Natalie is a warm, experienced and engaging practitioner. She is passionate and experienced in her work children, adolescents, adults, couples and families.

Natalie is available for Vidoe or Phone sessions only until the end of June.

A letter from Natalie:

My overall aim is to support you to identify you main goals or concerns, recognize the barriers that impede positive changes, develop your strengths and successfully apply skills to reach a healthy resolution. Therapy is tailored to each individual, couple or family using a broad range of therapeutic interventions. Throughout the therapeutic process I will support you to practice skills within the session and ask that you practice these outside of the session in a verbal, written or physiological format. I specialize in family and couple therapy, child centered play therapy, co-morbid mental health and drug, sleep disorders, anxiety, alcohol problems and trauma.

Some people, couples or families attend for brief therapy that usually entails six sessions or less whilst others need to see me for ongoing consultations throughout their lifetime. At various times you may wish to cease treatment and return at a later date depending on your situation, experiences and circumstances.

Family Work

My extensive experience working with families, couples and significant others coupled with a Post Graduate Diploma in Family and Systemic Therapy (FST) Qualification utilizing a curious and neutral stance allows me to objectively explore the interaction patterns between family members and couples experiencing marital, sibling and family discord and separation. A positive and lasting change in family and couple dynamics is achieved by supporting families and couples to recognize the different beliefs, behaviours, communication styles and repetitive solutions that may have become ineffective and contribute to a sense of frustration and stuckness. Family and relationship counselling usually occurs on a fortnightly or monthly basis that enables people to reflect on ideas and apply solutions over a period to time. The number of sessions is dependent on the presenting concerns and their complexities and can range between 6 to 20 appointments per year.

Trauma/Significant Stress

The experience of trauma or significant stressful events on children, adolescence and adults can be devastating on one’s ability to cope with daily life. There may be a chronic sense of helplessness, panic or anxiety that persists despite your efforts to manage the symptoms. These experiences can be linked via the neural network of images, thoughts and emotions associated with single or multiple trauma’s and can be triggered when experiencing similar situations or events. EMDR together with mindful CBT and ACT techniques provides a highly recommended evidence based treatment for the resolution of these experiences. Trained in EMDR part 1 and 2 and EMDR treatments for children I work with you to map and process the interplay of emotion, core beliefs or thoughts and triggering events/experiences whilst supporting you to apply effective coping and management skills for distress. Resolution for children and singular trauma events can occur within 3 consultations whilst clients’ experiencing multiple distressing events or traumas’ can take much longer.

Children aged 2 to 10

For children within the 2 to 10 age range I follow the 8 principles of Child Centered Play Therapy an evidence based treatment and the philosophy that every child has an innate ability to express their innermost feelings, thoughts and challenges; to learn to modulate their feelings and behaviours; develop a positive sense of self; problem solve solutions and improve resilience in even the most challenging of situations. Continuity and consistency is important for children to feel safe and heal therefore sessions usually occur on a weekly basis at the same time for 45 minutes each. The number of sessions is dependent on the nature and severity of the presenting problem/s ranging from 6 weekly consultations to weekly sessions over a period of up to 2 years.

Sleep disorders

I hold an Australian Psychological Society practice certificate in sleep psychology enabling me to effectively help both children and adults with disordered sleep, through the assessment and management of common sleep disorders.

Toward the end of your journey with me I will support you to develop a plan that will help you to stay on track and maintain the positive changes you have made.