My Approach

An insightful, kind counselor whose relaxed down to earth approach combined with skill and experience supports clients to look with compassion at the issues that have brought them to counseling.

Bringing genuine curiosity to find new perspectives and creative ways to explore ones own ways of being and how the past experiences may be contributing to feeling stuck or dissatisfied.

A qualified gestalt psychotherapist, couples counsellor and mental health social worker. In a therapeutic relationship gestalt therapy is my primary approach with techniques from other approaches brought in when needed.

Gestalt is a relational form of therapy, in my work with you there is care and focus given to the relationship between you (the client) and myself (the therapist) as our relationship forms the basis of our work together.

Gestalt therapy is incredibly powerful in achieving increased self awareness that can support positive change to achieve a more satisfying life and relationships.

Gestalt therapy is a framework which can support the inclusion of other approaches and interventions. I also have training and experience with Collaborative Assessment and Managment of Suicidality (CAMS), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR Level 1), Depth Enquiry (DE), Cognitive Processing of Trauma (CPT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), Specialist Supportive Case Managment for Eating Disorders (SSCM). Where appropriate or requested these are utilised in our therapeutic work.

I am a strong supporter of social justice, inclusion and mutual respect. In line with these principles my work is feminist informed and I uphold the right for people to self determine their life/lifestyle. My intention is to provide a safe, supportive and respectful space for all people.

My Experience

Over 20 years experience. I qualified as a social worker in 2000 and since then I have worked across numerous areas, these include mental health, sexual assault, acquired brain injury, housing/homelessness, older people, eating disorders and suicide.

Building on existing skills I undertook further postgraduate study in psychotherapy (4-year, 600 hour, Gestalt Therapy Course), family therapy (Grad Cert), relationship counselling, and alcohol and other drugs (Diploma).

My last ten years of work have been in clinical mental health supporting people experiencing a wide range of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, suicidality, borderline personality disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders and substance use.

Qualifications, Accreditations & Registrations

  • Advanced Clinical Training in Relational Gestalt Psychotherapy (4 years, 600 hours, Gestalt Therapy Australia)

  • Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy (Bouverie/Latrobe)

  • Bachelor of Social Work (RMIT)

  • Diploma in Alcohol and Other Drugs (Turning Point/Gipps Tafe)

  • Specialist Course in Integrative Couples Counselling (Relationships Australia, Victoria)

  • Bachelor of Arts, Specialisation: English & Sociology (Monash)

  • I also regularly undertake additional training. Such as Supportive Specialist Clinical Management of Eating Disorders (SSCM), Cognitive Processing Trauma Therapy (CPT), Depth Enquiry (DE), Emotion Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT), Collaborative Assessment and Managment of Suicidality, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

  • Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)