Psychotherapy

We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realise.

— Thich Nhat Hanh

Psychotherapy offers a route towards healing, discovery and authentic connection to our inner world, and to others. As we undo and release ourselves from accumulated burdens, we begin to discover more space, greater possibility and a wider perspective.  

I myself have been practising psychotherapy for close to 20 years.  Over this time, I’ve worked extensively with individuals and communities impacted by grief, loss, anxiety, depression, sexual violence, homophobia, racism, forced displacement, and other forms of trauma, adversity and oppression.  

I am trained in various humanistic, trauma-informed, somatic and arts-based approaches to psychotherapy. The main model I use with individuals is Internal Family Systems (IFS) – an evidence-based approach that acknowledges the multiplicity of the human mind and the tendency towards healing and transformation that occurs when we are connected to our innate knowledge, wisdom and resources.

In IFS, we learn to meet and befriend our inner ‘parts’ from a place of curiosity and compassion. In doing so, rigid patterns relax, burdens are released and we spontaneously gravitate towards greater balance.  As the healing process progresses, we find ourselves returning more easily to our natural state of creativity and connectedness to self, others and the world around us.

In my practice, I integrate dreamwork, body-based approaches, role play, mindfulness and trauma-sensitive interventions that underscore the importance of stabilisation and resourcing in the processing of painful life experiences.

While psychotherapy often focuses on the individual psyche, I also recognize the intersecting forces of patriarchy, racism, homophobia, capitalism and the violence these systems wreak upon individual lives, communities, and entire ecosystems.  Healing is not complete without naming and addressing the structural cause and context within which suffering multiplies.

For me, psychotherapy is more than a ‘job’. I feel honoured to join people on their journeys of healing and transformation. Therapy is always reciprocal and I too gain from the courage, dreams and wisdom of my clients.  

My qualifications include a Bachelor of Social Work from Deakin University, Australia; a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, USA; and a PhD from the University of New England, Australia, where my research explored the use of therapeutic drama and applied theatre for cultural activism and collective trauma response.  I am an Accredited Clinical Social Worker (ASCW) with the Australian Association of Social Workers, a Level 3 trained, Certified Therapist of Internal Family Systems (IFS) through the IFS Institute, and a Registered Drama Therapist (RDT) and Board Certified Trainer (BCT) with the North American Drama Therapy Association. I have also trained in Eye Movement, Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy through the EMDR Institute, Australia.