Dr De Silva is a locally trained psychiatrist, with over 10 years of practice in psychiatry, both in New Zealand and Australia with experience in peri natal psychiatry, early psychosis, trans-cultural issues and migrant mental health, personality disorders and old age psychiatry.

Special interests
• CBT / DBT / Supportive psychotherapy / ACT / family therapy approach for most of the psychiatric disorders with or without pharmacological interventions
• Depression / Anxiety /Psychosis / BPAD
• Offering support (psychological and pharmacological) for drug related issues

Dr De Silva wishes to develop a broad psychiatric practice at Mitcham Private Hospital, and will consult regularly onsite from March 2013, supporting both outpatient and inpatient psychiatric services. She welcomes all new referrals for patients who require a management plan and is keen to work with general practitioners to provide further reviews as needed and to provide expertise in bulk-billed 291 and 293 assessments.

As an accredited psychiatrist at Mitcham Private Hospital’s private adult inpatient psychiatric unit Victoria Court, Dr De Silva will also accept inpatient and day program referrals for patients requiring care for:

• Mood and Anxiety Disorders
• Spectrum Disorders
• Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar Disorders
• Stress
• Grief

Dr Ganesan Duraiswamy is a psychiatrist with over 10 years of professional experience. Ganesan holds a public appointment with Eastern Health where he is one of the senior psychiatrists.

He is keen on research and has published the most cited research on Yoga and Schizophrenia. He has also presented in many international conferences. He is also passionate about teaching. He is presently Adj. Senior Lecturer at Monash University, and teaches medical students from Monash and Deakin Universities.

Ganesan is interested in providing formal education sessions to GPs and also available for discussions about management of challenging clinical scenarios. He is multilingual and is proficient in English, Kannada and Tamil. He can take on TAC and work cover patients.

Dr Duraiswamy also provides 291 assessments for GPs to implement their patient management plan. In addition to general adult psychiatry his areas of interest are:

• OCD and anxiety disorders
• Postpartum and Perinatal Issues
• Chronic Mood disorders
• Early Psychosis
• Psychotherapy
• Personality disorders
• Grief

Ganesan also treats patients in Victoria Court, a purpose built 21 bed Adult Mental Health Unit at Mitcham Private Hospital, which is designed to facilitate mental health recovery.

Dr Naomi Elliot  is a psychiatrist -who consults regularly onsite at Mitcham Private Hospital, supporting both out-patient and in-patient psychiatric services.

Naomi welcomes all new referrals for patients who require a management plan and is keen to work with general practitioners to provide further reviews as needed.

Special Interests:

• Interpersonal therapy for depressive disorders
• Cognitive Behavioural therapy for a range of depressive and anxiety disorders.

Mitcham Private Hospital would like to introduce Dr Lochanie Fonseka, psychiatrist. Lochanie has 10 years of psychiatric experience in both Australia and New Zealand. She obtained her fellowship in general adult psychiatry from RANZCP.

She has also completed her advanced training in old age psychiatry. Lochanie holds a position at Peninsula Health as a general adult psychiatrist. She also works as an adjunct senior lecturer at Monash University.

Lochanie consults onsite at Mitcham Private Hospital’s consulting suites and also treats patients in Victoria Court (Mitcham Private Hospital) a contemporary 21 bed inpatient unit purpose designed to facilitate mental health recovery and our 6 bed perinatal mental health unit that provides home-like, comfortable surroundings.

Dr Ruvanya Illesinghe is a locally-trained psychiatrist, having undertaken her undergraduate degree at the University of Melbourne and her post-graduate training at Austin Health.

Ruvanya has worked in a range of settings over the past nine years, including public and private adult units, regional psychiatric services, Continuing Care teams and perinatal services, she has experience in managing a wide range of clinical presentations. These include perinatal psychiatry, mood and anxiety disorders, PTSD, psychotic disorders and bipolar disorder.

Ruvanya will also accept inpatient referrals for both the perinatal mental health unit and the adult inpatient unit at Victoria Court.

Dr Jessica Kuc is a psychiatrist who has obtained RANZCP Fellowship with Advanced Training focusing on the area of perinatal psychiatry. 

Jessica  completed her medical degree at Monash University in 2010, and a Masters of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne in 2014. In 2015, Jessica was awarded the RANZCP Block Family Memorial Grant to complete additional training in the parent-infant relationship with the ‘Circle of Security’ program. In 2016 Jessica also trained in ‘Watch, Wait and Wonder’ parent-infant dyadic therapy and presented on this topic to the Marce Society for Perinatal Mental Health Australasian Conference in 2017.

Jessica is passionate about providing high quality, caring specialist mental health care to patients at every stage of their journey into parenthood and throughout the preschool years. She particularly enjoys working collaboratively with obstetricians, GPs, psychologists and Maternal & Child Health Nurses. 

“The perinatal period is such a special and vulnerable time in a new parent’s life, whether you are a first time parent or welcoming another child to your family. It is a privilege and a joy to come alongside families in my specialist role to support them to manage mental health challenges throughout this time. As a mum of two young children myself I am particularly familiar with the challenges and pressures facing new parents and parents of young children". 

After undertaking a comprehensive initial assessment I always work with my patients to develop a plan for their care together that takes into account their own unique situation and preferences.

Some of my particular areas of interest are: 

Anxiety and depression in the antenatal or postnatal period, birth trauma, supporting parents of unsettled babies, second-time mothers (or more!) who have struggled with mental health difficulties with previous pregnancies, establishing healthy parent-child relationships, and supporting new mothers with a past history of childhood trauma.

After undertaking a comprehensive initial assessment I always work with my patients to develop a plan for their care that takes into account their own unique situation and preferences. I work with mothers in all stages of pregnancy and early parenthood, including preconception counselling and throughout the preschool years.”

Mitcham Private Hospital would like to introduce Dr Eranthanie (Hiranthi) Perera. Hiranthi is a local (Victorian) trained psychiatrist having completed training at Box Hill Hospital and The Alfred currently working across both public and private mental health services.

Hiranthi wishes to develop a broad psychiatric practice at Mitcham Private Hospital, and will consult onsite, supporting both outpatient and inpatient psychiatric services. She welcomes all new referrals for patients who require a management plan and is keen to work with general practitioners to provide further reviews as needed and to provide expertise in bulk billed 291 and 293 assessments.

Dr Perera has a special interest in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (having advance training by The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrist) for Depression, Anxiety, OCD Spectrum Disorders and PTSD and will be happy to see patients at a reduced fee for psychotherapy sessions.

As an accredited psychiatrist at Mitcham Private Hospital’s private adult inpatient psychiatric unit Victoria Court, Hiranthi will also accept inpatient and day program referrals for patients requiring care for:

• Mood and Anxiety Disorders

• Spectrum Disorders

• Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

• Schizophrenia

• Bipolar Disorders

• Stress

• Grief

Dr Anupam Pokharel, psychiatrist - General Adult Psychiatry (from 18 years to old age). Anupam consults regularly onsite at Mitcham Private Hospital, supporting both outpatient and inpatient psychiatric services.

Anupam welcomes all new referrals for patients who require a management plan and is keen to work with general practitioners to provide further reviews as needed.

As an accredited psychiatrist at Mitcham Private Hospital’s private adult inpatient psychiatric unit, Victoria Court, Anupam will accept referrals for patients requiring inpatient care for:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Post Natal Conditions
• Stress

Arun graduated from the Imperial College School of Medicine, London. He has wide experience practising psychiatry across Australasia. He is an Honorary Fellow with the University of Melbourne and a member of the Victorian Faculty of Psychotherapy.

Arun has an enduring faith in psychotherapy and its ability to foster self awareness and a sense of personal agency. He has a particular interest in the pharmacological management of mood, anxiety and posttraumatic disorders. Arun collaborates with patients and general practitioners in outpatient treatment plans.

He treats patients in Victoria Court, a contemporary 21 inpatient unit purpose designed to facilitate mental health recovery. He also admits to the Perinatal Psychiatry Unit and has significant expertise and interest in the treatment of postnatal depression and anxiety.