Helen Nistico

Healing Minds: How Our Past Shapes Us and How Therapy Can Help

Helen Nistico, Clinical Psychologist and pioneer bringing Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) to Australia.
Our brains are built for connection — but what happens when trauma, uncertainty, and unrealistic expectations get in the way?

Helen Nistico is a seasoned clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience in both public psychiatry and private practice. Helen specializes in complex mental health issues and personality disorders and was instrumental in establishing the HYPE clinic at Orygen Youth Health, as well as bringing Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) to Australia. She has particular expertise in treating adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder and a deep interest in complex trauma.

In this episode, we explore:

• The neuroscience of social and emotional engagement

• Insights on Borderline Personality Disorder + Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)

• How uncertainty, family stories, and generational trauma can shape us

• Why relationships are central to making sense of the world

• The lifelong journey of building healthier ways of being

This isn’t just theory — it’s about real tools, real stories, and finding answers together.

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