INDIVIDUAL COUNSELLING

Healing is not becoming someone new, but gently returning to who you were, before the world taught you to forget yourself, tending to each wounded part like a garden, until even the silent ones begin to bloom

The foundation of my work is rooted in Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) and integrated with other modalities such as Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). IFS is a powerful approach that views the mind as being made up of various "parts," each with their own feelings, thoughts, and roles. These parts often develop protective behaviours in response to life experiences. This model views these protective behaviours and feelings—such as those manifesting as panic attacks, hyper-vigilance, intrusive memories, anger outbursts, zoning-out, or feelings of worthlessness—as parts of you doing their best to protect you from intense pain or from bad things happening again. I can hold space for you and provide openings to explore how these parts interact, and how they influence your emotions, behaviours, and reactions. This process can provide opportunities for greater harmony, self-empowerment, reducing anxiety, and facilitation of healing. Our work together will be collaborative, non-judgmental, and designed to foster self-awareness.

Relationship counselling room in Mount Hawthorn, Perth.

“When we turn inward with gentle presence, we meet the quiet ones who have long waited to be heard. In the sacred listening, something softens, what was once protected begins to trust, and in the stillness, we remember that the healing was never outside of us”

Therapeutic Modalities

IFS assumes that every person has an internal system of ‘parts’, and when we experience trauma or adverse experiences in life then these parts can become burdened and are suppressed into exile, as the feelings that are associated with that trauma, or adverse experiences, are too overwhelming for us to feel at that time. Other parts become part of our protective system that try to protect the exiled parts, and may form symptoms such as anxiety, depression, shame, imposter syndrome, perfectionism, urgency, withdrawal etc. IFS works to connect us to our ‘Self’, which is a part that is unconditionally compassionate, confident, caring, curious and non-judgemental. Through the connection to the ‘Self’, we can form relationships with, and support the relationships between our protective system and exiled parts, to help our whole system heal, and find peace.
EMDR is designed to help individuals process and heal from trauma. It involves recalling distressing memories, while engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically through guided eye movements, sounds, or taps. This dual focus helps rewire the brain’s response to traumatic memories, reducing their emotional charge, and allowing them to be processed more adaptively. EMDR helps individuals integrate painful experiences, shifting negative beliefs and emotional patterns to promote healing. It is often used as part of trauma-focused therapy.
EFT involves understanding and processing emotions, to improve emotional regulation and well-being. It helps individuals explore their emotional experiences, identify patterns in their feelings and behaviours, and understand the underlying needs driving them. By fostering self-awareness and emotional acceptance, EFT helps individuals address unresolved emotional issues, build emotional resilience, and enhance their relationships. The therapy emphasizes the importance of emotional experiences in shaping our perceptions and behaviours, promoting healing through emotional validation and processing.
Person-Centred Therapy focuses on creating a supportive and non-judgmental environment. The therapist provides empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard, allowing the exploration of feelings, thoughts, and experiences. This approach emphasises the client's ability to self-heal and grow, when given the right conditions for self-exploration. Person-centred therapy fosters self-acceptance and personal growth, by helping individuals connect with their true selves, build confidence, and resolve internal conflicts, ultimately empowering them to make positive life changes.
DBT combines cognitive-behavioural techniques with mindfulness practices and emphasises the balance of acceptance and change. The therapy focuses on four key areas: emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. Individuals can learn to manage intense emotions, tolerate distress without harmful behaviours, improve relationships, and stay present in the moment.