About Counselling…
Counselling is flexible and set up to meet your needs offering:
Office based appointments in a central location on York Street. Indoor appointments can include nature-based therapy if chosen through creative arts and other modalities.
Outdoor/nature-based therapy counselling appointments.
Outreach counselling appointments. I can meet you at a space where you feel comfortable, such as a park close to home, the beach or other agency.
A limited number of online appointments available with nature-based therapy an option if chosen.
My Approach:
Trauma-informed and nervous system-aware
Relationship and attachment-focused
Strengths and values based
Mindfulness and experiential approaches that can be tailored to suit young people and/or those who have experienced trauma
Nature-based and ecotherapy-informed practices
Referrals:
Self-referrals and referrals from GP’s, schools, agencies (including NDIS) and other health professionals are welcome.
About Nature-Based Therapy…
Nature-based therapy is a holistic, evidenced informed approach that uses time in nature, with natural materials or with nature in mind, to support wellbeing and healing.
Nature-based therapy can support:
The nervous system
Emotional regulation
Attention restoration
Connection and belonging
Creativity, curiosity, and reflection
Mean-making and healing
Opportunities for movement, rest, and play
Nature-based therapy can be practiced outdoors or indoors and offers an alternative to traditional talk therapy. Being outdoors supports emotional regulation and focusing on an activity often makes talking easier than sitting face to face in a counselling room.
Nature-based therapy can make space to focus on the activity itself rather than focusing on the person and their difficulties, and to learn and practice new skills (for example emotional regulation or mindful attention).
Creative forms of nature-based therapy can be a space to express things that are hard to say in words, be a time to find joy or reset the nervous system, or to learn from what arises in the process. It’s also an opportunity to practice new skills such as attention and focus or sitting with uncomfortable feelings.
And in my view most importantly, time with nature can support healing, growth, and a sense of balance in a busy and overwhelming world.
About Me…
Hi, I’m Rachel. I’m a mother, a daughter, a sister and a wife. I am passionate about walking alongside people in their personal journey, sharing the power of nature to restore health and balance in our busy world and finding ways to combine more traditional counselling approaches with holistic counselling approaches.
I am a social worker with nearly 20 years experience, working predominately with young people. This includes counselling, groups, case management and outreach. I am currently completing my Advanced Accreditation in Nature-Based Therapy.
I have extensive experience working with complex trauma and mental health issues, and barriers to engaging with main stream systems. This includes 9 years as a youth drug and alcohol counsellor including time as a senior counsellor, facilitating groups and counselling in schools for young people disengaged from mainstream education, and case management of young women leaving Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
