Honest Conversations is a Counseling service for anyone wanting a safe space to have real conversations about what's going on in their life.
Teghan McGruther started Honest Conversations to create a Counselling space that is comfortable and easy. One that people will happily go to without thinking 'My situation isn't bad enough yet.' A space where therapist AND client can be authentic, open and honest.
About Teghan
My therapeutic approach includes skills from Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, and Collaborative Therapies. This means I go into every therapy session with a clean slate of expectations. I carefully listen to YOUR story to understand what is important to you, and what your values are. I pay close attention to your language and take the time to generate a shared understanding between us on what an experience means to you. I ask questions to evoke your strengths, resources, protective factors, values, and skills. I see the problem as separate to you. And I support you to separate yourself from the issue so we can talk about it more easily.
I have experience with providing therapeutic services to families, couples, children and teens, and individual counselling. I have experience with a range of challenges, including mental health, self-esteem, parenting, burnout, workplace challenges, people pleasing, and much more. Regardless of the topic, I am passionate about supporting people to get in touch with their values, find their self-worth, and live authentically.
If this resonates with you, I invite you to take a step towards self-care, and book in for a chat.
Experience and Qualifications
I began my journey into the helping profession by pursuing a Double Degree in Social Work and Behavioral Science (Psychology) at QUT. This experience allowed me to view the world and the people in it as a whole picture. I found it fascinating how many different factors could connect and interact with each other, shaping individuals' experiences and actions. It was during this time that my empathy grew, and my view of the world expanded.
Throughout my degree, I had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings, including Child and Teen mental health and a Family support service. I enjoyed working with individuals of different ages and backgrounds, gaining valuable experience along the way.
After graduating, I started working as a Social Worker in an intensive family support service. The families I worked with had complex needs, often involving Child Safety. We addressed a wide range of issues, such as mental health, domestic violence, substance abuse, parenting struggles, hygiene, child behavior, and schooling. Over the course of three years, I gained extensive experience in various topics and received training in areas such as Domestic Violence, having tough conversations, and motivational interviewing.
During my time as a Social Worker, I discovered my passion for therapeutic conversations. Listening to these families' stories, showing kindness, understanding, and patience, became incredibly rewarding for me. This led me to take a leap and enroll in a Master of Counseling degree at QUT.
My Master's degree focused on a Post-Modern Approach to counseling. Postmodernism challenges the notion of one objective reality and acknowledges that each person's version of reality is influenced by their unique experiences, environment, and culture. This perspective aligned perfectly with my expanding view of the world.
During my degree, I had the privilege of working as a Child Therapist, primarily with children aged six to twelve. This experience taught me that therapy can always be engaging and enjoyable, and there are various ways to conduct therapeutic interventions. I recognized the importance of hearing children's perspectives and valuing their unique worldview.
After becoming a parent myself, my view of the world and the importance of self-care has deepened. This inspired me to start my counseling business, Honest Conversations. The focus of Honest Conversations is on being authentic with yourself and having genuine conversations with others. I aim to encourage people to consider therapy not only during moments of crisis but also as a means of promoting well-being, mental health, and self-esteem. By embracing self-care and prioritizing our own needs, we can contribute to a world where looking after oneself is the norm.
I am a Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional (CSTIP). This means I am trained in couples therapy and provide support on a range of sex-related issues:
- Dead bedrooms or mismatched libidos (Erotic Recovery)
- Navigating Consensual Non-monagomy
- Affair recovery
- Struggles with arousal or pain during sex
- Moving from performance based to pleasure based intimacy
- Non-traditional relationships and sex-lives welcome
I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCPT-II). This means I have training in recognizing and working with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Honest Conversations Counselling Service is for anyone about anything!
