Finding my place in the world
My journey to becoming a counsellor
As a teenager, I struggled to understand myself and find my place in the world. It wasn’t until I was in my early twenties where I found myself going from one difficult relationship to another that I began questioning my life and yearning for something different. In my mid-twenties, I found myself with a new baby and struggling to find a sense of hope for the future, as I was again in another difficult relationship. I knew I wanted something different for my daughter.
I had no sense of hope for the future. My support network around me during this time of suffering and great distress was quite small. My parents helped by taking my daughter and I into their home, but I needed therapeutic support. I serendipitously came across an amazing therapist who gave me my first taste of tuning into my inner-self. This set me on the course of discovering what I wanted for myself and my life, and for my daughter.
There was something quite specific about the relationship I developed with my therapist that supported me – being with someone so caring, non-judgemental and fully present allowed me to go deep within myself. I was filled with so much self-doubt and insecurity. I had so many questions around my identity and about my place in this world. Once I started the journey, I found some really beautiful places inside me, and I made a rich connection with myself, developing a deep awareness and wisdom, which brought me clarity.
From that moment, I became passionate about the path to personal growth and personal development and the possibility that by attending to our inner world, we can make the changes and create the life we want. Doing this inner work allowed me to create the life that I want and that I have right now. And because I found the support I needed to set me on this journey, I knew right away that I wanted to give something back and make the same kind of support available to other women.
As a counsellor, I know there’s so much more available to women other than what they know – the suffering, distress or difficulties of the situation they’re in. I also know that we have the ability to move through and beyond traumatic experiences – we’re not stuck with our situation. We can find a way through. I am an example of this.
I love my counselling work. I have amazing and deep conversations that I can see have been impactful for the other person. I’m also in awe at the courage it takes for people to show up when they feel so much discomfort and distress.
I like working with people who have tried different types of therapy well without success. I offer something different to mainstream psychology. People feel safe with me and healing doesn’t start until you start to feel safe.
At the time I saw my first therapist, I was studying nutrition and naturopathy and working through the counselling subjects. I felt right at home in the emotional and psychological world. I chose to continue studying counselling and studied psychotherapy for four years. I have not stopped studying since, even when I worked with a counselling agency for 11 years. I currently have one year of study left in specialised trauma study.
I have found my home in the body-centred and somatic therapy world as I have seen some of the profound changes it has had on some of my clients. I will continue to deepen my journey into somatic trauma therapy.
Sacred She is my soul’s calling. It is my soul’s work to support women on their awakening journey – suffering can lead to awakening and we can use difficult issues and struggles as fuel for that awakening process. And you don’t need to be in crisis to receive counselling and learn how to go to a deeper level within yourself.
Wounds that still exist because we have not had a chance to release them or work through them inhibits our capacity to live. Once we work through the wounds and old traumas, there’s an expansion that happens. I want to help women find this sacred place.