5 March 2026
Meet Modiule Lawson
Each month we spotlight an ACA member in the ACA Monthly Bulletin, our monthly newsletter. The Member Spotlight is designed to showcase the work of our members to you! We hope their stories inspire or spark interest. Let’s share our experiences within our counselling community.
What motivated you to pursue a career in counselling?
My motivation to become a counsellor has always been there. Growing up labelled as “disabled,” and often spending my school breaks alone in the library, I became deeply curious about people, how they think, how identity is shaped, and how systems influence our sense of self and belonging.
I first completed a Diploma of Nutrition. I was already asking questions about the connection between stress, the body, and behaviour. Studying the biopsychosocial and neurobiological links between food, mood, and the nervous system gave me an early understanding that mental health is influenced by both physiological and environmental factors. I wanted to know more.
I later completed a Bachelor of Counselling and began working in the field. While living in Germany, and raising my two neurodivergent children, one Hard of Hearing, as a single mother, I continued my professional development with a Diploma of Psychotherapy and training in EMDR therapy. Both personally and professionally, this deepened my understanding of neurodiversity, trauma, and systemic barriers, not only through theory, but lived experience.
I have now worked in counselling for many years, primarily alongside marginalised communities and within the disability sector. My work continues to be grounded in dignity, identity, and creating therapeutic spaces that feel safer, culturally informed, and respectful of the whole person.
What specific areas do you primarily work within?
My motivation to become a counsellor has always been there. Growing up labelled as “disabled,” and often spending my school breaks alone in the library, I became deeply curious about people, how they think, how identity is shaped, and how systems influence our sense of self and belonging.
I first completed a Diploma of Nutrition. I was already asking questions about the connection between stress, the body, and behaviour. Studying the biopsychosocial and neurobiological links between food, mood, and the nervous system gave me an early understanding that mental health is influenced by both physiological and environmental factors. I wanted to know more.
I later completed a Bachelor of Counselling and began working in the field. While living in Germany, and raising my two neurodivergent children, one Hard of Hearing, as a single mother, I continued my professional development with a Diploma of Psychotherapy and training in EMDR therapy. Both personally and professionally, this deepened my understanding of neurodiversity, trauma, and systemic barriers, not only through theory, but lived experience.
I have now worked in counselling for many years, primarily alongside marginalised communities and within the disability sector. My work continues to be grounded in dignity, identity, and creating therapeutic spaces that feel safer, culturally informed, and respectful of the whole person.
Can you share a recent success or achievement in your counselling work that you're proud of?
I’m particularly proud of supporting Deaf clients who had previously disengaged from therapy because they felt misunderstood or burdened by having to educate their therapists. Seeing them rebuild trust, process trauma safely, and re-engage with therapy meaningfully is incredibly powerful.
On a broader level, I’m proud to be contributing to growing awareness within the profession about what culturally responsive practice truly means for Deaf clients. While interpreters are essential for access, their presence alone does not automatically make therapy culturally safe or effective. Many Deaf clients prefer direct language work with a Deaf therapist, though this model remains rare. A significant part of my work is supporting the sector to better understand that distinction.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a counsellor for you?
Watching Deaf clients begin to “understand” and make connections, that the system has failed them, they are not failing, is the most rewarding part of my work. Many are navigating complex identity journeys between Deaf and hearing worlds, often while carrying both past trauma and the ongoing impact of living in a predominantly hearing society. For many, trauma is not only historical, it is current, embedded in daily communication barriers, systemic exclusion, and identity strain.
Therapeutic work in this space can take time. It often involves rebuilding trust, and reconnecting clients with culturally affirming, Deaf-led supports so healing does not happen in isolation. Navigating both present and past trauma requires patience, safety, and strong therapeutic connection.
When trauma is processed in a culturally and linguistically safe way, I see clients reconnect with themselves and grow in confidence in their Deaf identity. Witnessing that shift, is deeply meaningful and why I continue this work.
How do you contribute to the betterment of the profession and your community?
This month I released a clinical guide for therapists working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients, focused not just on knowledge of culture, but on how to adapt and implement therapy in ways that are truly effective and Deaf-explicit, guided by a Deaf-Led Therapy Framework. Currently, there is very little structured training available in this area.
The 2022 Deaf Census highlighted that many Deaf clients spend valuable therapy time educating therapists about language and cultural differences. This can slow progress and add extra emotional labour for clients. My work aims to reduce that burden, helping therapists confidently deliver more adaptive, culturally responsive, and trauma informed care.
This year, I also completed my Clinical Supervision Certificate and provide professional supervision to therapists seeking to improve their work with Deaf clients. I believe that Deaf-led supervision can help to create more sustainable, accessible, and effective services.
Are there any projects or initiatives you're currently involved in?
I’m excited to be working more closely with Deaf Australia this year to improve mental health access and contribute to policy discussions that impact the Deaf community. System level advocacy is essential if we want lasting change, this is ongoing.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in counselling/psychotherapy?
If you want to work with a specific population, especially one connected to your lived experience, do your own personal work first. Seek strong supervision and mentorship.
Your lived experience is powerful, but it is still only your experience. In the Deaf community especially, we are not a homogenous group. As Tyrone Giordano beautifully said, “The deaf community is truly a microcosm of the entire world… We literally are the world, but smaller.”
Deaf people come from different cultures, countries, identities, and have vastly different language acquisition journeys.
Is there a quote or philosophy that inspires your work?
“A language is not just words. It is culture, history, and belonging.”
“The limits of my language, mean the limits of my world”
Ludwig Wittgenstein
For me, language access is foundational to mental health. Without language, there is no full expression of self.
Open question - tell anything that was not asked in the previous questions?
I believe accessibility in counselling can grow beyond compliance. Interpreters are an important part of access, yet many Deaf clients also benefit from therapists who feel confident understanding the cultural, linguistic, and trauma contexts shaping their lives.
My work sits between clinical practice and advocacy, and I hope to contribute to a profession where Deaf clients can use their therapy time for healing rather than for explaining their communication and cultural experiences. I see this as a shared journey, supporting colleagues to feel more equipped, and strengthening culturally and linguistically responsive care across our field.