Hills District Counsellor
I am a qualified and experienced counsellor working in the Hills District for over ten years. I specialise in relationships, both counselling and coaching, self-esteem, parenting guidance, teens, with a particular interest in helping individuals and teens with low self-esteem.
It is generally believed that to be an effective counsellor, it is important to have been through a therapy process yourself. Attending counselling myself as a client, I have a better understanding of myself and having experience as a client helps me to better support my clients.
I offer a supportive environment with a respectful and warm attitude to helping you explore yourself, your past experiences and your current situation. I am a fully Qualified Counsellor with majors in Relationship Counselling and Conflict Resolution as well as Child Development and Effective Parenting.
I have plenty of life experience to draw on in addition to my counselling education. I am a Mum, a partner, a friend and a person finding my way through this life. I have finished raising one of my kids (well legally he’s an adult but I’m still his guide at the moment) and still enjoying the journey of my younger children, I work, I have changed careers and overcome plenty of personal challenges along the way, fallen on my face and picked myself up. I find myself in a good space having found the right balance and ‘happy’ for me.
A large part of the success I have in helping clients is in playing a supportive role that allows clients to feel that they are not facing their problems alone. Clients frequently tell me that they feel comfortable with me as they feel I relate to their problems and ‘get them’.
Working with a counsellor that has life experience helps to promote trust and self-compassion and allows individuals to fully explore themselves and learn how to create a healthy and happy life.
The life experience I have and the struggle to overcome really low points in my own life, have made me a more effective and genuine counsellor and certainly allow me to connect with clients in similar situations. My clients identify this too and tell me that they have tried therapy previously and they find it comforting to finally speak to someone who understands and who they feel they can really relate to.
Counselling people and helping them through the difficult moments in their lives has become an incredibly rewarding role and I am grateful that people trust me enough to share their personal stories and lives for a short time with me.
Working with teens is an area that I became experienced in when my clients connected well with me and thought I would be a good fit for their teens. This area has grown for me and has become a particular interest in helping both adult and child navigate life together in a healthy and effective way.
I also love working with individuals and couples to navigate life and find a what happy looks like for them. Mums who have lost their identity through raising kids, parenting and the issues this can present in relationships and the family unit are some of my favourite sessions.
It can be really intimidating and difficult to find a counsellor. The most important part of counselling is finding a counsellor that you ‘click’ with. If you don’t feel that trust and level of comfort with your therapist, then you won’t get the best out of your counselling experience. Remember, it is your life, so work with someone that you feel comfortable with to get the changes you want.
What makes Sharon different from other counsellors?
- I am available to help you between sessions if you need the extra support (via email), at no cost. Most counselling services will not provide support outside of paid sessions.
- I help you to set clear strategies to move forward so you don’t feel that you are “just talking” and getting nowhere.
- I have the ability to connect with most teens and if needed we will take the counselling session outdoors for a walk to enable an easier way for teens to open up.
- Relationship coaching is part of the relationship work we do together, you learn tools not just talking.
- I help you to learn communication skills that are necessary for a good relationship.
- You are offered complete support in an empathetic and non-judgemental environment to explore how you can get the change you need.
- Life experience is an incredibly important aspect of being an effective counsellor. Through facing some significant challenges in my own life, I understand how low you can feel and how impossible change can seem. Through my life experiences I have learnt how to change my life to make it one that is truly fulfilling. Through my experience I am well placed to help you too.
- Counselling experience is naturally important. I have many years of experience and focus on my specialty areas which means I am very skilled at the areas I have chosen to work in.
- You will find it easy to talk freely of the problems you are experiencing. Often is is a relief to finally be able to talk to someone who really cares but will not judge or force opinions on you. Someone who ‘gets it’ and can then apply their professional knowledge to your situation to help you.
I continue to further my education in addition to attending professional supervision to maintain a high level of service for my clients.
Education and Training includes:
- Diploma of Professional Counselling
- Certificate in Relationships and Conflict Resolution
- Certificate in Effective Parenting
- Depression Training
- Conflict Resolution Training
- Working with Couples in Crisis training
- Pre-Marriage Counselling
- Teaching Anger Management Skills
- Using CBT with Depression
- Working with Parents
I also write a regular column for the Hills Independent District magazine on relationships and family issues.
Are you ready to take the first step to changing your life?
1. Click the Book Online button below to find the first available appointment and make an online booking; or
2. If you’re not ready to book an appointment, please call me on 0468 950 420 for a FREE 10-minute consultation to discuss your needs and find out how I can help you.