Get to Know Our Clinical Psychologist
Dr Bruce Walmsley
Clinical Psychologist | Founder of Upside Stories
I have over 15 years of experience in clinical practice, research, and academic teaching.
From volunteering on LGBTQIA+ helplines, to counselling young people and families, before dementia consulting, older persons mental health, and positive ageing — completing my clinical training and PhD — I learned how much more was possible at every stage of life.
My personal experiences — as a gay man, carer son, life explorer, and now a dad — bring sensitivity and insight to my practice, helping clients feel genuinely heard and understood.
Growth is about finding meaning in life’s heartbreaks, revealing unexpected upsides and opportunities for growth—strengthening relationships, shifting perspectives, and revealing inner strengths. It’s about staying adaptive and rewriting your story after loss.
— Bruce
My Story
I started my career in clinical psychology after navigating some major twists and turns in life: coming out as gay, supporting my mum through dementia, shifting careers, and becoming a midlife dad to an incredible daughter.
Along the way, I saw how outdated ideas about ageing hold people back, and I wanted to change that narrative – after all, midlife can be a vibrant period of growth and opportunity, no longer seen as just a crisis.
That’s why I founded Upside Stories — an online psychology practice that stands for optimism, warmth, and authenticity, backed by research, with therapy that’s down-to-earth.
As a gay man and a solo dad, inclusivity is personal to me. We know older LGBTQIA+ people often face higher rates of depression or anxiety, so I’ve built a practice that celebrates diverse identities and ensures everyone feels seen and supported. Wellbeing isn’t just about healing the past – it’s about crafting your next chapter at any age, and I’m here to help you do that.
My work has taken me across university settings, dementia care services, and mental health programs, including:
Victoria University, Melbourne
NSW Health’s older people’s mental health services
Dementia Support Australia
HammondCare’s Dementia Centre and Centre for Positive Ageing
CatholicCare’s Family Counselling Service
NSW LGBTQIA+ Counselling Service
Qualifications
6 years full-time university training in psychology, including a Master of Clinical Psychology.
2 years full-time clinical endorsement at NSW Health’s older people’s mental health services.
3 years full-time PhD exploring traumatic loss and growth in families living with dementia and the healthcare professionals who support alongside.
Endorsements
Registered Clinical Psychologist, AHPRA PsyBA: PSY0001523710
Endorsed Supervisor, AHPRA PsyBA
Member, Australian Psychological Society and College of Clinical Psychologists
Provisional Member, Australian New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association
Medicare Provider
Selected Publications
Walmsley, B. D., Poulos, C. J., & Poulos, R. G. (2022). Arts on prescription for older people: The professional-artist’s facilitation of psychological-wellbeing. Journal of Ageing & Social Change. 12(1). 103-118. https://doi.org./10.18848/2576-5310/cgp/v12i01/103-118
Walmsley, B. D., & McCormack, L. (2018). Dementia: Aloneness, social and relational engagement, and psychological growth in families. OBM Geriatrics, 2(4), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.geriatr.1804013
McCormack, L., Tillock, K., & Walmsley, B. D. (2017). Holding on while letting go: Trauma and growth on the pathway of dementia care in families. Ageing & Mental Health, 21(6), 658–667. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1146872
Walmsley, B. D. & McCormack, L. (2016). Synthesis of meaning: Negative and positive change in family members following the adversity of dementia. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 56(2), 122–143. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167814557547
