About

Dr Karina Rune

Karina is the founder and principal therapist at NPST. She is a Clinical Psychologist with over 15 years of experience working across private practice, hospital, cancer care, research, and university settings. She works predominantly with adolescents and adults experiencing trauma, relationship difficulties, emotional distress, chronic health concerns, identity-related difficulties, psychosis, and major life transitions.

At the core of Karina’s approach to therapy is the belief that each individual has the capacity for growth, healing, and self-discovery. She places strong importance on the therapeutic relationship and aims to create a space that feels safe, collaborative, grounded, and genuinely human. Karina works collaboratively with individuals to deepen self-understanding, explore patterns that may be keeping them feeling stuck, and support movement towards a life that feels more meaningful and connected.

Karina draws evidence from approaches that support emotional awareness, self-understanding, relational growth, and meaningful long-term change. has undertaken advanced training in Schema Therapy and

Karina’s work integrates Schema Therapy with approaches including:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Mindfulness-based approaches
  • Somatic and body-informed approaches
  • Sleep-focused interventions

Outside of work, Karina enjoys spending time with her children and dogs, travelling, and being near the ocean.

Professional Memberships and Registrations

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Registered Clinical Psychologist (PSY0002271542)

Alongside private practice, Karina works part-time as a lecturer and researcher in psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She has also worked across hospital, cancer care, and healthy ageing settings supporting individuals experiencing both acute and long-term mental and physical health challenges. Her clinical and academic background contributes to a strong evidence-based foundation while maintaining a warm, thoughtful, and collaborative therapeutic style.

Member, Australian Psychological Society (MAPS)Member, APS College of Clinical Psychologists (CCP)Affiliate Member,

APS College of Health Psychologists (CHP)

Member, International Society of Schema Therapy (ISST)

Member, Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG)

Member, Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA)

Member, Australasian Society of Behavioural Health and Medicine (ASBHM)

Qualifications

Master of Psychology (Clinical), USC

PhD (Psychology), USC

Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), USC

Master of Arts (Arabic and Middle Eastern History), University of Edinburgh

Research and Publications

Alongside private practice, Karina works as a lecturer and researcher in psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Her academic work informs a strong evidence-based approach to therapy and an ongoing interest in translating research into meaningful, practical, and compassionate clinical care.

Research interests include trauma, chronic health and cancer-related adjustment, therapeutic processes, wellbeing, and mental health across the lifespan.

View Publications & Research