A safe place to work through what matters most.
Whether you come on your own, as a couple, or as a family, counselling with me is a calm, supportive and non-judgemental space. We go at your pace, and we work on what you want to change.
Life rarely gives us time to stop and make sense of things. Relationships strain, worries pile up, old hurts resurface, and it can feel like you're carrying it all without a clear way forward. Counselling is the chance to slow down, be heard properly, and find your footing again.
I've worked as a counsellor and family therapist for more than twenty-five years. In that time I've learned that people are far stronger and more resourceful than they feel in their hardest moments. My job is to help you see that, and to give you practical, workable ways forward.
When you and your partner have lost the thread.
Most couples don't drift apart because they stopped caring. They drift because the day-to-day gets in the way, and the conversations that matter get harder to have.
Couples and marriage counselling gives you both a place to be honest without it turning into another argument. We slow the conversation down, make room for each person to be heard, and look at the patterns that keep you stuck.
Couples often come to me around things like:
Whatever's brought you to this point, coming in together is a strong first step, not a sign of failure.
Working with the whole family, not just one person.
When one person in a family is struggling, everyone feels it. Family therapy treats the family as a whole, so we can understand how each person's worries, roles and reactions fit together, and how small changes in one place can ease the pressure everywhere.
I work with families through all sorts of moments: a teenager who's withdrawn or in conflict, separation and blended families, grief and loss, illness, or simply a household where everyone feels they're walking on eggshells. The goal isn't to find someone to blame. It's to help you communicate, rebuild trust, and feel like a team again.
Being heard
Everyone gets a real turn, including the people who usually go quiet. A calm room makes honest conversation possible.
Understanding the pattern
We look at what keeps repeating, so the same argument stops happening in the same way.
A way forward
You leave with practical, agreed steps, not just insight. Small, doable changes that add up.
You don't need a crisis to come in.
People often wait far longer than they need to. If any of these feel familiar, a conversation is worth having, sooner rather than later:
- The same argument keeps coming back and never resolves.
- You feel more like housemates, or more alone, than you'd like.
- A worry or low mood is starting to shape your days.
- Grief, change or a hard event is still sitting heavily.
- You simply want a steady, neutral person to think things through with.
How sessions work
Sessions are one-to-one, as a couple, or as a family, in person at Minmi on the western edge of Newcastle, or online if that suits you better. We'll find a rhythm that fits your life rather than a fixed program.
Medicare & rebates
As an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, some clients may be eligible for a Medicare rebate with a referral and a Mental Health Treatment Plan from their GP. Ask me and I'll talk you through how it works.
Reaching out is often the hardest part. The rest we take gently, together.
Tell me a little about what is going on. There is no pressure and no obligation, and I read every enquiry myself before replying.
Or phone 0419 697 018 · Minmi, NSW