Qualifications & Training
My path into counselling has been shaped by decades of study, life experience across cultures, and an unwavering curiosity about what truly helps people heal and grow.
I work with children, and with women navigating some of life's most challenging terrain: anxiety, trauma, life transitions, relationships, and the quiet but persistent question of who am I, really?
With children, I believe that a felt sense of safety comes first. Before any skill can be learned or any challenge faced, a child needs to know they are worthy, that they matter, and that they are truly seen. Knowing they matter is not a luxury. It is the foundation everything else is built upon. When a child feels safe within themselves, the building blocks of confidence, resilience, and connection can begin to grow naturally and at their own pace.
Whatever brings you here, whether you are a parent seeking support for your child or a woman finding her own way through, I offer a space that is warm, unhurried, and deeply respectful of your own pace and wisdom.
Academic Qualifications
Master of Counselling — University of the Sunshine Coast (graduated with Distinction, 2023) My postgraduate research focused on Single Session Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) with clay facilitation, an approach that sits at the heart of how I work today.
Bachelor of Social Work — The Netherlands (1995) A foundational degree that gave me deep grounding in human development, family systems, and working with people across all stages of life.
First Year Examination in Orthopedagogy — The Netherlands (1996) A specialisation in educational science with a focus on children with behavioural disorders and disabilities. This continues to inform how I understand and support children who experience the world differently.
Specialist Training & Approaches
Certificate in Clay Field Therapy for Children — Cornelia Elbrecht (2026) Clay Field Therapy is a sensory-based, child-led, trauma informed approach that supports emotional regulation, self-expression, and resilience. It works beautifully for children who find it difficult to put their inner world into words. The hands do the talking, and the healing follows naturally.
Clay work is also something I bring into my work with adult women. There is something quietly profound about working with your hands. It can access feelings and memories that words alone cannot always reach, in a way that feels safe and completely at your own pace.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and trauma — Russ Harris (in progress, completing 2026) A well-researched, values-based approach that helps people develop psychological flexibility. Particularly useful when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from what matters most to you.
Trauma Treatment in Adults — Dr Cate Howell (2025) Specialised training in understanding and working sensitively with the lasting effects of trauma in adult life.
Indigenous Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (I-ASIST) — University of Queensland (2025) Training in culturally informed suicide intervention, with a focus on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Suicide Alertness Training for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Peoples — UniSC (2022) Early training that deepened my awareness of culturally safe practice and community-informed approaches to mental health.
8-Week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) — Open Ground, Mooloolaba (2018) A personally and professionally transformative program that continues to shape how I bring mindfulness into my practice.
Certificate IV in Life Coaching — Life Coaching Academy, Gold Coast (2017) Foundational coaching skills that complement my counselling approach, particularly around goal-setting and forward momentum.
Professional Involvement
I am passionate about contributing to the broader mental health community beyond the therapy room.
Expressive Arts Co-Coordinator — Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN), January 2023 to present. Co-facilitating a national special interest network for mental health professionals integrating expressive arts into therapeutic practice.
Mindfulness and Sensory Regulation Workshops — Matthew Flinders Early Learning Centre (2025). Delivering mindfulness-based sessions supporting young children's emotional and sensory development.
Clay Workshop Facilitator. Designed and facilitated a clay workshop for mental health professionals integrating mindfulness and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.
Volunteer Counsellor — Sundale Residential Aged Care Facility, Palmwoods (2019–2021). Providing emotional support and companionship to residents during a meaningful chapter of my early practice.
Recognition
🏅 Certificate of Appreciation — Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN)(2024–2025) Awarded in recognition of coordinating the Expressive Arts special interest network.
I am a multilingual practitioner who has lived and worked across the Netherlands, Western Australia, and Queensland. This international background gives me a broad and open perspective on culture, identity, and belonging, something I carry into every therapeutic relationship, with children and adults alike.
