Counselling & Psychotherapy Melbourne
Welcome
I aim to create a warm and supportive space for people to inquire about how and why their symptoms present in the way that they do. I work collaboratively with people to increase insight, make the unconscious conscious, and help them learn to be with their pain in a way that is present and embodied. We do this by exploring their defence mechanisms, internal conflicts, their relationship patterns, and how their early life experiences have informed the way they relate to themselves, others and the world around them. It’s through this exploration that we begin to understand why they show up in the world the way that they do.
Many of the people I work with often identify as people pleasers, perfectionists, overachievers, and high-functioning individuals. The majority have faced childhood experiences of feeling unseen, unheard, unvalidated, and unsafe. My therapeutic focus centres on nurturing your inner child and navigating feelings of shame with gentleness and curiosity.
I prioritise openness and collaboration, recognising the therapeutic relationship as key to creating a safe space for vulnerability, and willingness and capacity to dig deep. Together, we shift from asking 'what's wrong with me?' to understanding 'what happened to me?'. Through this our work together, you'll cultivate greater self-compassion and self-understanding.
“In working with the body, we can access a language that goes beyond words, allowing for deeper understanding, integration, and healing”
Somatic Psychotherapy in Melbourne
Hi my name is Jackie, I am a trauma therapist with a background in early childhood education. My experience in the field of mental health began over ten years ago when I volunteered as a telephone crisis supporter at Lifeline. Since then, I have worked with young children, adolescents, and families in a variety of not-for-profit and private organisations. I have extensive experience as a counsellor in crisis mental health services, education and training, and leadership, particularly in men’s mental health and suicide prevention.
I bring with me life experience as a mother and someone who has personally and indirectly experienced various hardships throughout my childhood and adult life. In my mid-twenties, I entered a process of self-inquiry and healing through therapy and it has been one of the best support structures in my life. But before finding my therapist, I had been intimately familiar with the challenges of searching for the right therapist and the frustration of mismatched connections. This personal understanding informs my approach to therapy, in which I prioritise openness and collaboration, recognising the therapeutic relationship as the cornerstone for improving your psychological and emotional wellbeing.
“Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life”
Trauma Counselling
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Empowerment
I empower and support you in cultivating your inner resources through psycho-education. Together, we develop practical skills and strategies for emotional regulation aligned with your unique needs and strengths.
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Safety
Within our therapeutic space, you'll find a nurturing environment where your thoughts, feelings, and emotions are embraced without judgment. We’ll work at a pace that meets your comfort level.
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Collaboration
I advocate for collaborative partnership in our work together. Recognising that you are the expert in your own experiences, you get to steer the direction of where we go. Therapy is all about your needs and working together towards your goals.
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Trust
My aim is to cultivate a robust working relationship rooted in transparency, reliability, and genuineness. Through consistent and authentic interactions, we can gradually foster a sense of trustworthiness over time
Training & Education
Bachelor of Counselling, Australian College of Applied Psychology
Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
Emotion Focused Therapy (Level 1 & 2), Australian Institute of Emotion Focused Therapy
Emotion Focused Therapy for Couples (Externship), Emotion Focused Therapy and Training Australia
Somatic Psychotherapy, Institute of Somatic Psychotherapy
Trauma Sensitive Practice - Working with Complex Trauma, Blue Knot Foundation
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Living Works Australia
