"Psychotherapists are applied neuroscientists who create individually tailored enriched learning environments designed to enhance brain functioning and mental health." (Louis Cozolino)

I put this great quote on the front page of my website because this extravagant way of describing my work made me smile. In retrospect, I guess people sometimes wonder what it really means

Lots of folk come to therapy for the first time, of course, & don’t know what to expect. Some of those will inevitably ask me: So what’s the management plan? How is this going to work? And there always is a plan, of course, but not a one size fits all.

“Therapeutic jurisprudence says that the processes used by courts, judicial officers, lawyers and other justice system personnel can impede, promote or be neutral in relation to outcomes connected with participant wellbeing such as respect for the justice system and the law, offender rehabilitation and addressing issues underlying legal disputes. Developed by Professors David Wexler and Bruce Winick in the United States in the 1980s in the context of mental health law, it is now seen to apply to all areas of the law and across cultures and is the subject of international study and development.”

You know those moments when regret sneaks up on you? Something that happened long ago and you would rather not remember it. Inflated with time and reeking of shame it circles you for a while. You think you’re on your guard but suddenly you’re on the floor. Got you again.

In the Oxford dictionary transition is described as “the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.” This can be a hiatus, a pause, a waiting and resting time, or it can be a very intense time when there is a realignment or a turning.

Those of us who work in what may be called ‘the helping professions’ such as nursing, midwifery, mental health practice, disability support or any profession that involves working with people who are in crisis or needing assistance in other ways, are often called upon to make great demands of ourselves. Long hours or very busy days, the challenges of working within a bureaucracy, the sometimes difficult relationships with our colleagues and our managers, and the needs or demands of our clients can leave us feeling hollow, exhausted and sometimes resentful and confused. Often too, without realising it, we manage and absorb vicarious trauma on a far too regular basis.

If you're thinking about doing some psychotherapy, you can go about it in several ways. Group therapy is one option you might want to consider.

Simply fill in the form below and I will contact you on your preferred date and time. Alternatively, if you would prefer to call me please do so at your convenience on 0423 256 373.

Quick Links

1. Individual Psychotherapy
2. Management of Panic and Anxiety
3. Working towards understanding Your Body, Your Self
4. Pregnancy, Birth and Early Life Counselling
5. Guidance through Ch ... Ch ... Ch ... Changes

Individual Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, sometimes called talk therapy or counselling, aims at helping you heal old hurts and learn more useful ways to deal with the problems, issues or challenges in your life. It can also be a supportive process when going through a difficult period or when you find yourself under increased stress, such as starting a new career, going through a divorce, feeling unsure of where to turn or what to do, or realising that you need to make some changes in the way you live your life and/or make decisions. Later pages on this site offer more information about some of the issues my clients bring to therapy. Most people see their therapist once a week for 50 minutes.

It is best to keep an open mind while in psychotherapy, and be willing to try out new things that ordinarily you may not do. Psychotherapy is often about challenging one’s existing set of beliefs and often, one’s very self. It is most successful when a person is able and willing to try to do this in the safe and supportive environment that is the therapy space.

Millions of people visit a psychotherapist every year, and the research shows that most people who do so benefit from the interaction, and that the work done in psychotherapy goes on helping and changing people even after they are no longer attending. The treasures you find in this often difficult work are hard won but they are yours for life.

Management of Panic and Anxiety

I see many people who struggle with the crippling effects of anxiety and panic attacks. There are many reasons for the onset of these very difficult feelings. Talking with a counsellor/therapist can help to get to the bottom of the trouble and to sort out how best to manage it.

I work with people who are experiencing trauma or trying to manage the after effects of trauma. Sometimes people are surprised to discover that a life which has seemed to them comparatively normal has led them to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or you may already know that you are managing the debilitating effects of this disorder.

Abuse of all kinds wounds us deeply at every level, the implications of it reverberating throughout our lives. You may feel it's too hard or too shocking to talk about but there is no requirement to talk about anything until you are ready. This is your space and may be used at your own pace and to your own comfort level. It is usually necessary to feel you can trust your therapist before you begin to be able to discuss harrowing events.

Working towards understanding Your Body, Your Self

I will be encouraging you, at times, to pay attention to your body and what it might be telling you. You may have had a lifetime of disregarding your body, cutting it off from your head, using it as a storeplace for unwanted and painful self-knowledge. Sometimes this leads to feelings of stress and anxiety, to fatigue, loss of appetite, body aches, headaches, stomach problems, and many other symptoms. Of course it may be that you have a physical illness, and if you haven’t explored that with your doctor, you will be encouraged to do so.

Pregnancy, Birth and Early Life Counselling

With a background in midwifery and breastfeeding support, I have a strong interest in the issues people face as they bring children into the world. I work with both birth partners who may experience postnatal depression or birth trauma. Depression can strike before birth also for either of the birthing couple. Surprisingly, depression can also affect those who adopt. Anxiety often complicates matters at this time, as people manage the transition to a new and demanding lifestyle.

The new dad or same sex birth partner can find themselves managing their own feelings of anxiety, depression or even loneliness and confusion as they negotiate the new relationships and the new role, trying to meet the needs of the baby and the birth mother.

Early parenting is a time when conversation with an experienced counselor/therapist can be very helpful.

Guidance through Ch ... Ch ... Ch ... Changes

“Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me..”
(David Bowie)

Your change might be:
Getting older – what lies ahead?
Receiving an unwelcome or devastating diagnosis (physical or mental)
Finding oneself isolated & alone for all sorts of reasons
An unexpected or indeed an expected loss
Or you are confused by choice – what to do?

Transitions require a passage from one stage to another, but often there is not time for this or you just thought it would be OK, easy.
Then it turns out that you’re a bit discombobulated or knocked about by what has happened.

So…grin and bear it? Worry, worry, worry? Stop sleeping? Get some pills from the doctor?
Or talk with someone qualified to help break it down and sort it out.

Thank you for contacting me. I will call you shortly.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please call me on 0423 256 373.

There are many kinds of families but in this blog I am addressing fathers and one or two things that may be important to them. I’m writing about this because I have noticed that sometimes fathers are confused about their role in a new family.