Since 2018 I have been working as an individual, relationship, family and co-parenting counsellor and psychotherapist. I am registered with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). My therapy services are provided in person at my mediation and therapy rooms in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast or by Zoom.

My therapy practice is trauma-informed, evidence-based, and draws upon several modalities, such as Gestalt (including authentic presence and empty chair work), existential (meaning making), experiential / felt sense (linking the mind and body for awareness and healing) and psychodynamic (such as exploring the effects of key relationships with caregivers and partners). I believe every individual has the innate capacity to thrive both personally and in relationship. My aim is to help my clients work through any resistance or blocks that may be preventing this from happening, by creating a safe space where every part of the client is welcome. I also bring warmth and humour to co-create a client-focused healing and growth experience.

My relationship therapy combines active listening, reflections, and communication skills. It is strongly informed by a clear understanding of the effects of power imbalances and domestic violence in relationships. I also take into consideration each individual’s attachment style developed in early childhood (and sometimes in long-term adult relationships).

My family therapy includes all family members aged five and above, and often in high-conflict situations. However, I don’t offer children’s therapy, as that’s a specialist area. I work with children in supporting them navigate their relationships within a family system; however, not in relation to their specific individual needs.

My co-parenting therapy involves blending my expertise in both family law mediation and psychotherapy to support separated couples with developing respectful parenting relationships free from aggression, coercion, and control.

I offer a 3-month Co-Parenting Communication Program (CPCP) designed to support parents with developing a respectful co-parenting relationship free from aggression, coercion, and control. The CPCP is evidence-based and trauma-informed, based upon the principles of compassion (exploring core hurts) and accountability (respectfully challenging maladaptive beliefs and behaviour). The CPCP can be delivered either in-person or by Zoom, and is comprised of 14 1-hour sessions that include therapy, psychoeducation, and skills development. Each parent completes six fortnightly sessions during the first three months, after which I prepare a written report. Each parent also has a follow-up session three months after completing the CPCP to measure and support sustained positive changes in their co-parenting relationship. There are no joint sessions in the CPCP. Each parent is supported individually, as this is distinct from relationship counselling. The effectiveness of the program is measured by each parent completing a 6-item 11-point psychological Rating Scale at the commencement, mid-point, and end of the program.

I offer a 3-month Step-Parenting Communication Program (SPCP) designed to support step-parents with navigating the complicated space where they occupy a parental figure in children’s lives and also work with other parental figures. The SPCP is evidence-based and trauma-informed, based upon the principles of compassion (exploring core hurts) and accountability (respectfully challenging maladaptive beliefs and behaviour). The SPCP can be delivered either in-person or by Zoom, and is comprised of 14 1-hour sessions that include therapy, psychoeducation, skills development, step-parenting role modelling without competing with or undermining other parental figures, and step-parenting communication that reflects a better understanding of the underlying issues impacting upon communication with other parental figures. Generally, the first 13 sessions are all completed by the step-parent during the first three months. The SPCP is flexible and can be tailored to meet each family’s particular needs. Therefore, the sessions can include children (as part of family therapy) and other parental figures. The step-parent also has a follow-up session three months after completing the SPCP to measure and support sustained improvement in their step-parenting effectiveness. The effectiveness of the program is measured by the step-parent completing a 6-item 11-point psychological Rating Scale at the commencement, mid-point, and end of the program.

I offer a non-gendered 6-month Behaviour Change Program (BCP) designed to support people to not use aggression, coercion, and control with other family members. The BCP is informed by my previous facilitation of various Behaviour Change Programs that have adopted certain aspects of the internationally acclaimed Duluth Model. The BCP covers all aspects of domestic and family violence (DFV), including physical violence, sexual violence, emotional violence, psychological violence, spiritual violence, cultural violence, verbal abuse, financial abuse, and neglect. The BCP is evidence-based and trauma-informed, based upon the principles of compassion (exploring core hurts) and accountability (respectfully challenging maladaptive beliefs and behaviour). The BCP can be delivered either in-person or by Zoom, and is comprised of 28 1-hour sessions that include therapy, psychoeducation, and skills development. The first 26 sessions are completed weekly during the first six months, after which I prepare a written report. The participant also has two follow-up sessions in 3-monthly intervals after completing the BCP. The follow-up sessions are combined with check-ins with affected family members to measure and support sustained behavioural improvement. The effectiveness of the program is measured by the participant and affected family members completing a 6-item 11-point psychological Rating Scale every six weeks.

I offer a 12-month Soul Therapy & Coaching Program (STCP) designed to support people with a holistic approach to overall wellbeing and reaching their fullest potential. The STCP is evidence-based and trauma-informed, based upon the principles of compassion (exploring core hurts) and accountability (respectfully challenging maladaptive beliefs and behaviour). The STCP can be delivered either in-person or by Zoom, and is comprised of 56 1-hour sessions that include therapy, coaching, psychoeducation, skills development, value re-alignment, deep inner-child work, shadow integration, processes such as empty-chair work to create new meaning to life events, mirror work, self-acceptance, designing a new identity, changing the story placed on events, and customised meditation recordings. The STCP involves unpacking the five core areas of being human – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and sexual. All five areas are viewed in a holistic pattern to achieve peak homeostasis. The first 52 sessions are completed weekly during the first 12 months. The client also has four follow-up sessions at 3-monthly intervals after completing the STCP to measure and support the client’s sustained improvement in overall wellbeing and living to their fullest potential. The effectiveness of the program is measured by the client completing a 6-item 11-point psychological Rating Scale every six weeks.

I also support clients with complex alternative relationship styles such as polyamory and ethical non-monogamy (including both open-relating and swinging). This includes individuals, couples, triads, quads and any number of other permutations of intimate relating models. These relationships come with the need for open and effective communication skills to help navigate issues such as jealousy, abandonment and agreements around relating with others and safe sexual practices. This work includes supporting people of all gender identities (including non-binary and my preferred pronouns are he/him/his), sexual orientations (I am completely Queer / LGBTQIA+ friendly) and sexual practices (such as kink, BDSM and fetishes). I do this from a trauma-informed framework sensitive to the harm caused by the isolation, stigmatisation and/or ostracism often associated with alternative lifestyle practices.

I regularly hold workshops relating to consent and sexuality. My facilitation adopts a Gestalt framework based on the Paradoxical Theory of Change, which focuses on self-acceptance and honouring what naturally becomes figural for each participant. My facilitation is also informed by Betty Martin’s seminal Wheel of Consent and Matthias Schwenteck’s cutting-edge Somatic Consent.