Clover Counselling Services

Life can be challenging for all of us at times, and sometimes we feel like it's more than we can manage. At times like this it can be useful to talk to someone outside our family and friends - someone who can offer a safe space to explore our thoughts and feelings, and perhaps develop new perspectives. 

People seek counselling for a range of reasons throughout their life. These could include:

• Lack of satisfaction with relationships at school, work, or home
• Overcoming mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, or PTSD 
• Difficulties coping with overwhelming emotions such as grief, loss, sadness, anger, or blame
• Coming to terms with life changes such as transitions into and out of relationships, parenting responsibilities, or work or study
• Navigating conflict with those close to them
• Seeking help to identify what isn’t working in their lives and how to change this 
• Wanting an impartial, non-judgmental person to talk to about their life.

Whether you need counselling is something that only you can determine. However if you feel like you're not getting the support you need from the other people in your life, or you'd like someone independent to talk to, counselling might help. 

My full list of qualifications is: BA(Hons), BSc(Hons), GradDipPsych, MCouns.

This means I did a Bachelor of Arts (in politics and philosophy) with an additional research year in politics, then a Graduate Diploma of Psychology (a three-year program where I just studied psychology). After my graduate diploma I did an additional training year in psychology before completing a Master of Counselling, which is an accredited counselling training program.

I am dedicated to providing a warm, empathetic, and non-judgmental space for individuals to explore their feelings and challenges. I support individuals to navigate life's difficulties, foster personal growth and facilitate positive change drawing on their own strengths and skills.  

I am a certified practicing counsellor with PACFA, one of the two accreditation bodies for counselling in Australia. 

There are many different approaches to counselling, each of which focuses on different aspects of personal growth and healing.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. 
• Person-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy, unconditional positive regard, and the belief that clients have the inner resources to grow and heal. 
• Psychodynamic Therapy explores unconscious patterns and past experiences to understand present behaviors. 
• Gestalt Therapy focuses on present feelings and experiences, encouraging self-awareness and personal responsibility. 
• Solution-Focused Therapy is goal-oriented, aiming to find practical solutions to specific problems. 
• Mindfulness-Based Therapy encourages being present and aware of thoughts and emotions to reduce stress and anxiety. 
•  Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps clients accept difficult emotions and commit to behaviors aligned with their values, fostering psychological flexibility.  

Each approach offers unique tools to support individuals in addressing their specific challenges and improving their well-being. Like many therapists, I use Eclectic Therapy or Integrative Therapy. This approach combines techniques and strategies from various schools of thought, utilising tools and ideas that are tailored to what is most appropriate for the client. The goal is to provide a flexible and personalised approach to therapy.

Counsellor: A counsellor may have a degree in any one of a person-focused field like psychology, counselling, or social work. We focus on providing support and assistance in managing life's challenges, typically using talk therapies like those listed under "what approach do you use?" above. We are not trained to diagnose any mental health or developmental conditions, but we might refer you to a psychologist if we think investigating a possible diagnosis might be useful for you. 

Psychologist: A psychologist will have completed a four-year undergraduate degree followed by a higher degree qualification like a masters or PhD. Like counsellors, psychologists treat mental health issues through talk therapy, however they are also trained to administer and interpret diagnostic tests and undertake diagnostic assessments. Becoming a psychologist in Australia takes a minimum of six years. 

Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor, the same as your GP, surgeon, paediatrician etc. In Australia, a psychiatrist will have done at least 5 years of study at university followed by general training in a hospital, then undertaken the psychiatry specialisation training program which takes several more years. Becoming a psychiatrist in Australia requires at least 10 years of training, and often takes longer than this. A psychiatrist can do all the things counsellor and psychologists do, but they can also prescribe medication and may administer some forms of medical therapy such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).

• Counselling is for weak or crazy people.

Counselling is for anyone who needs a supportive and non-judgmental place to explore, understand, and manage the challenges that they're experiencing.  According to the  Australian Bureau of Statistics' National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, in 2020-2022 there were about 4.3 million Australian adults (aged 16-85) who sought help from a health professional for their mental health. This represents around 22% of the population, and means that in any group of five adults, chances are at least one of them will have sought help for their mental health. 

• Counsellors will solve my problems for me.

A good, ethical counsellor won't tell you what to do. Our job is to help you to explore your situation, and where action is required to support you to take the best course of action for you.  The goal of counselling is to support you to develop skills and strategies that will allow you to eventually cease counselling and manage life's challenges on your own.  

• All counselling is common sense.

Different people may come to counselling with similar problems which have very different causes. Counsellors are trained to elicit information and help people understand the source and nature of their problems, and thus to help people identify and pursue the best path forward for them. 

• The counselling room will have a couch on it that I have to lie down on.

There is a particular type of therapy called psychoanalysis where patients traditionally lie down on a sofa facing away from their therapist. However most counsellors have regular comfortable chairs facing each other. I tend to favour big comfy chairs with lots of cushions, although access to these depends on where I'm working.

The number of sessions required varies. Some people will only need 1-2 sessions while others may need support for much longer.

what to expect

how much it costs

I'll be open to accept clients from July 2025. Once appointments open, you can book an appointment with Clover Counselling Services by emailing me at the address above, or by by filling out the contact form below.