Trauma Support Providers

I have over 20 years of experience supporting people impacted by complex trauma through both private practice and a range of specialist organisations. Throughout my career, I have worked as a trauma counsellor with Lifeline Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Helpline, NSW Rape Crisis Centre, Weave Women and Children's Centre, Blue Knot Foundation, Knowmore Legal Service, CatholicCare, Victims Services NSW and Victims Support ACT.
My approach is strengths-based, creative, and trauma-informed. I deeply value people's capacity to find adaptive ways of surviving and navigating difficult experiences, often in the face of significant adversity. I feel privileged to work alongside those I support and continually inspired by their resilience, courage, and capacity for growth.

The principles of trauma-informed care underpin all aspects of my practice. I understand that establishing safety—both internally and externally—often takes time, as does building trust within the therapeutic relationship. Counselling is a collaborative process, with all aspects of our work negotiated together to maximise choice, foster self-understanding, and support empowerment.

My experience has been in assisting adults who have survived childhood trauma, sexual assault, domestic and family violence, institutional abuse, complex PTSD, and victim-survivors of crime.

I am mindful that many survivors have experienced misunderstanding, mistreatment, or further harm from the systems and people around them. My aim is to offer a therapeutic relationship that is safe, respectful, compassionate, and affirming, while supporting people to make sense of their experiences and move towards healing and recovery.

Alongside my counselling work, I remain committed to ongoing professional learning and staying informed about emerging approaches to working with complex trauma. I have delivered training in Trauma-Informed Care and Practice for Blue Knot Foundation and taught at the Australian College of Applied Psychology.
Counselling sessions are available via Zoom, telephone, and email.

Jennifer is passionate about working with people from all walks of life to help them create a more vital, rich, full and meaningful life. In this work, Jennifer uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which is a modern, science-based psychotherapy. Simple, effective and proven skills help you feel better and LIVE better.
Jennifer has a special interest in chronic pain & illness, Hoarding Disorder and using neurofeedback to optimise brainwaves for living well. Children, adolescents and their families as well as adults struggling with a range of life challenges benefit from therapy with Jennifer. Her approach is trans-diagnostic – anxiety, depression, PTSD, eating disorders, pain & other health issues, personality disorders and more serious mental illness – all are welcome.

I am a Clinical Social Worker/Psychotherapist. I received my Masters from Melbourne University and have completed advanced training in Mindfulness, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. My approach is person-centred and evidence-based. I use an eclectic and engaging approach with adults and children based on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Mindfulness. I offer a range of therapeutic interventions including:
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Mindfulness
• Social skills training
• Problem-solving
• Anger management/emotional regulation
• Play Therapy
• Stress management
• Parenting skills
• Interpersonal therapy
• Group work
• Psychoeducation
• Relaxation strategies

I have 12 years of counselling experience and I run my own counselling practise in St Kilda. I also work across 10 schools in the South East region of Melbourne. Schools utilise my specialist skills for children and families who require extra supports to thrive at home and school.

Area of Focus:

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Developmental disorders
Emotional abuse
Family Therapy
Intellectual Disabilities
Learning Disabilities
LGBTI issues
Life Coaching
Panic Disorders
Parenting
Pastoral care
Personal Development
Personality disorders
Psychotherapy
Relaxation training

Modalities:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Positive Psychology
Psychotherapy
Solution-Focused Therapy

Patient Focus:

Children
Teenagers
Adults

Languages Spoken:

English
Russian

Services:

Group Sessions
Home Visits
Online consultations
School Visits

Education:

Batchelor of Arts (Melbourne University). Postgraduate Master Degree in Clinical Social Work (Melbourne University)
Accreditations

Advanced training in Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Certifications

Advanced training in Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Jim Chapman began working as a psychologist in 1981 has very broad experience helping people with a wide range of anxiety, depression, grief, work-related stress, compounded life stresses, motivation, goal achievement and planning. He is particularly interested in assisting people with pain management and coping with health issues. He has also worked with people from a range of cultures in Australia and overseas and is deeply committed to supporting members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

His practice over the past 40 years has included community psychology and organisational psychology and training as well as face to face clinical, counselling and psychotherapy. His training includes many modes of therapy including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Gestalt, Eriksonian hynotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Psychological Pharmacology and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). Most recently he has worked in Employee Assistance Programs, enterprise training in Mental Health at Work and Peer Support Training and provided psychological services for mining and other large and medium sized agencies and companies throughout the Hunter region of NSW. This includes Critical Incident Counselling and on-site staff training for emergency and critical events. He has also worked as a contractor providing counselling for the Open Arms program (formerly VVCS), which provides counselling and therapy for Servicemen and women and veterans of Australia's armed forces.

Many of these roles involve intensive and thorough therapy for the serious impacts of trauma including symptoms such as PTSD, grief, dissociation and moral injury.

I have been providing counselling sessions for over 18 years in my own Allied Health Practice, and have extensive experience of approx. 10 years in sexual assault crisis care/counselling, as a result of my role at Centre Against Sexual Assault in Melbourne, and previous listing on the ASCA Website for referrals to my practice.
I currently work from counselling rooms in Geelong and also offer video/telephone sessions for survivors of trauma.

Dr Josie McSkimming is a clinical social worker and psychotherapist with more than 35 years experience. She is fully accredited with the AASW as a mental health social worker and with the Clinical College of Social Work. She has also been approved as an ‘interim counsellor’ with Victims’ Services, Department of Justice, NSW. She has been practising and teaching narrative therapy since 1991, and is currently an adjunct lecturer at the University of NSW in Sydney within the Masters of Social Work (Counselling) course. She has worked in a variety of settings including hospital social work, post-adoption, drug and alcohol treatment and mental health. She has been in private practice since 2000, and currently provides psychotherapy to individuals, couples and families. She is also a clinical supervisor for many individuals and teams working within the government and non-government sectors.
She has undertaken considerable professional development over the last 10 years in working with people who have experienced complex trauma, and also teaches in Trauma at a university level. She considers that the core problems to be addressed in counselling in regard to trauma are: affect dysregulation, structural dissociation, somatic dysregulation, impaired self-development and disorganised attachment. These are most likely to remain the foundation for clinicians working with survivors of complex trauma, regardless of the specific diagnosis or assessment and treatment methodologies in use. Her main learnings have come from the research of Judy Herman, Bessel van der Kolk, John Briere, Michael White, Alan Wade, Babette Rothschild and Janina Fisher. She also maintains that the politics of practice is paramount in trauma work, recognising that violence is principally a male issue and is shored up by predominant social discourses of patriarchy and heteronormative dominance. She is therefore also informed by ‘response-based therapy’ (Alan Wade) and narrative-based trauma therapy (Michael White), which considers people’s responses and resistances to trauma, as well as the effects and ongoing impact. What is also significant is that she has published a book (‘Leaving Christian Fundamentalism and the Reconstruction of Identity’, 2017, Routledge) and several journal articles describing the nature of power within church communities, and other high-demand microcultures. Within her practice, she has met with many clients who have experienced the ongoing effects of abuse within church institutions, referred by professional standards units within several denominations. She not only offers counselling but also consultation to interested parties regarding the nature of power and control within religious organisations. She has spoken on radio and television about her personal and professional experience, and is regarded as having considerable professional expertise in this area.

I have worked with children and adults who have experienced abuse and violence since 1992. This work included working with children who had experienced sexual abuse, parents of children who were sexually abused and adults who experienced abuse as children. I have also worked in family violence in refuges and in therapeutic settings with groups and individuals. Change Futures is situated in a quiet residential area and our staff and facilities are warm and welcoming.
Change Futures partners with an indigenous agency and works extensively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families; with refugees who have experienced torture and trauma; with children and families in the child protection system.

As a Registered Psychologist and mindfulness practitioner, I am passionate about working with individuals to help them identify strengths and coping strategies, heal from past and present difficulties, and live a life that feels rich, meaningful and happy. I work closely with my clients to build a supportive professional relationship, and use a holistic approach that is guided by evidence-based psychology techniques.

For over 20 years I have enjoyed working with a wide variety of clients from the general public, the multicultural community, emergency services and military personnel. I have specialised training in working with people facing a wide range of challenges, including:

Anxiety
Depression
Trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder and sexual abuse
Pain management
Grief and loss
Substance abuse
Relationship difficulties

My first priority is to create a therapeutic environment in which you feel safe and supported to express and explore your concerns. We will work together to identify and clarify your goals and priorities, and determine the best ways for you to move forwards. You can be assured of being treated non-judgmentally at all times, and with warmth, respect and acceptance. We will regularly review your progress to make sure we’re heading in the direction you want to be.

I look forward to working with you to help you achieve your goals.

Karen has over 18 years experience providing support, assessment and psychotherapy services to a wide range of individuals including those with autism and intellectual disability. She has a strong person-centred approach and utilises a range of evidence-based therapies to assist clients to overcome difficulties and improve their well-being. Karen has a particular interest in the following areas: anxiety, trauma, PTSD, depression, ADHD (adults and children), self-esteem issues, dementia/memory disorders, autism spectrum disorder , disability (intellectual, physical), chronic pain and health conditions, workplace issues, school/work bullying issues and adjusting to major life changes. Karen is a certified EMDR practitioner. Karen works with children and adults of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

I am a Clinical Psychologist specialising in Trauma. My theoretical approach is based on the standard three phases of trauma therapy using the framework of EMDR therapy. I also interweave ACT, CBT and Schema therapy. This area of focus has been a particular interest for the last three years. An extension of this work is working with Complex trauma using IFS (Internal family Systems) and includes working with dissociative states / experiences and addictions. My focus is the empowerment of the client to draw on their own inner wisdom and resources to become fully engaged with life in the way that they choose to be.