Louise Dunne she/her
I grew up in England and did my initial training there before moving to Australia twelve years ago. I completed a Degree in Psychology and then a Masters in Social Work at Hull University. I must enjoy studying because I then went on to complete a Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Australian College of Psychology (ACAP), Sydney in 2019.
From the beginning I have enjoyed most the relational part of my work, getting to know a person, building trust and working together on whatever goal the person has brought with them. I spent the first five years as a social worker in a variety of jobs learning and building on my skills and knowledge and working out the areas of work I enjoyed most. Working as a crisis mental health worker and on an Early Intervention Psychosis team in Manchester, UK, showed me how much I enjoyed working with complex mental health as well as having a keen interest in addiction. This has become one of my key areas of focus and expertise. I moved to Australia in 2010 and began working in a mental health unit before spending some time working as a drug and alcohol counsellor in the local Drug Court team. For the last seven years I have been working in sexual health as a specialist counsellor which has also become a passion.
I specialise in working with addiction, gender and sexuality, complex mental health, attachment, and trauma. My style of counselling is strengths-based delivered in a gentle and non-confrontational manner. I use a holistic trauma-informed approach to combine different techniques drawing on Mindfulness Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (MiCBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Relational Psychotherapy, Parts Work and EMDR. I am passionate about creating a safe and comfortable environment where people can talk freely about their situation.
I have taught in the Social Work and Counselling courses at the University of Newcastle and ACAP in Sydney and I thoroughly enjoy providing clinical supervision to other health care professionals both locally and in Regional NSW. I started out in private practice in 2018 and am registered with Medicare as a Mental Health Social Worker as well as being a registered counsellor with Victims of Crime.
I am available on Mondays or Tuesdays via phone or zoom only.