If you think back to your childhood, I bet you’ll find that your most painful memories are burned into the core of your being, no matter how much time has passed. 10, 20 or 50 years later you still feel the pain of the past. Even if the memories aren’t clear in your mind, your body is now expressing the emotional pain that is locked within.
Perhaps you’ve gone on in life and chosen to look the other way, for to look into the pain in your heart feels too overwhelming. Perhaps, you can’t understand why things still affect you, and it’s easier to pretend they don’t. Or perhaps, you’ve become so used to living this way, to imagine living any other way seems out of reach.
In this process you’ve built a wall around your yourself, it was supposed to protect you from ever being hurt again. In reality this wall has trapped you, has closed down your heart and stopped you from experiencing your authentic and true self. The self that can embrace love, trust people and feel the happiness that is your birthright.


If you think back to your childhood, I bet you’ll find that your most painful memories are burned into the core of your being, no matter how much time has passed. 10, 20 or 50 years later you still feel the pain of the past. Even if the memories aren’t clear in your mind, your body is now expressing the emotional pain that is locked within.
Perhaps you’ve gone on in life and chosen to look the other way, for to look into the pain in your heart feels too overwhelming. Perhaps, you can’t understand why things still affect you, and it’s easier to pretend they don’t. Or perhaps, you’ve become so used to living this way, to imagine living any other way seems out of reach.
In this process you’ve built a wall around your yourself, it was supposed to protect you from ever being hurt again. In reality this wall has trapped you, has closed down your heart and stopped you from experiencing your authentic and true self. The self that can embrace love, trust people and feel the happiness that is your birthright.

Even though time isn’t the greatest healer, we do have something more powerful than time.

Within us lives the innate capacity for healing,
awakening and growth.

As women we are wired for working through emotional pain and traumas of the heart. The wounds of our heart become a gateway to gently enter, rather than a problem to solve. Our trauma work becomes our deep soul work as we find our inner resources, strengths, authenticity and unique gifts.
Every woman needs to find her ‘soul space’, so she can attend to her wounds in a tender, new and creative way. And Every woman must ask herself “what is the cost of not tending to this soul space?”.

A Judgement Free Space

I will provide a confidential, safe, compassionate and
judgement free space

I will treat you with genuine care and commit to supporting you by providing you with tools, skills, resources and insights to support you to release your past and awaken your heart.

Hi, I’m Carissa

Want to get a better sense of my energy and how I work? Watch this video.

Here’s one of my client’s experiences

“Carissa patiently listened, really listened to what I was sharing. Through her gentle, kind and genuine caring manner, my trust in her was gained; trust that had been previously violated. I was able to gradually release fears, misconceptions, overwhelming emotional traumas and deep seated grief from within me. Events and secrets that were affecting me which I had never shared with anyone else. I always departed our time of counselling with something real, of substance, practical and effective in assisting me on my progressive pathway of recovery and a hope for a better future and life worth living.”

How we can work together

I am flexible with how we meet for our sessions as long as you are comfortable. We can chat in person at my clinic in Bundaberg Central, or we can talk via Skype or on the phone if you are not in the area or prefer the security of your own home.

Session & package options

I offer single Psychotherapy sessions or a 6-session Psychotherapy package. For those looking for deeper healing and growth, I also offer a 9-month Sacred Embodiment package consisting of 18 sessions.

Which therapy package should I choose?

If you’re a new client, you may wish to book in a single session to start with so you can make sure I’m the right person to support your healing and growth. If you feel you want to continue, you will get the best value by booking a package of sessions. If you are ready, you can go ahead and book a session or your preferred package in the links below.

I usually recommend fortnightly sessions and sticking with a consistent time that suits you. This way, booking a 6-session Counselling/Psychotherapy pack would give you support over 12 weeks. This is a gentle way to begin entering into therapeutic work or for those who have something very specific they want to work through in a short space of time.

For women looking for longer and deeper work, the Sacred Embodiment Healing Package pack provides 9 months of my support. Working together over a longer period will help shift some of the ingrained patterns that you may have been living with for a long time.

How long are the sessions?

Individual sessions are for 1 hr.

6-session package – 1 hr per session.

Sacred Embodiment healing package – 1 hr per session.

 Are private sessions not quite what you are looking for?

Group therapy and healing may be a more suitable way to get the support you need. Find out more about my programs here.

If you are a professional working in community services, I can also assist you with supervision and mentoring to help you clarify and resolve issues presented by your own clients or workplace. Contact me for more information.


Our first session together is about getting to know each other. The main focus of this session is on safety and trust — the 2 main tenets that a therapeutic relationship is built on. I understand it can be anxiety provoking attending your first session and for a lot of women this is a really big step to reach out and receive support. Just this step alone is courageous. You can share as much or as little as you like in your first session, it’s important to me that you feel comfortable and safe.


Our first session together is about getting to know each other. The main focus of this session is on safety and trust — the 2 main tenets that a therapeutic relationship is built on. I understand it can be anxiety provoking attending your first session and for a lot of women this is a really big step to reach out and receive support. Just this step alone is courageous. You can share as much or as little as you like in your first session, its important to me that you feel comfortable and safe.

Here’s what we will be exploring in this first session

  • What has brought you here today? What are you struggling with that you would like to work towards overcoming?
  • What are your goals? How do you hope to feel? What would you like your life to look like?
  • We will then discuss what we can realistically achieve for you in a certain amount of sessions and work out the best package for you.

I will take some history but only enough that is comfortable for you to share. We will explore your inner and outer resources and supports, all the things that have helped you through. I will share with you how I work and you are encouraged to ask me any questions.
If you only want to do a one off session we will move through your history and issues a bit quicker so you can get some actionable guidance. But ideally it is best to have more than one session so we can actually look at the problem holistically and make lasting change. So I really encourage you to see this session as a stepping stone and testing the waters with the view of developing a longer relationship together.

Here’s what we will be exploring in this first session

  • What has brought you here today? What are you struggling with that you would like to work towards overcoming?
  • What are your goals? How do you hope to feel? What would you like your life to look like?
  • We will then discuss what we can realistically achieve for you in a certain amount of sessions and work out the best package for you.

I will take some history but only enough that is comfortable for you to share. We will explore your inner and outer resources and supports, all the things that have helped you through. I will share with you how I work and you are encouraged to ask me any questions.
If you only want to do a one off session we will move through your history and issues a bit quicker so you can get some actionable guidance. But ideally it is best to have more than one session so we can actually look at the problem holistically and make lasting change. So I really encourage you to see this session as a stepping stone and testing the waters with the view of developing a longer relationship together.

What additional sessions are like:

All sessions are tailored to your unique needs and will be designed around your specific goals for therapy. There will be times of talking and also quiet times where you will have the opportunity to learn to listen inward to your body’s wisdom. Trauma touch work, a gentle method of supporting the body to release trauma through touch may be offered when appropriate for your support. Tools and resources are offered should you want actionable skills to practise out of session.

All your sessions will be built on the foundation that within you is the innate ability to heal and grow. Together we will harness this ability to move you towards inner freedom from your struggles.  And together we will listen deeply for what is arising in you to be seen, heard and healed.

Years of training have provided me with a wide array of tools and resources to support women in their healing journey. I have combined my years of experience and knowledge and created the Somatic Awakening MethodTM.  To find out more about  the Somatic Awakening method and how I work go here.

I am committed to working with you effectively and efficiently to create the long-term emotional, physical, mental and spiritual changes that you need, want and desire.

How you can work with me

If you want to make sure I can help you with your unique needs, why not book in a complimentary 10-minute clarity call to make sure.

I’d love to speak to you about how I can help.

My approach combines

Gestalt Therapy

Somatic Experiencing

Mindful Self-Compassion

Family Constellations

Embodiment Arts

Therapeutic Touchwork 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are you located?
The location of the practice is Room 16B, Enterprise Building, Corner of Quay and Tantitha Street, Bundaberg.
What’s the difference between counselling and Psychotherapy?
Counselling addresses specific issues or concerns that an individual is currently facing and is often short term in nature where we explore feelings around recent events and how you’ve tried to manage or cope.
Psychotherapy is generally a longer-term process that focuses on the self where we explore issues of personal meaning. Psychotherapy works on a deeper level of self-understanding and helps you to better manage core issues that underlie persistent or recurring problems in your life.
There can be considerable overlap between counselling and psychotherapy.
When can I expect to get an appointment and what if I can’t make my appointment and need to reschedule or cancel?
I aim to attend to any immediate personal crisis. However it’s usually 2-3 weeks before an appointment is available for new clients.
As there’s a high demand for my services, I ask my clients to give me 24 to 48 hours notice to reschedule or cancel their appointment.
How is my personal information kept private?
All sessions are confidential and all counselling records are kept in a locked cabinet and destroyed after 7 years.
Do you offer reduced fees for therapy sessions?
Unfortunately, because I am a private practitioner and not funded by any other means I don’t offer reduced fees. However, I am happy to speak with you regarding your needs and suggest your local non-profit organisation, which offers no cost or reduced fees.
I need couple counselling, can you help with this?
No. I can however recommend Wide Bay Counselling and Psychotherapy for a couples counselling service. Please go to www.widebaycounselling.com.au.
Can my husband or children access this service?
I created this site for working specifically with women, especially those who are recovering from trauma and abuse. That being said, Yes! I do work with men in my private practice and you can find out more at: www.widebaycounselling.com.au, you will also find services here for young people.
Can I get a Medicare or health fund rebate?
Unfortunately I don’t offer Medicare rebates. However, I keep fees to a minimum so my rates are competitive to what you’d expect the gap from a psychologist to be.
Please check your health fund to see if they cover psychotherapy services.
Medibank private insurers are eligible to get rebates. Please check your policy.