Counselling Services

Ballarat Art Therapies offers Counselling and Critical Incident Debriefing.

Talking with a trusted friend or family member has value, however, it may have limitations and can be problematic. Talking with a therapist will give you confidentiality, objectivity, tools to help with cognitive processing and evidence based tools to help you make changes. 

It is very important to find a therapist that you resonate with.

We can help you to navigate your problems in a positive way, exploring your options and ideas, developing strategies and increasing self-awareness as you gain clarity on the issues you are facing. 

For some people, just the process of telling their story to a therapist, and being listened to and heard, in a safe and supported space, is helpful. 

Ballarat Art Therapies offers talking-based therapy in addition to other services, acknowledging that expressive therapies are not for everyone.

People come into therapy for a variety of reasons and may need a single session or long-term support. You may just need to hear your thoughts spoken aloud, have the therapist act as an objective sounding board who will affirm and validate emotional experiences, and assist at times of change.
Or you may need to work on a deeper psychosomatic level depending on your needs.

I hold a psychologically safe space and help guide your process.

I focus on the person, not the problem, and support people to understand internal motives and drives, to better understand themselves.

My counselling approach is always person-centered, and I tailor sessions to meet each client’s individual needs. I draw from a variety of methods and frameworks including: trauma-informed practices, Compassionate Inquiry (Gabor Maté), mindfulness, CBT, ACT, and the use of metaphor and symbolic language.

Ballarat Art Therapies understands that after a traumatic event, supporting a person’s mental wellbeing is important.

I work with individuals, couples, families, and workplaces, holding a caring, safe, and supportive space to address the effects of the critical incident that has occurred.

I understand that there are different stages to recovering from a critical incident and offer support through each of these stages — whether for an individual or a group.

I’m able to offer in-person, online, or outreach (where I come to you) services.

I acknowledge that the impact of a critical incident is unique to each person, and that past trauma or existing vulnerabilities can be triggered by the event. This can make healing more complex and may require a longer or adjusted approach. I am able to hold space for both the critical incident and any past trauma, supporting you to work through both.

People who have experienced a critical incident don't heal in isolation — they need support from their community or workplace, and I can help with this.