Psychotherapy & Counselling

Connected Self are committed to working with young people and adults to support their therapeutic needs. We offer individual and family psychotherapy and counselling as another modality to respond to the mental health and wellbeing needs of young people, and adults. Our psychotherapists and counsellors bring significant experience and qualifications to their roles in a range of contexts.

We understand the importance of supporting young people in the context of their family. Families are often a critical source of support and can assist in building the resilience of young people while they navigate life’s challenges. We also understand that families go through challenging times and family counselling supports families to communicate effectively and to foster sustainable and constructive relationships between family members.

Meet Our Psychotherapists

Chris Brouwer

Psychotherapist

Tristan Avella-O'Brien

Somatic Psychotherapist

How to access Psychotherapy & Counselling

For more information please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly reception team on (08) 8232 2438 or info@connectedself.com.au to discuss these options.

Polyvagal Practices

Polyvagal practices aim to enhance physiological regulation, restore a sense of safety, and promote engagement through autonomic nervous system regulation.

This enhances social and emotional learning, including recognising and regulating emotions (from a physiological lens) and developing empathy for others.

This will close in 0 seconds

PACE

Developed as part of attachment-focused family therapy, PACE is a trauma-informed approach aiming to create safe, trusting, emotionally connected relationships with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma or attachment difficulties. PACE stands for:

Playfulness

  • Approaching with an open, ready, calm, relaxed and engaged attitude.
  • Not taking yourself/situations too seriously.
  • Diffusing difficult/tense situations.

Acceptance

  • Unconditionally accepting the current state/mood/behaviour.
  • Accepting that there are things unseen that lie below behaviour.
  • Acceptance supports feeling secure, safe and loved

Curiosity

  • Understanding the child gently and without judgement.
  • Supporting child to bring awareness to their inner life.
  • Wondering statements.

Empathy

  • A sense of compassion and understanding for young person’s feelings and thoughts.

This will close in 0 seconds

Expression of experience when words are not enough

Art Therapy does not rely on verbal language. It is a therapeutic approach that provides many different mediums for communication. It is a useful mechanism when clients may not yet have the language to express their experiences.

This will close in 0 seconds

Contain difficult feelings and build tolerance

Art making holds or contains the difficult feelings allowing them to be felt and experienced gradually – building tolerance to discomfort.

This will close in 0 seconds