My journey as a Nature-Based Somatic Trauma Counsellor began in 2009 after studying with Somatic based equine therapy practitioners both in Australia and overseas. My focus was initially centered on the early years of development, facilitating sessions for teens and young adults who were disengaged from school and employment. Impaired mental health was a major factor for these clients.
In 2012 I commenced a 3-year Advanced Diploma in Transpersonal Counselling whilst continuing to work within my equine therapy practice. In 2015 I graduated and continued my work as an equine therapist with clients who had long-term mental health barriers, a majority of whom had been impacted by trauma. I was keen to specialise more with trauma clients as I observed its significant prevalence throughout western society. The secondary symptoms many clients were presenting with were trauma related. I enrolled in 3 years of training with Somatic Experiencing International and became a qualified SE Practitioner in 2022.
Early in my SE training in 2020 I was approached by local community members to travel with my team of therapy horses to north Victoria (Gippsland) and South East New South Wales, Australia, following a horrific 2020 bushfire season which ravaged the Australian landscape and rural communities within it. Our nature-based trauma therapy was well received by individuals and communities. The NSW Minister for Mental Health, the Hon. Bronwyn Taylor , MLC and the Community Enterprise Foundation are continuing to support a 5-year 'STABLE – Bushfire Trauma Relief Project’. The project continues to gain momentum almost three years after its inception.
I still run my private practice from my Ballarat base in Central Victoria and offer both face-to-face and Telehealth sessions.
I am extremely passionate about trauma treatment and believe the suffering inflicted on people who have a trauma diagnosis can be healed with appropriate trauma treatment and intervention. Somatic Experiencing trauma treatment is a stream of trauma therapy that I completely invested in. I am proud to be qualified in this area of therapy and being part of as it ‘just works’ when it comes to healing trauma clients.
I am affiliated with the 'Restorative Practices Alliance' – a global trans-disciplinary community and movement founded by Natureza Gabriel Kram, co-founder of the academy of applied Social Medicine and Dr Stephen Porges, PhD, honorary chair of Neurophysiology. I am a licensee of the 'Restorative Practices' clinical treatment platform which I offer to a select group of clients as an additional therapeutic support in between therapy sessions. The platform is very much in alignment with my scope of practice around somatic trauma treatment , polyvagal theory , community and nature-based connections.
Credentials: Adv. Dip. Transpersonal Counselling, SEP (Somatic Experiencing Practitioner)
Certifications:Certified Restorative Practices Alliance Curator
Works remotely? I see clients both remotely and face-to-face, where I work with them with our horses on my farm in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
Initial Session: 15 minutes, complementary
Session Structure: Sessions of 60-90 minutes, $150 per session.
For whom will this be a good fit?I am passionate about working with people who have experienced trauma and are seeking to recover their sense of wholeness. I have worked with adolescents, and many people in the wake of shock trauma/ natural disasters.
Approach:I am interested in listening to the story your body is carrying, and work with horses, who are innately extremely sensitive to relational energies to help people recover their experience of safety.