Emily Hodges is an experienced Nurse Practitioner with advanced training in mental health nursing. She works primarily via telehealth with The Health Lodge team, offering patients across Australia accessible, coordinated mental health care with the benefit of Medicare rebates.
Emily is often described as a steady port in the storm for patients who are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, burnt out or emotionally depleted. She brings a warm, compassionate presence to each session and has a genuine desire to see her patients receive the very best possible care. Many patients leave their sessions with Emily feeling more settled, clearer in their thinking and reassured that there is a practical plan in place.
Her approach is grounded in the understanding that mental health is never just one thing. Emily looks at what is happening across the body, the nervous system, relationships and life circumstances, so patients do not feel reduced to a diagnosis or left trying to hold everything together on their own. Sessions with Emily are calm, practical and containing, with a strong focus on helping patients feel steadier first, both physically and emotionally.
As a Medicare-accredited Nurse Practitioner, Emily can assess, diagnose, prescribe medications and request pathology and investigations for eligible patients, much like a GP. She provides medication reviews, supports safe reductions where appropriate and can initiate or adjust prescriptions as part of a thoughtful, integrated treatment plan. Emily can also prepare Mental Health Care Plans, coordinate referrals, and help patients access The Health Lodge’s exceptional team of psychologists, doctors and allied health practitioners.
With more than 17 years of experience across adult emergency and consultation-liaison psychiatry, Emily brings a rare ability to recognise when someone needs stabilisation, medical assessment, practical support or simply permission to slow down. Her work is informed by extensive experience in acute mental health settings, as well as further training in perinatal and infant mental health through The Royal Children’s Hospital.
At The Health Lodge, Emily plays a central role in coordinating care. She frequently conducts intake consultations for medical retreat patients and helps curate the most appropriate multidisciplinary team for each individual, ensuring their care is safe, cohesive and tailored to their needs.
Emily works with all adults, with a special interest in mental health during periods of high stress, burnout, life transition, and early parenthood. Through her calm, practical and deeply compassionate approach, she helps patients find clarity, connection and a clear path forward in their care.
