Counselling, Parenting, Attachment, Circle of Security, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), EMDR, Relationships, Transactional Analysis, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and more...

Therapeutic Framework: My basic premise when counselling is that first and foremost I relate to each client on a level of connecting with another human being from a loving, accepting position, not from a professional expert model which sees the client as different in any way to myself. I am quite task focused in approach when required and give clients practical tools to take away and apply to their situation in between counselling sessions. I use a range of therapeutic interventions depending on the presenting case. In brief some of these commonly include: Attachment theory, such as the Circle of Security intervention and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) for relationships, parent-child attachment, general parenting issues and family trauma. For trauma particularly PTSD, I regularly use EMDR, EMDR2.0 and Attachment Focused EMDR. For mental illness in general I may use affect regulation work, Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), also Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), EMDR and Communication skill building. For relationship work, I may use Imago Relationship Therapy and a range of other tools and therapies around communication and self-esteem work. I use basic Transactional Analysis principles, that clients can understand, for everything.

Personal Framework: I believe that healing is possible in any person's situation regardless of the severity of the case. My life and work are underpinned by two core disciplines: My spiritual practice which is the Christian based ‘A Course in Miracles’ (ACIM);  Also the discipline of Aikido which I have practiced for 30 years. Aikido is a non-violent, non-competitive martial art, that similar to ACIM, works (through martial arts training) from a premise of building love, harmony and care for all beings. For me this no harm philosophy includes animals, which is why I choose to be vegetarian.

Background: 26 years experience in Mental Health counselling including:
working with  torture/trauma survivors (refugees) with ASETTS in Perth - (1998-2000); Individual and group work with families specifically experiencing postnatal depression (PND) anxiety and transition to parenthood issues - Coordinator  ‘Bouncing Back Group Program’ for PND and Anxiety with  WA Country Health Service, Albany (2001-2014); Counselling work with clients with a wide range of mental health disorders - Social Worker with Community Mental Health Service, Albany (2001-2011).

Private Practice Therapeutic Counselling (2011- present):
Current Areas of work include: mental health issues - specialising in anxiety and trauma and also mental health in the perinatal period (during pregnancy and afterward in the transitioning to parenthood); relationships and parenting/attachment work; domestic violence and PTSD; workplace issues such as harassment, discrimination, stress and relationship / communication difficulties; clinical supervision for professional and other workers in care based industries.

Age group preference/ experience: I work with adults only, 18 years and up. I have no age group preference with adults. I have worked with all ages including experience with elderly people with mental health issues in nursing home environments.