Vanessa is a Registered Counsellor who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families. She offers a trauma focused, dynamic, and informative counselling approach and is passionate about:

·        Working with families from all backgrounds being able to access counselling services which are inclusive and respectful,

·         Promoting the natural strengths and advocating for the rights of each member of the family, 

·         Treating the “whole person” and to do so working closely with the systems in which a family interacts with, including their larger social community with the aim of continuity, assessing treatment goals and effective outcomes,

·         Strengthening the family unit and

·         Providing a dynamic, hands-on, informative approach tailored for every family’s unique needs.

When working with Christian clients, Vanessa combines the application of biblical truth with evidence-based psychological practice. Vanessa offers a holistic counselling approach with a strong emphasis on empowering the client and their family through psychoeducation and strengthening child and caregiver attachment and the family unit. Her approach also involves helping children and young people to develop healthy self-esteem (including identifying strengths, values, and motivations to change i.e., family traditions, beliefs and rituals), self-compassion, resilience, and skills needed in everyday life, identifying and working through challenges that may influence mental, social or physical wellbeing, normalising worry, and other challenges and assisting children and young people with evidence-based psychological tools to manage and combat these.

Vanessa’s qualifications include a post-graduate degree (Master) of Community Counselling and a Bachelor degree in Counselling. Vanessa has trained with Lifeline and is a qualified Crisis Support Worker. She has a certification in Mental Health First Aid from MHFA Australia, and training in Suicide Intervention from ASIST.

Phone: 0458 548 165