Therapeutic Approaches

Alison provides face to face, phone and online counselling.

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Counselling often looks different for each person, and can also differ depending on the reason(s) you have sought counselling. There are a few fundamental trauma-informed underpinnings that Alison follows:

• listening to your concerns, needs and expectations,

• acknowledging your strengths, acts of resistance, agency and courage

• acknowledging you are the expert in your own safety

• joining you on a desire for change - sometimes leading the way, sometimes not,

• sharing clinical knowledge and experience

• allowing you a space to express your fears, worries and concerns,

• talking at your pace - not pressuring you into talking

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Adolescent counselling can vary from structured formal talking to more diverse and flexible sessions including art, games, or the use of tech. Style and approach often depends on the adolescent and the issue. It is common that adults (parents or carers) are included in sessions.

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Alison has engaged in training in a range of therapies and approaches including: Narrative therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Alison's therapeutic foundation is deeply embedded in a trauma-informed perspective and response-based practice. Alison understands the importance of establishing a safe, non-judgmental space for people and building a strong counselling relationship as the basis for therapeutic work.

 

Alison is a member of the AASW (Australian Association Social Workers) and Alison's work reflects the traditional social work theories of systems theory, crisis intervention, anti-oppressive practice, psychosocial development theory and social learning theory.