Trauma Support Providers

As a specialist in Trauma and Nervous system recovery with extensive cutting edge training in this area I offer counselling to clients who don’t respond to simple Cognitive Behavior Therapy due to their traumatic history.
I frequently come across severely traumatized clients with multiple trauma histories who have seen many practitioners before me. I am very confident and relaxed in guiding clients through their process with loving gentleness, understanding and professionalism and I enjoy working on a deep and lasting level.

I am an accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Somatic Experiencing and EMDR practitioner, but have also qualified in many modalities like Mindfulness, Solution Focused, Narrative and domestic violence counselling. I am constantly updating my skills in regards to general trauma, medical trauma and sexual abuse and have 23 years of experience as a therapist. I provide therapy sessions via Medicare GP referrals and am an outreach provider for the Veterans Department, Carelink and Cancer Council. I am also volunteering my time as an assistant for the 3 year Somatic Experiencing training in Perth and have regular supervision sessions.

With the right gentle support the body can be coaxed back to its natural self-regulation and balance without having to repeat the overwhelming details of the traumatic story. By observing the body’s needs, pent-up energy can safely and gradually be released. This helps build new positive neural pathways in the brain - hence enabling lasting change, removal of trauma symptoms and a movement forward.

In trauma our rational thinking brain is not connected to the rest of our brain and areas like the Broca’s (responsible articulation) break down. I am bypassing language when I use a somatic approach in therapy, reaching the reptilian part of a patient’s brain where trauma is actually stored. This in my experience is the most effective way to work with trauma survivors. I am very carefully titrating my interventions and support clients effectively to come unstuck from a fight/fligth or as often found freeze survival response.

If you are interested in finding out more about the nervous system and the latest trauma education, I refer you to the series of easy-to-read articles on my blog on my website. The field of trauma recovery is very complex and I have made a commitment to continue deepening my learning in this area.

Barbara Schmidt MAASW (Acc.)
Counselling Somatic
Trauma & Nervous System Recovery

I am a registered Mental Health Practitioner/ Counsellor in Private Practice. I believe choice is core to creating safe therapeutic spaces. Having a lived experience of, and training in trauma has helped me develop empathy, passion and understanding in the role of trauma in our lives as well as the possibilities of recovery from the effects of trauma to live life with quality, purpose and meaning.

I offer trauma informed approaches to therapy in confidential, culturally appropriate and holistic ways. My strong interest in the nature and effects of the experiences in our lives within complex systems, lends itself to my ability to adapt therapy to peoples needs.

Professional Qualifications include:
Master’s Degree in Counselling, Bachelor of Science (Nursing), Post-graduate Diploma (Mental Health Nursing), Diploma Nursing (General)
Clinical Supervision (Reflective), Advanced Clinical Hypnotherapy,
Credentialed (advanced practitioner) with Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN),
Registered Nurse with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

Interests include:
Professional - Trauma Informed Approaches; Addictions, Anxiety; Depression; Grief and Loss; Stress; Suicide Prevention; Clinical Supervision; Complex Mental Health Disorders.
Memberships - Aust. Clinical Supervision Association (ACSA); ACMHN; Mental Health Professionals Network.
Personal - people, reading, philosophy, time with family and friends as well as travel

I currently work with Living Well; a respected service for men who have experienced sexual abuse. I've worked with Living Well for for four years in total and have been registered as a psychologist since 2004. I Practice Acceptance Commitment Therapy from a trauma informed framework. If you have any questions I'm happy to discuss further via email or phone call.

I am a clinical psychologist practising since 2009. I have worked in trauma since 2012. Since 2014 I worked at the Sexual Assault support service providing Trauma informed therapy to individual clients.
I have complete training in TF-CBT, EMDR (advanced), Bessel Van Der Kolk workshop, Babette Rothchilds trauma training, Janina Fisher complex trauma training.
I practiced from a trauma informed 3 phased approach (Stabaliization, Trauma Focused, Relapse Prevention) as recommended the Australian Guidelines for the treatment of PTSD and Acute stress disorder.

I work with adolescents and adults, supporting them to heal from the past and resolve current problems. I have over 25 years experience in health and welfare fields: eg drug and alcohol, sexual assault, complex trauma, and disability services. Currently my main area of work is treating complex trauma and dissociative disorders, including DID, in survivors of childhood trauma.
As each client is unique, I work in an eclectic manner, adapting techniques to suit the individual. This includes psychodynamic therapy, Internal Family Systems, sensori-motor psychotherapy, mindfulness and art-based therapy, as well as psychoeducation, CBT, and DBT.
I work within a safe, supportive three-stage trauma-processing model. For working with dissociative disorders I utilise the framework of Structural Dissociation of the Personality and Trauma Model Therapy to inform my work. I undertake regular training and supervision in the treatment of trauma and dissociative disorders.

Charlotte Brewer has a degree in Sociology with sub-majors in Economics and Psychology, a Bachelor of Social Work, a master’s degree by major thesis on the impact of Peri-natal Depression, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management. She has done extensive training in treating trauma over the years, including some with Blue Knot.

She has been counselling for many years commencing when she worked as a rehabilitation consultant for CRS, as the manager of the mental health counselling team for the GV Division of GP’s, and in private practice for the past nearly 10 years. Since commencing in private practice the local Centre Against Sexual Assault has been referring to her. She has also worked as a mental health research fellow for the University of Melbourne, in teaching, Child and Family Welfare and in management.

Cheryl Cornelius, B.Sc App; B. Psych (Hons); D.Psych (Clinical) is Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologist and the Australian Clinical Psychologist Association and has over 15 years clinical experience.
Cheryl has specialities in the treatment of trauma related conditions ranging from single incident PTSD though to more complex presentations of personality and other disorders which are the result of repetitive child based trauma, abuse and neglect. Cheryl also specialises in anxiety and stress.
Cheryl utilises various psychological therapies including CBT and extension therapies of CBT including Compassion Focused Therapy (Prof. Paul Gilbert, UK), Schema Therapy (Dr. J. Young) and is well trained in Mindfulness strategies. Cheryl is also trained in EMDR a treatment modality recommended as a first line treatment for PTSD and a treatment for complex trauma.

Over a 30 year career Christina has developed specialist knowledge, skills and experience to be endorsed as a
- Clinical Psychologist
- Counselling Psychologist
- Educational & Developmental Psychologist
She now works with people of all ages individually, and in groups, couples, relationships and families.

Within these contexts the individual may be experiencing difficulties such as depression, anxiety, trauma or grief, difficult underlying personality traits, or a developmental or chronic health condition, or they may be experiencing stress as a resulting of caring for someone experiencing mental health issues

Treatment approaches include CBT, ACT, IPT, Psychodymanic Therapy and Skills Development.

Christina also provides Professional Supervision

I have more than a decade experience as a counsellor and psychotherapist in private practice. My method is Lacanian Psychoanalysis. By being trauma informed, I pay close attention to what people say about their suffering more than what I might assume to fit a common narrative. Although I have trained in specific grief, loss and trauma informed practices, my overarching praxis is talk therapy, psychoanalysis.

Alikki Russell has worked as a psychologist in private practice for over 10 years. Alikki has a particular interest in trauma (PTSD and Complex Developmental Trauma) and dissociation.

Alikki uses a multi-modal approach in the assessment and treatment of her clients, based on their individual needs and goals, including Trauma Model Therapy, Schema Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Neurofeedback, Body-based therapies, and elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapies (CBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Alikki is a Board Certified Neurofeedback (BCN) practitioner with the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), is a Board Approved Mentor in Neurofeedback for the BCIA-A, is on the Membership Committee of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), is a member of the Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Association of Australia (EMDRAA), an EEG Education and Research Affiliate Member, and is the co-ordinator for the Newcastle Complex Trauma Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN).