Imagine your relationship is a car, and it’s been a while since your last oil change.  You’ve noticed some strange noises coming from the engine that you haven’t heard before and a warning light appears on your dashboard. The air … Continued

Anger management is a learned skill, when anger gets out of control, it can lead to problems and make you feel like you’re at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion. Anger is a basic human emotion, and we’ve … Continued

At different times in our lives we may need the assistance of a professional to help us resolve difficulties. We all encounter stressful and challenging life events such as relationship breakdown, family and work-related problems, illness or bereavement, to name … Continued

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN RELATIONSHIPS: Effective communication in relationships is a learnt skill that can be modified and enhanced throughout our lives. It is influenced by a persons beliefs, culture and thoughts. It is easy to consider Communication skills to be … Continued

Life events such as separation or divorce can have a big impact on your child’s emotions and behaviour.  Your child may be anxious and clingy or perhaps withdrawn and sad.  They may be anxious about going to school or struggling … Continued

How Common are Transgender Children? The true prevalence of transgender children is unknown as there are few population-based research studies, but given the numbers now coming forward, figures as high as one in 500 are being suggested. Dr Michelle Telfer, … Continued

Marriage Counselling When problems develop in a relationship, it can be the cause of great distress. Most of us wish to have committed and fulfilling relationships and the breaking down of an important relationship can create feelings of anger, sadness, … Continued

Positive, healthy and fulfilling relationships form the basis for a happy life. Most of us consider our intimate relationships with our partners to be integral to our sense of fulfilment, contentment and wellbeing. A committed, loving and stable relationship provides … Continued

Are you separating from your partner? Separation and relationship breakdown can be one of the most difficult times in your life. A time when you need support as well as information and practical advice. What do I do now? What … Continued

Managing Stress Stress is an omnipresent force in our everyday lives, and it is the body’s way of responding to challenge in our environment.  It is something that is part of normal life, and is experienced by everyone from time … Continued

This information sheet is provided by courtesy of the Gender Centre. The Gender Centre is in NSW and is an organisation funded by the NSW Government. Gendered interaction between adults and children begins as soon as the sex of a … Continued

It’s real and it’s not going away on it’s own.

Helping teens to develop their strengths Helping teens to develop their strengths and awareness of their positive attributes can create a basis for parents to re-connect lovingly with their child. Knowing their own personal strengths helps people of all ages- including … Continued

Taking on the responsibility of caring for your loved one may be challenging, but it also represents deep compassion, love, and selflessness. People with dementia from conditions such as Alzheimer’s and related diseases have a neurodegenerative disorder that makes it … Continued

Narcissism is a disorder in which a person has an inflated sense of self-importance, and is most often associated with arrogant, conceited, and domineering attitudes and behaviours. Narcissism is the human experience of feeling important, needing admiration and attention, and … Continued

Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological condition that changes the way a person thinks and functions over time. It is characterised by problems in thinking, learning, memory and judgment. Alzheimer’s disease is often diagnosed in the mild dementia … Continued

Life can be a balancing act for any adult, but if you find yourself constantly late and disorganised, overly distracted and forgetful, and overwhelmed by your responsibilities, you may have adult ADHD. Attention deficit disorder impacts many adults, and its … Continued

Anxiety in the workplace affects our capacity to do our work and our relationships at work. Anxiety affects over 2 million Australians. On average one in three women and one in five men experience anxiety in their life. Anxiety may … Continued

Becoming a parent for the first time involves the greatest physical, emotional and social upheaval that most women will ever experience. In fact women are more likely to be affected by anxiety and depressive disorders during pregnancy and after childbirth … Continued

Transgender is a term for people whose gender identity, expression or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth. It is a broad term that encompasses a range of gender identities and experiences. It might be … Continued

What is Body Image and Mindful Eating? Body Image refers to the way we think and feel about, and see our body. Our body image can be influenced by our own beliefs but also the beliefs of our friends, family … Continued

Bullying in the Workplace Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed at a person or group of people by an employer, co-worker or other individual(s) at work that creates a risk to health and safety. It is a risk … Continued

A Well Attached Child Is Secure Circle of Security Parenting educates parents on healthy attachment; what it is, why it is important and how to achieve it. This style of parenting was developed by Kent Hoffman, Glen Cooper and Bert … Continued

Making Career Choices Life choices can create an exciting and meaningful time in a person’s life. Making these choices can also be confusing, complicated and frustrating. This article is written for those who are looking to take their first step … Continued

What is change about? Change is an ongoing process essential to life and living. Our body has the capacity to respond to change on a moment to moment basis. For example, our heart rate changes to meet our biological needs. … Continued

The couple is surely one of the archetypal patterns of human relationships. All human societies appear to have long term adult pair-bonding of one kind or another. Yet the maintenance of a healthy couple bond over time is perhaps one … Continued

Children are amazing people. They are growing and developing at an incredible pace, taking in information, filtering, integrating and learning. Early in life, children’s neural networks are growing rapidly, and connections are being made at a phenomenal rate. In the … Continued

In my years as a therapist, I have worked in a number of environments – doctor’s surgeries, youth centres, training facilities, and private practices. The spaces provided to work have ranged from ugly and depressing, through utilitarian and plain, to … Continued

At times of great change, uncertainty and crisis it easy to slide into a preoccupation with what has been lost, and what challenges may lie ahead. The mind swiftly moves into fear and seeks out potential danger; a natural and … Continued

Guilt is an emotional state where we experience conflict at having done something that we believe we should not have done (or conversely, having not done something we believe we should have done). This can give rise to a feeling … Continued

Dieting has become common and normalised in our society with many of us having an unhealthy or disordered relationship with food. Studies indicate that up to 82% of the population is ‘sometimes’ or ‘very often’ on a diet. Our culture … Continued

Infidelity – Discovering your Partner has been Unfaithful How to deal with Infidelity in a relationships is not a simple task and there is no quick fix for emotional pain and betrayal of trust.  Discovering your partner has been unfaithful … Continued

While every child will at times be inattentive, hyperactive or impulsive, the difference with children who have ADHD is that these symptoms will be overabundant, happen in all settings and be severe enough and persistent enough to interfere with their … Continued

How Early Childhood Attachments Shape our Adult Relationships This information sheet may be of interest to the following people: Adult children of alcoholics/drug addicts Adults who experienced childhood sexual abuse Mothers with Postnatal Depression Parents experiencing difficulty bonding to their … Continued

What are eating disorders? An eating disorder is an illness that causes serious disturbances to your everyday diet, such as eating extremely small amounts of food or severely overeating or binge eating. A person with an eating disorder may have … Continued

Counselling for FIFO (Fly In Fly Out) Couples & Families What has become commonly known as the Fly In Fly Out Lifestyle is being lived by thousands of families across Australia with some workers flying from as far north as … Continued

Hardship and challenge are quintessential parts of the human experience, yet suffering is more optional. The turbulent times in our lives are an invitation to lift our consciousness, make choices about our perceptions and be the alchemist of our life. … Continued

This article looks at what boundaries are, the role they play in development of self, relationships and families and thinking about boundaries as a tool for managing children’s behaviour. Setting Healthy Boundaries with Your Child or Adolescent Below are common … Continued

“All I could think about was food. Even when I became aware that my scrabbling in the dirt after raw vegetables and wild plants had become an obsession, I found it terribly difficult to free myself. I had been seduced … Continued

WHAT IS INSOMNIA Insomnia or difficulty in sleeping affects many of us at different times in our lives. The reasons for insomnia developing are often transient (such as lifestyle and/or behavioural changes or a crisis) but may also result from … Continued

Is social anxiety just another name for being really shy? Almost everyone gets a little anxious or embarrassed in front of other people now and then, though some of us are more shy than others. Although there is some discomfort, … Continued

A miscarriage is a significant loss for a couple, particularly as it is commonly unexpected, thereby causing shock, trauma and loss. These are all issues difficult to deal with individually, and as a couple. Each partner might react differently to … Continued

Mentoring is the opportunity to work confidentially with an experienced role model (mentor) who is able to listen, provide guidance and help build self confidence for an employee (mentee) in their career. For employers the benefits may include increased satisfaction … Continued

Improving the personal development, effectiveness, and contribution of leaders and senior executives Is your business interested in assisting high potential employees and senior executives in their career transitions – planning the transition to leadership, returning from maternity leave, or changing … Continued

“Mummy, God has made a really big mistake when making me. He was thinking girl and at the last minute made a boy.” When my son Gilli said this to me, it was the moment I truly felt the enormity … Continued

Physical and Mental Health – The Connection Between Body and Mind In western society the Physical and Mental Health connection can easily be overlooked as it is a culture of endless quick fixes and we are for the most part … Continued

What is pornography addiction? Pornography has been a part of human sexual fantasy since the dawn of time. Expression of sexual fantasy and sexual curiosity is a fundamental human desire and continues to this day. Most people in western culture normalise … Continued

What is PTSD? Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a medical/psychological condition that can occur in response to a traumatic event. Traumatic events are usually defined as unexpected, negative situations that are life threatening, or where an individual experiences a threat … Continued

Many people seek out therapy for various challenges in life. The common thread that presents itself more often than not, is an underlying quest for self-acceptance. Learning how to come to terms with our imperfections, conflicting desires, and challenging emotions, … Continued

In the past three decades we have seen a significant shift in community attitudes toward the existence of and effects of childhood sexual abuse. From the 1970’s where ignorance and denial of the problem was most prevalent to the current … Continued

Adolescence is a challenging and often confusing time for parents and adolescents alike. The period of ‘adolescence’ falls roughly between the ages of 12 to 24 years old, and during this period of development, adolescents can often be misunderstood as … Continued

Relaxation is a helpful tool for refreshing the mind and body after periods of stress. It is also extremely useful for gaining control over anxiety. Relaxation is a state of mind in which our attention is drawn away from the … Continued

Shame is a normal human emotion. It relates to the inherent ‘quality’ of oneself, our sense of self or our identity, dignity and honour. Shame manifests in behaviours such as hiding one’s eyes, turning away one’s face, blushing, avoidance behaviours, … Continued

Understanding the Mental Health Experiences of Transgender Australians There is growing body of international and Australian research that outlines the mental health experiences of transgender people. The increasing number of studies undertaken within the transgender community, particularly in the past … Continued

At some time in our lives we are likely to experience or witness an event which threatens our safety or life, or that of others around us. This could be a car accident or other serious accident, physical or sexual … Continued

The trust we so keenly desire in our relationships is one of the oldest states or capacities we humans know of. It is the ‘glue’ that enables two people to come together in a sharing partnership that is enduring. It … Continued

Everyone has bothersome worries now and again. You may worry about a problem at work or school, about money, health, relationships or a family member. People with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), however become consumed by worry. These worries are not like … Continued

How to Respond When Your Partner Won’t Attend Counselling Are you considering separation? Are you wanting to try couples counselling but your partner is reluctant to attend? The stress of relationship difficulties can sometimes result in a situation where one … Continued

You may already know that Tinnitus or ‘ringing in the ear’ has many possible causes, such as exposure to loud music or sounds, unwanted side effects to medication, or earwax blockage. For other people, there are no obvious reasons. Although … Continued

Improving the personal effectiveness and career development of women The world of work is becoming more complex and the demands on women seeking a career and family life can be considerable. Many women are balancing the demands of their working … Continued