Counselling Approaches

My Approach

I take a person-centred, values based approach in my counselling practice. My aim is to assist you to clarify what is truly important and meaningful to you, so you can use that knowledge to guide, inspire and motivate you to change your life for the better.
I draw from a number of counselling approaches:

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Narrative Therapy
Existential Psychotherapies
Motivational Interviewing
Solution Focus Therapy
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Family Systems Theory

Although I believe that no one counselling methodology will meet everyone's unique life circumstances, I have found that Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) is the framework that I most regularly utilise as it borrows and expands on many other counselling methodologies. ACT suits my counselling style as it is a value based therapy and more importantly it works.

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) gets it name from one of its core messages: accept what is out of your personal control, and commit to action that improves and enriches your life.

The aim of ACT is to maximise human potential for a rich, full and meaningful life. ACT (which is pronounced as the word 'act', not as the initials) does this by:

a) teaching you psychological skills to deal with your painful thoughts and feelings effectively - in such a way that they have much less impact and influence over you (these are known as mindfulness skills).

b) helping you to clarify what is truly important and meaningful to you - i.e your values - then use that knowledge to guide, inspire and motivate you to change your life for the better.

Learn more about ACT

How I can help

I can help you work on issues that are impacting your life such as:

Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Traumatic experience
Grief, loss, change
Loneliness
Addiction
Workplace stress
Relationships issues
Violence within intimate partner relationships (survivors & users of violence)
Effective parenting: What is my child asking of me?
Family adjustment
Personal growth
Health coaching

LGBTIQ Safe Place

I don't assume that people from the LGBTIQ community come to counselling for challenges related to their sexual orientation and gender identity and that the concerns that LGBTIQ clients bring to counselling are often universal to all people. Being from the community myself it is my aim that I provide a safe place where you can truly be yourself.

Coming out, inviting in, staying in & disclosure
Navigating non-traditional relationships in a traditional world
Feelings of otherness related to being part of a minority group
Building on your resilience
Violence within your intimate partner relationships (survivors & users of violence)

Find out more

ACT Resources: The Happiness Trap

It seems that everywhere we look in society we receive strong messages that we must always be happy or have that perfect life which is reinforced via social media. Life in fact is a range of thoughts, feeling and emotions, some more pleasant than others. Experiencing the full range of these thoughts, feelings and emotion is a part of living and it would be very limiting to ones personal growth if we did not experience all of these emotions.

Credit: Dr Russ Harris:

https://www.actmindfully.com.au/

counselling approaches, cognitive behavioral therapy

Compassionate Counselling

Counselling Approaches

My Approach

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

How I can help

LGBTIQ Safe Place

20 Minute Free Assessment