What motivated you to pursue a career in counselling?
I think for many of us, it starts with wanting to make a difference—but for me, it became about making a real difference. I loved working with people and helping them build safer, more fulfilling lives, but so often in agency settings I felt boxed in—limited by policies, targets, and timelines that didn’t allow space for people’s full stories. It wasn’t enough to offer short-term fixes or a checklist of coping skills when what someone really needed was time, trust, and depth.
I wanted to create something that allowed people to heal at their own pace, to feel seen and held as they worked through pain and towards something better. That desire led me to start my own practice, where I could provide the kind of therapeutic work that wasn’t rushed, where the goal wasn’t to 'fix' someone, but to understand, support, and help them rewrite their story on their own terms.
What specific areas do you primarily work within?
I specialise in trauma recovery, particularly in the context of interpersonal trauma, attachment difficulties, neurodivergence, and complex mental health. My work integrates expressive and somatic approaches, Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), and trauma-informed practice across the lifespan—from early childhood through to adulthood. I lead a multidisciplinary team at Insight Therapies, where we offer counselling, social work, and occupational therapy. A large part of our work supports neurodivergent children and teens, survivors of childhood abuse and family violence, and those who have experienced long-term disruption to safety, relationships, or identity.
Can you share a recent success or achievement in your counselling work that you're proud of?
Receiving the 2025 Business Women Albury Wodonga grant has been a significant achievement—not just because of the recognition, but because of what we’ve done with it. We used the funding to establish an Internal Client Support Fund to increase access for those facing financial barriers, and we also engaged an Allied Health Assistant (AHA) to expand our reach.
The AHA role has allowed us to support clients in a way that bridges the gap between therapy and real life. Sometimes we spend sessions developing insight and strategies, but what many clients need is someone to walk alongside them as they implement those strategies. That’s where change becomes more than just an idea—it's action, confidence, and momentum. We’ve seen clients begin to internalise success and take pride in themselves, often for the first time, and that boost to self-belief and self-worth is what really shifts long-term outcomes.
Another moment I’m proud of has been expanding our Animal-Assisted Therapy visitation program into the Border Cancer Centre. As someone with lived experience in that space, it’s been meaningful to return—not to bring comfort, but to offer trauma-informed interventions that support nervous system regulation, connection, and hope in a setting that can often feel isolating and overwhelming.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a counsellor for you?
Watching the ripple effect. Supporting clients is of course rewarding—but supporting a team of thoughtful, skilled, and reflective therapists who go on to support hundreds of others? That impact multiplies in the most meaningful ways. I’ve built a multidisciplinary team that specialises in trauma recovery and we now support over 100 clients weekly, both within the practice and in school and community settings.
Equally rewarding is my work as a clinical supervisor—helping early-career professionals and experienced therapists reflect, grow, and navigate ethical practice. I also regularly present at national conferences including through the Australian Counselling Association, the AASW, Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL), and Mental Health Academy. Sharing knowledge, challenging systems, and helping others find confidence in their practice continues to be a driving force in my work.
How do you contribute to the betterment of the profession and your community?
I provide clinical supervision across VIC and NSW, support student placements, and run ongoing training for professionals in trauma-informed care, ethical AAT, and neurodiversity-affirming practice. I’ve presented nationally through AASW, ACA, Mental Health Academy, and ATL, and continue to mentor social work students and early-career therapists. Student placements within our practice are meaningful—we ensure they’re not just observing but learning from deep, reflective practice with trauma-affected populations. We also collaborate with local services such as RDAS and Ramsay Health to improve the standard of trauma-informed support in our region.
Are there any projects or initiatives you're currently involved in?
We’re expanding our hospital-based AAT work and currently working alongside social work students to explore and document the impact of Animal-Assisted Therapy on trauma recovery through literature reviews and clinical reflections. I’m also in the early stages of building a formal research project in this space. Another important focus for me is our Internal Client Support Fund—ensuring those with financial hardship can still access quality therapy when they need it most.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in counselling/psychotherapy?
Find your passion and follow it, but make sure you’ve done the work on yourself too. Our job isn’t just to listen—it’s to create safety, hold complexity, and walk beside people as they navigate things they may never have spoken aloud before. If we haven’t explored our own wounds, we risk blurring lines or missing the deeper layers of someone else’s experience. Always take time to hear what your client is really saying. Look beneath the surface. Without genuine safety, we can’t support lasting change—and without reflection, we risk reinforcing the idea that someone is “broken” when they’re actually just responding exactly as they’ve had to in order to survive.
Is there a quote or philosophy that inspires your work?
Early in my private practice journey, a client said to me, “I have never felt so seen and heard before—not just by you, but by myself.” I still carry those words. They remind me that therapy isn’t about fixing—it’s about holding space for people to see themselves with more compassion and clarity. My goal is always to ensure people feel understood, and to help them reclaim their voice, their value, and their story.
Open question – tell us anything that was not asked in the previous questions.
This work has changed me as much as I’ve hoped to support change in others. I’ve learned that holding space for someone’s pain, confusion, or silence is just as important as offering words or insight. There’s no part of this work I take lightly—every client, every family, every session leaves an imprint. For me, it’s never been about building a business—it’s always been about building something that could hold others safely. That continues to be both the challenge and the privilege of this work.
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