My Practice Passion

After a decade working as a school counsellor in a senior high school in Singapore, I started working in Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Specialist Services in Australia as a Trauma Counsellor before moving into private practice specializing in trauma therapy. I am passionate about trauma healing, recovery and growth especially with adults who have experienced DFV, sexual assault and complex childhood trauma. 

I weave in a number of different therapeutic modalities and approaches but my main passion (or one might even say obsession) is with the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)  as a way to help people heal from childhood trauma and attachment wounds. I also sometimes use Clinical Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or more popularly known as ‘tapping’ as a way to help people learn to regulate their own nervous system and also incorporate elements of Somatic Therapy. I approach trauma healing and recovery using the three-phase trauma framework which was first described in Judith Hermann’s seminal book on trauma and recovery (2001) and also draw inspiration from the work of Janina Fisher, Arielle Schwartz and Mark Brayne in terms of working with trauma survivors in a way that is neurobiologically sound, respectful, safe and attachment-informed. Trauma therapy is a complex and evolving field of study but ultimately, my clients are truly my best teachers, who have over the years patiently shown me what is completely unhelpful, what supports their healing and how they have survived and thrived despite the horrors of what they have experienced. 

My hope is to support you to feel safe and respected from our first interaction and listen closely to what is going to make counselling helpful and worth your while. I believe it is important to make the counselling experience a hopeful and enjoyable one – don’t be surprised if we end up laughing alot! I hope to put at ease any anxiety or hesitation you may have about the work required to heal from trauma and walk away feeling more uplifted, supported and valued for who you are and what you bring.

Clients who have experienced trauma often feel nervous about whether they are going to have to ‘tell the whole story’ which can be very frightening and re-traumatizing. I want to assure you that you do not have to tell me anything you are not comfortable with. Contemporary research in trauma has indicated that revisiting the trauma narrative before adequate grounding and stabilizing can be harmful. I am mindful that we will always go at a pace that is comfortable and feels safe for you. 

“The first goal of trauma recovery should and must be to improve the quality of your life on a daily basis “

 – Babette Rothschild

  

Areas of Expertise

Trauma Specialist Counselling | EMDR Therapy

My passion and practice specialty is in the area of trauma specialist counselling for adults who have experienced Domestic and Family Violence (DFV), sexual assault and childhood abuse/trauma. Prior to starting my own private practice, I was working as a specialist counsellor (women and children) with DFV services in Qld and NSW. Through Trauma counselling, I support women and children to regain a sense of safety, self-identity, internal locus of control and sense of autonomy. 

An important part of my practice is the use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) Therapy. I started training in EMDR in 2022 and have continued to engage in ongoing professional development and EMDR supervision to ensure that I am practicing EMDR Therapy to the highest standard. EMDR is now recognised as a gold standard treatment modality for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which most of my clients present with. I am an Accredited EMDR Practitioner with EMDR Australia Association. 

To find out more about EMDR, please visit the EMDRAA website. 

Parenting Support

I have extensive experience working with caregivers to provide practical parenting strategies and psychoeducation from a child focused, trauma-informed lens to strengthen parenting capacity and deepen attachment and bonding with the child. This is especially the case where the child has experienced family violence and the protective parent is often left feeling anxious as to how best to support the child’s psychological wellbeing. 

 

Migrant and Refugee Communities

Being from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background myself, I have a passion for supporting men and women from CALD communities especially migrant and refugee populations, victims of modern slavery and women who are victims of forced marriages. I speak Mandarin and Japanese and I am also skilled in working through an interpreter.

Accessing Services

My Qualifications

I have been practicing as a Counsellor since 2009 and have more than 10,000 hours of counselling experience with adults, adolescents and children in varied settings.

I have facilitated trauma-informed group therapy programs and interventions for women affected by DFV and also delivered community education and engagement activities with key stakeholders such as NSW/QLD Police, Department of Communities and Justice, hospital clinicians and other community partners.

I have worked with adults, children and youths from ATSI and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds over the past 13 years, being from a CALD background myself.

Education

Master of Counselling Swinburne University of Technology

EMDR Accredited Practitioner EMDR Association of Australia

attachment-informed EMDR Therapist EMDR Focus 

Master Solution-Focused Practitioner International Alliance of Solution-Focused Teaching Institutes

Licenses & certifications

Registered Level 4 member Australian Counselling Association

Registered Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator Circle of Security International

Completed Level 1 and 2 Clinical EFT Training EFT International 

The Shark Cage Group Program Facilitator Ursula Benstead Consulting

Certified dot-b Mindfulness Teacher Mindfulness in Schools Project

Yoga Teacher Training Diploma Yoga Alliance, USA, 200 hours