Get to Know Our Clinical Psychologist
Dr Bruce Walmsley
Clinical Psychologist, PhD, MClinPsych, MAPS, FCCLP
Based in Melbourne, Australia, I founded Upside Stories to bring together my 16 years of clinical practice, research, and postgraduate teaching into a practice built around meaning, for individuals approaching midlife and older age. Through Upside Stories, I work with clients Australia-wide via telehealth to help them navigate change, strengthen their mental and emotional health, and explore what living well looks like to them.
My approach is grounded in the idea that psychological support for midlife and older age doesn’t have to be reactive or reserved for times of crisis. Alongside evidence-based treatments when challenges arise, I emphasise preventative, practical, and life-enhancing work grounded in psychological science, supporting people to stay psychologically strong, connected, and purposeful as they approach midlife and beyond.
From early volunteering on LGBTQIA+ helplines to counselling young people and their families, and later working in dementia consulting, older persons mental health, and centres for positive ageing — while completing my clinical endorsement and PhD — I learned how much more was possible as we age.
My personal experiences — from coming out, supporting my mum through dementia, navigating career transitions, and becoming a midlife dad — bring depth and sensitivity to my practice. They’re a big part of why I do this work, and they keep me curious about what it's like for you.
In my research, I’ve found that growth is about finding meaning in life’s challenges and changes, 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 came to clinical psychology after walking alongside my parents’ challenges in later life; and navigating some major turning points of my own. Along the way, I saw how outdated ideas about ageing and limiting life stories can hold people back. I wanted to change that narrative, after all, approaching midlife and beyond can be a vibrant chapter of growth and opportunity, no longer seen as 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.
Inclusivity is personal to me. Ageing LGBTQIA+ people still face higher rates of depression and anxiety, and yet show surprising strength and adaptability, which is why I’ve built a practice that celebrates diverse identities.
Wellbeing isn’t just about healing the past, it’s about shaping your next chapter at any age, and I’m here to help you do that.
My work has taken me across universities, dementia care services, positive ageing centres, and mental health programs, including:
Victoria University, Melbourne
University of New South Wales, Sydney
University of Newcastle, NSW
NSW Health Older People’s Mental Health Service
Dementia Support Australia
HammondCare Dementia Centre and Centre for Positive Ageing
CatholicCare 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 Older People’s Mental Health Service.
3 years full-time PhD (Psychology Science) 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
Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists FCCLP
Member of the Australian Psychological Society MAPS
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists MAAPi
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
For a full list of publications and citation metrics, view Bruce's Google Scholar Profile and ORCID Profile.
