpose — a world with less pain — he combines holistic, person-centred care with the latest pain science to help people understand their pain and rebuild strength and confidence in their bodies.

  • Lachlan Townend is driven by a single purpose: a world with less pain. It's the thread that runs through everything he does - from his clinical work to co-founding Paced Health and Pain Coach.

    Lachlan is an accredited Physiotherapist with over eight years of experience helping people living with musculoskeletal pain and injury. He has a particular interest in chronic pain. He recently completed postgraduate studies in Pain Sciences at the University of South Australia under world-leading pain researcher Professor Lorimer Moseley. This training deepened his understanding of the latest science-backed approaches to treating complex, persistent pain.

    Lachlan's approach is holistic and person-centred. Rather than focusing only on the site of pain, he looks more broadly at the body's various systems and how they may be contributing to it. He believes effective pain treatment is never one-size-fits-all; it should be as individual as the person experiencing it.

    He supports people through a clear three-step process:

    1. Understand your pain

    2. Reduce your pain triggers

    3. Rebuild strength and confidence in your body

    Together with pain psychologist Sophie O'Dwyer, Lachlan founded Paced to make coordinated, multidisciplinary pain care accessible from the comfort of home.

    For Lachlan, a Physiotherapist is much like a coach - there to educate, strategise, plan, inspire and encourage. 

    Qualifications:

    • Master of Physiotherapy

    • Professional Certificate of Pain Sciences

    • Bachelor of Exercise Science

Rhianna Lovegrove

Registered Psychologist (Clinical Psychology Registrar)

Rhianna works with people navigating persistent pain, chronic illness, stress and trauma. She understands that symptoms do not exist in isolation - they can shape identity, relationships, confidence, hope and the way a person moves through life. Her approach is attuned, committed and evidence-informed, helping people make sense of what they are experiencing, rebuild self-trust and reconnect with a life that feels meaningful, sustainable and fulfilling.

  • Rhianna is an AHPRA-registered Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar based on the Gold Coast, with experience across both public and private healthcare settings. She works with people across the lifespan and has interests in persistent pain, chronic illness, dysautonomia/POTS, stress, trauma, anxiety, self-esteem, ADHD/neurodivergence, sport and performance, and the relationship between mind, body and lived experience.

    Rhianna understands that pain and chronic symptoms rarely affect only one part of a person’s life. They can influence identity, relationships, confidence, work, independence, mood and hope. She is particularly interested in helping people make sense of what is happening in their body and nervous system, while also making room for the emotional and practical realities of living with persistent symptoms.

    Her approach is attentive, authentic and informed by up-to-date evidence-based literature. She aims to offer a space where people feel heard, understood, respected and supported to explore their experiences without judgement. Rhianna works collaboratively with clients to facilitate growth, build self-trust, reduce fear around symptoms and subsequent avoidance, strengthen coping skills, support pacing and activity engagement, and reconnect with the parts of life that feel meaningful, manageable and their own.

    Rhianna takes an integrative and highly individualised approach, recognising that therapy is not one-size-fits-all. She draws flexibly on components of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Schema Therapy, trauma-informed therapies, mindfulness and compassion-based approaches, polyvagal-informed mapping, somatic and mind-body strategies, and practical nervous system regulation skills. She also values clear psychoeducation, including pain neuroscience education, to help people understand the relationship between pain, threat, stress, the nervous system and daily functioning in a way that makes sense and feels usable.

    She values an individualised approach and believes therapy should feel both scientifically grounded and deeply human.

    Qualifications:

    • BPsySc(Hons)

    • MPsych(Clinical)

Suzie Rigby

Registered Psychologist

Suzie supports people navigating workplace mental health challenges, career wellbeing, persistent pain, chronic illness and adjustment to injury. With over 20 years’ experience across workplace wellbeing, vocational rehabilitation and injury management, she helps clients build confidence, resilience and clarity around meaningful, sustainable work. Her approach is practical, compassionate and grounded in a biopsychosocial understanding of health and wellbeing.

  • Suzie works with people navigating workplace mental health challenges, career wellbeing, persistent pain, adjustment to injury, chronic illness, anxiety, depression, loss and challenges that can impact work performance. With over 20 years’ experience as a psychologist, she brings extensive experience across workplace culture, leadership, health and wellness, psychosocial risk assessment, injury prevention and management and vocational rehabilitation. Using a biopsychosocial approach, she is focused on helping people better understand the factors affecting their wellbeing, while supporting them to build greater confidence, resilience and capacity in their working lives.

    Suzie has a particular interest in career wellbeing and enjoys working with clients to explore their unique skills, talents, strengths and aspirations. She supports people at different stages of their careers to identify pathways that feel meaningful and aligned with who they are, including those considering career change, returning to work or seeking greater balance and fulfilment in their working life integration.

    Suzie offers clients access to the comprehensive Career Avenues online profiling program, which provides a detailed Careers Profile Report, a one-hour career counselling session and ongoing access to a web-based portal with resources to support the development of a personalised Career Action Plan.

    Suzie draws upon components of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, mindfulness and compassion-based approaches in her work with clients and is deeply committed to a multidisciplinary approach to client care. She takes time to understand each person’s circumstances and the stressors they are experiencing, helping clients develop greater awareness through psychoeducation and adopting practical strategies for a clearer path towards improved mental health and career wellbeing.

    Suzie believes that work is an important part of a meaningful life, and that career wellbeing is about finding an approach to work that is sustainable, fulfilling and consistent with what matters most to each individual.

    Qualifications / Affiliations:

    • BSc (Hons) Psychology, University of Surrey, UK

    • Registered Psychologist, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

    • Associate Member, Australian Psychological Society (APS)

Chih-Ying (Donna) Lin

Registered Psychologist (Clinical Psychology Registrar)

Donna supports people living with persistent pain, chronic illness and psychological difficulties including anxiety, depression, trauma and stress. Drawing on experience within multidisciplinary pain management teams across hospital and private practice settings, Donna works with both individuals and groups and takes a warm, person-centred and collaborative approach. She believes clients are the experts in their own experiences and works alongside them to understand their story, develop practical strategies and set goals that feel realistic and meaningful, supporting them towards a life that feels manageable and fulfilling.

  • Donna is a Sydney-based Registered Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar who works with people across the lifespan and from diverse cultural backgrounds. She has a particular interest in persistent pain and chronic illness, as well as anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, adjustment difficulties and relationship concerns. Her experience spans multidisciplinary pain management across hospital and private practice settings, where she has supported people through both inpatient and outpatient care and contributed to the development and facilitation of chronic pain group programs.

    Donna recognises that persistent pain and ongoing health challenges can extend well beyond physical symptoms, affecting mood, relationships, sleep, work, daily activities, confidence and quality of life. She takes a holistic approach to understanding these experiences, considering the ways physical, psychological, emotional, behavioural and social factors can interact. Through her work in multidisciplinary settings, she also values collaborative care and the importance of supporting the whole person.

    Donna believes that clients are the experts in their own experiences. She aims to create a safe, genuine and non-judgemental space where people feel heard and understood, particularly when their pain or emotional difficulties may not be visible to others. She works collaboratively with clients to understand what matters to them and develop strategies that fit their individual needs, circumstances and goals.

    Donna draws on evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy and mindfulness-based approaches. These approaches may be used to support emotional regulation, manage stress, understand patterns of thoughts and behaviours, reduce avoidance, pace activities and reconnect with valued areas of life. She aims to help people develop a more compassionate and flexible understanding of themselves and their experiences, while finding practical ways to move forward in line with their values.

    Having grown up between Taiwan and Australia, Donna brings cultural awareness and sensitivity to her work. She recognises that culture, family values, expectations and life experiences can shape how people understand wellbeing and approach psychological support. She welcomes clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and is comfortable working with Mandarin- and Taiwanese-speaking clients.

    Qualifications:

    • Master of Clinical Psychology

    • Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced

    • Bachelor of Science in Psychology