Trauma Support Providers

Professional Biography

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

Client Types

• Adult
• LGBTIQ