Family Therapist | Accredited Mental Health Social Worker

Social Work Counsellor and Family Consultant, Single Expert Witness / Family Report Writer for Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

Richard has worked as a nurse for over 40 years and has expertise in substance use and mental health. He is affiliated with the University of Newcastle and HMRI.

Hi there! I’m Maddie, I am registered Social Worker under the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and I’m currently completing a Master of Counselling through the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors (AIPC). I have an energetic, warm and empathic approach to holding space. I am passionate about helping people through life’s challenges and have a wide range of experience and interest in anxiety, depression and trauma. I use a solutions-focused framework, which means supporting you to identify your strengths to guide you to get out of situations you may constantly feel stuck in. I can also use a trauma informed framework, which creates a safe environment for you to unpack trauma you may have experienced, acknowledge how trauma may affect your life today, and support you to rebuild a sense of empowerment and control. Having a way forward can be helpful for improving your overall personal and social well-being by using compassion and care. My experience has extended from mental health, child protection, out-of-home care, and foster care. I have worked with young people with trauma backgrounds and I’m passionate about early intervention and supporting mental health. Areas of experience and interest include: - Trauma informed care - Anxiety presentations - Depression - Stress - Conflict Resolution - Decision making and goal setting - Interpersonal relationships - Self-worth - Identity (including culture, gender, sexuality, Indigenous heritage and spiritual orientation)