Hi, I’m Anna, Counsellor, Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapist, Coach & Author
After experiencing an accident at 10 years old, I shifted from being an outgoing, adventurous and energetic child, to feeling disconnected and at constant war with my body and mind.
Without having the proper support, guidance and tools available at the time, this led to a chaotic journey through young adulthood, leaving me exhausted and frustrated with myself and the system that I couldn’t seem to fit into.
I found myself angry and increasingly taking more risks by 18, and through a quirk of fate, overheard a conversation about mixed martial arts. For some reason, the idea of punching and releasing all that tension seemed intriguing. The next day I found a gym, and joined a Muay Thai class. Even with every fibre of my being screaming in pain from the physical exertion, I felt alive.
My journey to where I am now was not linear, after starting many university degrees, I left and pursued Muay Thai, and found myself in a training camp in Singapore for a fight. One day, exploring a bookstore in between training sessions, I came by chance upon a book [Acid Test by Tom Shroder], which changed my perspective on how I was approaching my mental health. This was the paradigm shift I needed.
I returned to Australia and pursued a university degree in science (psychology) at RMIT, but found that I was frustrated by the same system that I had worked my way through for 13 years and found no relief from the suffocating experience of anxiety and depression. I knew I wanted better for myself, but I also wanted something greater.
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Reconnecting Body,
and mind
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My intense curiosity and passion for more integrative approaches that fell outside the box, was further fuelled by a guest lecturer, who spoke on the gut-brain connection.
I started to shift the way in which I nurture my body, and for the first time, I started to experience a different feeling than the heavy exhaustion that had long covered me.
That moment in time, the gift of feeling something other than what had become so normalised opened up the door for deeper exploration into how the body and the mind are intrinsically connected, and how they can be used in synergy to support transformative change.
After finishing my university studies, I went on to work with offenders, which expanded an inkling I had, that trauma, mental health & behavioural expression – were not (in many cases) just a cognitive process, there was a deeper driving force that pushed individuals in certain directions, both good and bad, healthy and unhealthy.
At the same time, I furthered my studies of counselling at Monash University whilst I continued to work with vulnerable offenders within the community, but in every moment of my spare time, was voraciously learning & practicing and integrating every ounce of knowledge that I could find to further support my own healing journey and in turn, support those that I was working with.
Although I had finished graduate studies, I felt like there was so much that I had experimented with and found helpful that was not shared within these spaces. Movement, release, gut health, these had been pieces of my puzzle.
Stepping away from traditional talk therapy spaces, I found somatic and bodywork approaches, Polyvagal Theory, breath work and felt like I had finally found a home within my body and within a space in which allowed individuals to approach mental health issues like anxiety, from an integrative perspective.
Choosing to walk a path less travelled has allowed me to connect & integrate an approach in my work that honours the individual as whole and multifaceted, not designed for a standardised, one size fits all approach.
My journey whilst difficult and winding, has brought me to this point, in which I am honoured to support clients to step into a space in which uniqueness and wholeness is championed, always.
Through this complex connection between the body & mind, you can tap into intuitive spaces to reclaim and expand feelings of safety and connection to self.
Leading with your nervous system gives you functional, tactile and effective resources to navigate emotional challenges and life in a space that is anchored and grounded within.
Credentials & Education
BACHELOR OF APPLIED SCIENCE (PSYCHOLOGY)
GRADUATE DIPLOMA OF COUNSELLING
CERTIFIED CLINICAL ANXIETY TREATMENT PROFESSIONAL (CCTAP)
CERTIFIED HEALTH AND NUTRITION COACH
CERTIFICATE IN SOMATIC EMBODIMENT AND SELF -REGULATION
INTEGRATIVE SOMATIC TRAUMA THERAPY CERTIFICATE
CERTIFIED BREATHWORK TEACHER INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS & COUPLES
CERTIFICATE IN TREATING TRAUMA AND ADDICTION WITH THE FELT SENSE POLYVAGAL MODEL
AUTHOR OF THE VAGUS NERVE RESET