I am a lived experience counsellor

I have experience of overcoming mental health challenges myself. This has included several periods of therapy at different stages in my life. Lived experience of adversity and mental health challenges has given me greater empathy, compassion and understanding of complexity. I know on a deep level that clients are the expert on their own lives. Psychologists are trained within the medical model where they are the expert and prescribe the treatment to be followed. I am trained in the same psychological therapies but there is a key difference in how I deliver these.

I do therapy with you not to you

This ensures you are empowered in your mental health recovery which is a necessary condition to heal.

My core counselling approach is Person-Centered (Rogerian Therapy) which is grounded in the idea that people are inherently motivated toward achieving positive psychological functioning. 

My specialist area of training & lived experience

Is treating childhood and adult relational trauma (otherwise known as complex trauma). I am a trauma-informed therapist which means I am knowledgeable about how trauma impacts show up in the  brain and body and what helps recovery from trauma. (Not all psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors are trauma-informed and so, for example, they teach techniques to manage depression and anxiety without treating the source of these which prevents sustained improvement in the client’s state.)

I have also completed substantial training in recognising and responding appropriately to domestic and family violence and have supported many clients in this area.

I have successfully counselled clients from different cultures including First Nations, LGBTIQ+, neurodiverse, those with chronic illness or disability, different life stages (from years 16 to 88). I have done significant training in safe and respectful counselling for different minorities and diversities and I continue to add to my training.