Psychologist, Psychotherapist
Professional Background
Since graduating with Honours from her Psychology degree in 1991, Michelle has accumulated more than 25-years experience working professionally as a counsellor, psychologist, psychotherapist, organisational facilitator, executive coach, speaker, writer and life coach.
She is an experienced therapist who has assisted adults and teens in overcoming trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, addictions, burnout, bullying, eating issues and other challenges. She loves helping people develop a strong mindset, resilience, self-confidence, self-compassion, clear goals, and a stronger connection to their ‘spiritual’ path. She especially connects with individuals who may be highly-sensitive and/or perfectionist, and she is sensitive to issues of culture, race, gender and sexual orientation.
Over the course of her career, Michelle has advised countless individuals, couples, teams, business owners and organisations. She has operated successful counselling/coaching practices in Brisbane, Byron Bay and Moreton Bay for more than 15 years. Prior to that she worked for organisations such as Queensland Police, Queensland Health. Queensland AIDS Council and Kids Help Line. She has appeared on local radio, T.V, and in printed publications, including as a regular mental-health columnist.
Michelle works in partnership with you. She will help you define what matters most to you, and explore and clarify the changes you want to create in your life. Michelle will support you to figure out what’s getting in the way, whether that’s mindset, emotional blocks, practical challenges, a skills deficit or other troubling symptoms. She will then work with you to create a plan for dealing with those challenges, so that you can keep your life moving in a direction that is meaningful and fulfilling for you.
Michelle sees her role as ‘supportive, professional guide’ - someone who can walk alongside you, assist and guide you, and who can share her broad knowledge-base, experience and expertise with you, whenever necessary, to keep you moving forward. She knows that you have expertise, experience and knowledge, and she will help to draw out your strengths and develop new skills to ensure that you can confidently move forward and manage life’s challenges. She is genuine, caring and likes to make therapy engaging, positive and fun (wherever possible).
Michelle’s practice is guided by evidence-based approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solutions-Focussed Therapy (SFT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
Qualifications
- AHPRA Registered Psychologist
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)
- Grad Dip Social Science (Counselling)
- Certificate of Process Oriented Psychology
- Advanced Certificate in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
- Yoga Teacher Trainer Certificate
- Certified Results Coach
Professional Associations / Achievements / Awards
- Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
- Member, Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAP)
- Member, International Coaching Federation (ICF)
- Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (AACBT)