Shalika Ranaweera

“I love helping people become better versions of themselves. That gives me such satisfaction and contentment.”

From her North Melbourne clinic, Shalika Ranaweera provides a broad range of psychological services, including general therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and clinical hypnosis.

Shalika’s father is a specialist psychiatrist, and when it came time to choose what to study, she knew that the field of human behaviour was where she wanted to focus her career.

“I decided not to do medicine and psychiatry because it's quite pharmaceutical orientated,” Shalika says. “With behavioural and cognitive psychology, I’m working with changing thought patterns and dysfunctional behaviour and giving my clients life skills.”

Shalika’s therapy offers people awareness, insights and the ability to improve themselves from within.

“I really want to make the change long term for people. They'll always have a space to come and see me. But I ultimately like them to go away and do this for themselves. My mission is to build their skills and to take them out into the world.”

For over twenty-seven years, Shalika built her business in six locations across Melbourne. In 2015, she chose to downsize and focus on her North Melbourne clinic.

“I live and work in North Melbourne because it has the combination of industrial and residential areas, and I like the harmony of that. Also, I really love the wide streets and this quiet pocket of inner city Melbourne.

“The people here are considerate and creative, and I thought it would be wonderful to concentrate my work in this area and help this community.”

Many of Shalika’s clients have returned during their different life stages over the last two decades. She also welcomes anyone new to her clinic that needs support.

“I feel passionate about my work - it's a vocation rather than a job. I love helping people and seeing them grow, and to offer them skills. It’s rewarding to see people change from within and to help them become their authentic selves.”

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna Encio