I have more than 30 years’ clinical experience providing mental health services in a variety of settings overseas and Australia, like Non-Government Organisations, Public MH Services, Medical Centres and Private Practice. I have seen adult clients presenting with a variety of mental health issues. My passion is working with PTSD, past trauma and those having difficulty regulating strong and even erratic emotions and behaviours.

I take a holistic, biopsychosocial approach, and strong person-centred approach to each person I work with. This means I am interested in understanding the whole person and making it a personal experience based on your needs and goals for therapy. In the process, I am interested in past and current life challenges, medical and/or physiological challenges you may be experiencing, relationships which may be providing you with either stress or support, mental and emotional health difficulties, as well as any other factors which may impact or inform your emotional wellbeing, including work, finances, school, spirituality, gender identity, sexuality and culture.

From this holistic view on the nature of people, their social environment and coping mechanisms, I am able to gain a deeper understanding of human experiences. This deeper understanding also applies to myself. By combining and utilising personal knowledge and insights and professional knowledge and skills it is a win-win opportunity for both of us to overcome life challenges and start having a life worthwhile.

I also like to follow a systems approach to include significant other people (eg a partner or other close support person) in sessions if it supports the therapy goals.

I draw from a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches to empower you with knowledge and skills which often lead an improved understanding and acceptance of yourself. These approaches can include:

•  My passion: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Also, CBT, ACT, Schema Therapy
• The neuroscience underlying behaviour, emotions, trauma and other experiences
• Trauma-informed therapy, Attachment theory, Systems theory
• Skills training and knowledge development (the aim is to empower you)
• Mindfulness skills
• Emotional Regulation skills
• Interpersonal skills (relationship and communication) – also for couples

• Anxiety and Depression
• PTSD, including Complex PTSD (interpersonal trauma)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder including adult ADHD

Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you’ve made or dark images you might hold of yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.

–  Alan Cohen