About the counsellor, Mel
“Do not assume that he who seeks to comfort you now, lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good. His life may also have much sadness and difficulty ….. Were it otherwise, he would never have been able to find these words.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
I was in my mid 30’s before I realised that I wanted to be a counsellor, but I wasn’t sure how that would look. Through my studies, different volunteer roles and developing a keen interest in activism, I came to recognise that working with women who were ready to step into their power, heal their wounded inner child and rediscover their worth was where I felt most alive and purposeful, so it made sense that counselling and psychotherapy would be a road worth exploring.
I am a relaxed counsellor who is skilled at providing insight, honest feedback and strategies to help you learn to live alongside difficult thoughts and feelings, while moving forward, creating the life you want.
When we are going on a healing journey the relationships with those we surround ourselves with will either help or hinder us. My belief is that you and I are a team, working collaboratively, to get the best outcomes possible for you.
Along with my studies and various roles, I also bring a lot of life experience to this work. I've had my challenges and I don’t come from perfect families, I understand first hand the power that shame and regret can have over our happiness, and have struggled with a whole range of significant and difficult issues as a child, an adolescent, an adult, a partner and a mum which have now allowed me to be effectively present and compassionate towards those going through their own difficulties.
I'm not religious but strongly agree with the sentiment 'Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone'. We can't grow and change and learn from the past if we're not given a safe, supportive, compassionate and judgement-free space in which to do so.
I believe that everyone has the potential to lead a meaningful and fulfilling life. You and I. No matter who we are, what we've been through, whatever mistakes we've made, or however many traumas we carry. There has to be more to this journey, than our pain, regrets and challenges.
My job is to help you figure out an alternative way forward.
I work alongside women who are contemplating change and growth and who have stories to share that have perhaps never been aired before. I support you to explore your history, open up to your feelings and face what needs soothing - by tending to the wounds you carry, you will then be able to learn how to show yourself compassion, re-build your self-worth and start living your life in ways that reflect more of who you are and who you want to be.
Don't underestimate the power of having your story heard by someone who knows how to hold a sacred space for you, while you unburden yourself of the shame and pain you've long carried for a long time.
I am an experienced therapist who helps women go from feeling alone, unsupported and out of touch with their emotions, needs and wants to increasing their self-worth, strengthening their boundaries and building more meaningful and satisfying connections in their personal and professional lives.
The work we do is powerful and transformative.
If you are ready to reach out and get some help to start creating a life that feels more like something you want to be part of, I’m here, and I am ready to support you.
I have lived experience with:
Childhood trauma
Family estrangement
Anxiety and depression
Same-sex relationships
Faith and sexuality
Mid-life genetic plot twists (NPE)
Grief and loss
And generally being a complicated, contradictory, messy human like most of us walking the planet ;)
I understand that life can feel really, really difficult. I also know that there are ways to move through the murky waters, and that a healthier, more connected life is possible, it just takes some work to get there.
Experience and qualifications:
Diploma in counselling
Diploma in community services.
Certificate in Ecotherapy
I was a Lifeline telephone crisis supporter for 3 years
I've mentored women moving on in their lives after domestic violence.
I've also worked in the mental health field
I’ve been working as a counsellor since early 2018
I am continually engaging in learning opportunities as they arise and am currently studying:
Embodied Processing – a trauma focused modality.
I have memberships with:
Level 2 Australian Counselling Association (ACA)
Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association