ACCREDITED MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORKER

I am an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and the founder of Hunter Valley Children’s Therapies. I have over 20 years of experience in working with children and young people who have experiences of trauma, abuse and neglect, those with mental health challenges and children with special needs and disabilities. I am neurodivergent (ADHD) and I have a particular interest in working alongside neurodivergent children, young people and women.

I’m love being able to offer people the experience of counselling and therapy in nature and alongside animals. I utilise a range of evidence-based approaches, with a particular focus on being able to offer Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and EMDR.

I’m passionate about helping people experience safe relationships, to celebrate the amazing qualities that make them unique and empower them to be their authentic self.

I’m so grateful that we can welcome people of all ages to our beautiful farm, on the precious land of the Wonnarua people, where they can experience therapy that is ethical, accessible, client-centred, professional, creative and most of all …. FUN!

Along with working directly with clients, I also offer a range of professional development opportunities for other practitioners including training, supervision and consultation.

You can learn more here

COUNSELLER | EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPIST

I am a qualified Counsellor, certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapy practitioner, Life Coach and Personal Trainer with a passion for helping people connect their bodies and minds with what lights them up.

I love to support my clients to feel confident, capable and excited about life, and help them work towards achieving their goals.

I have a particular interest in working with women and girls around the areas of self esteem, self worth and embracing their own uniqueness.

I have worked across many industries including the disability sector where I specifically focused on improving the health and wellbeing of clients. I love working with clients in a nature-based setting because it offers an alternative to room-based counselling and opens up the chance to work alongside a herd of therapy horses and ponies where appropriate. Working with horses can provide a unique perspective and feedback to clients that a human therapist cannot offer alone. I utilise evidence based approaches to my counselling practice and incorporate experiential learning based opportunities.

My intention is to support my clients to feel empowered and to build a ‘tool box’ of skills they can use to get through challenging times in life

ART THERAPIST

I have been a practicing artist in Newcastle NSW for the past 20 years. I have exhibited in many group and solo shows, teaching and facilitating community art programs and workshops, as well as engagement in numerous public art projects.

I am an immense believer in art and creativity, as a means of self-exploration, expansion and wellness. I find it an honourable experience to help guide others to this awareness, through her creations and teachings. 

We are all innately creative beings, though sometimes our creativity can become stuck or stifled or simply forgotten about on our life’s journey. As we are able to understand this and become aware that the creative and expressive arts can be used to enhance our lives, we are more easily able to tap back into self, into community and into nature. Creativity has the ability to bridge gaps in many ways- socially, biologically, emotionally and spiritually- delivering healing in the shape of enjoyment, fulfilment and shared experiences. Art and creativity helps guide community back together and individuals back to self and pure potentiality.’

I have an Advanced Diploma in Fine Art and Certificate in Art Therapy and am currently furthering my studies in Art Therapy and Counselling. I have a range of experience and expertise in supporting clients with disabilities and those with mental health challenges.

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

I am the person who works behind the scenes. I will answer your phone calls, email enquiries, and do my best to help you wherever possible.

Having worked with GP’s, Psychologists, Mental Health Social Workers and Occupational Therapists, for the past 15 years. I am passionate about connecting clients with great therapists.

I feel lucky to be part of the team here at Hunter Valley Children’s Therapies.

When I am not working, I love to spend time with my family and pets:

Smoke and Knighty, my horses. Finn and Frankie, my dogs.

Gertie, Gertie, Gertie (yes three I cannot tell apart) Spotty, Dotty, Astrid, April, Bertha and Bessie, my chickens.

Baz and Shirl, my Black Masked Love Birds and Blue Fish, my Siamese Fighting Fish.