I have been working as a psychotherapist for over 30yrs in a variety of agencies (sexual assault services, rape crisis services, victims of crime support services & women's health services) and private practice (11yrs in Sydney & 6yrs in Canberra). I have specialised in working with people who have histories of complex trauma, and trauma in adulthood. I also have expertise working with people adjusting to the demands of parenthood and/or wanting to process birth trauma, and those who struggle with PTSD following a single event trauma. Given the compelling research on the short and long-term effects of trauma and how it is held in the body I have pursued comprehensive training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) with the SP Institute, USA. I have also completed formal intensive training in Internal Family Systems (IFS Institute, USA) and Self-Psychology (ANZAP) both of which support my deep understanding of the unmet developmental needs resulting from trauma in childhood, and which offer effective ways of managing and transforming the same.
My ongoing dedication to supporting people’s recovery from complex trauma has its origins in the outset of my career as a psychotherapist in which people would present with the challenging legacies of childhood trauma including difficulty with trust in relationships, avoidance of intimacy, substance use, eating disorders, self-harming behaviours, suicidal ideation and workaholism. For many people these remained isolated behaviours by which the person had come to be defined by themselves and others. It is my professional experience that once people start to understand these survival resources through the lens of their abuse they can begin to walk the path toward self-trust and self-compassion. My commitment to attending ongoing evidence-based training is reflected in the range of therapeutic approaches I offer and I would welcome your questions about the same. Safety, pacing and the offer of choice are the principles of trauma-informed care which underpin all my work.
I am committed to ongoing mindful reflection of how my white privilege impacts on others. My professional work is informed by anti-oppression, and racial & social equity and justice.
I have lived and worked in Australia and overseas. I grew up in Sydney and later relocated to Canberra inspired by its proximity to nature and all that this has to offer. I have a passion for outdoor adventures and a lived experience of the benefits of movement and exercise on my own sense of well-being. I am a long-standing practitioner of yoga and an accredited mainstream yoga teacher. Combining my commitment to helping people to heal from trauma and my passion for yoga I have also obtained accreditation as a Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator (TCTSY-F), a yoga method developed by David Emerson & Dr Bessel van der Kolk of the Boston Trauma Centre for people with complex trauma histories.