“You can’t untie a knot until you’ve found the knot.”

 I offer a safe and supportive space where you can explore your inner world. 

I value:

Jiggle that knee, flap those hands, rock around the clock, rub your feet together, pick the lint off your cardigan, fidget with your own or one of my sensory toys, or any other repetitive body movements that help you feel grounded in your body.

Look at me as little or as much as you are naturally inclined to do. I appreciate that it can be easier to listen and/or respond when you're looking down or out the window. You do you!

Do you find it more comfortable to sit cross-legged on the floor, rather than on a couch? Do you prefer to walk around your house during a telehealth session, rather than stay seated at an office desk? Do you like to change positions frequently? Go for it!

I know my concentration can be impacted by background noises, bright lights, and feeling too warm. If anything is bugging you (in my rooms or in a telehealth consult), don't be afraid to speak up and we can trouble-shoot together.  It's important to advocate for sensory sensitivities. Wear your comfy clothes but please wear some form of top (otherwise on telehealth - you might appear naked). 

Have you booked a face-to-face session but wake up that morning feeling like you're a bit unwell or "peopled-out" and would prefer to minimise your interactions with the community for a day? Is there a weather event and it's too hard to adjust your regular travel plans? No trouble. Email admin to say you'd prefer to swap to a telehealth consult (which can be just a phone call in some circumstances) and locate your telehealth session link in the appointment confirmation email. 

Have you tried therapy before and felt 'gaslit' by CBT or struggled to identify and regulate your emotions through a standardised DBT protocol? Have you tried group therapy and felt overwhelmed trying to figure out how to participate whilst 'fitting in' with the group dynamic? Have you tried Schema Therapy but had a hard time visualising memories from your childhood or learning to shift flexibility between coping modes (or other form of 'parts work')? It's not you, it's us. It's important to me to tailor evidence-based therapies to your individual needs and unique neurotype. I will regularly invite you to give feedback on what seems to be working and not working well in our sessions, so we can adjust our plan as we go. Giving feedback might sound daunting, but I will scaffold this for you if you're uncomfortable. It's such a vital skill for ND folk to build.

Do you prefer to express yourself primarily through direct, literal language? Do you like to skip the small talk and get on with the agenda? I respect that. Do you like to 'think out loud' and create a colourful and convoluted tapestry of loosely connected thoughts and feelings and experiences? I'm here for that, too (see this interesting article on Concluders vs. Weavers). Do you like to express ideas through written words, drawing pictures, or quoting your fave TV show? Amazing! I am naturally more on the verbose side and use quite overt hand gestures and body language. Many of my clients have told me that they can clearly read my facial expressions before I verbally express an opinion. My body language is a form of self-regulatory behaviour as it allows me to be exceptionally present in my body and in the therapeutic interaction. I also love a good Ven diagram to summarise complex ideas, but I have to try not to over-think my colour choices using my Faber-Castell Connector-Pens. Again, I'll seek your input on your preferred methods of communication and learning and I will try to work with your style. 

I know how frustrating it can be visiting your GP or a specialist and they're not running on time. It's a hassle to re-organise your plans for the day, especially if you have work to get back to, kids to collect from school etc. My brain works best when my day is neatly scheduled and I have prepared for your session in advance. You can expect me to start your session on time and go for 50-60 minutes. If you also like to work this way, we will start our session by setting a rough agenda of what we hope to achieve in our time together and I will do my best to monitor the time and our progress according to our priorities. If you prefer a less structured approach, that's okay too, but I will still maintain responsibility for time management. It is very rare that I have to cancel a day due to illness, but it happens to everyone!

Your first session is sometimes called an 'intake' appointment. I will ask you questions to get a broad overview of your life story and circumstances, and funnel this down to more specific reasons / goals you have for connecting with me at this point in time. I may ask you questions about your upbringing, family of origin, schooling, cultural factors, relationship status and history, social network, previous mental health diagnoses and treatments, physical wellbeing, parenting status, job and career etc. It's okay if you don't feel comfortable discussing certain parts of your life or identity. Hopefully by the end of the session we will have a plan for how I can best support you moving forwards. I will check you have further sessions scheduled or put you in touch with my lovely admin. All billing and Medicare rebates are processed automatically through my clinical software, so we rarely need to talk about money (but feel free to!)