A little about me...

Hi!

My name is Sophie, my pronouns are she/her, and I am a mental health therapist.

To the young person:

I work with young people to support with their mental health, emotional wellbeing, and coping with stressful life events. I aim to make our therapy sessions a time and space where you feel relaxed and safe, for us to work together on things that are most important to you. Whilst sometimes our conversations may be emotionally hard, other times we may find ourselves laughing and having fun.

There are many ways we can explore and support your emotions. Sometimes this might look like sitting and talking. But, other times this might include doing things such as taking a walk and being in nature, using art and creativity, using a whiteboard to map things out, practicing different coping skills, and so much more. Sometimes if people haven’t been to a therapist before, they worry they won’t know what to say or how to express themselves clearly, this is normal and common. These are skills you can learn, and I also have lots of ideas about how to help you through this. Therapy is not a solo project, its something we will walk through together, maybe with your parents, family or other important people as well.

To the parent/professional:

I am a Mental Health Occupational Therapist and psychotherapist. I am skilled, trained and experienced in supporting people with their mental health, having done so through my career of over 15 years. I am endorsed by Medicare to provide psychological interventions with clients (meaning I can provide care under a Mental Health Care Plan). I have worked in various government and not-for-profit organizations focusing on social-emotional development and mental health. I also have further training in specific mental health therapies (most notably narrative therapy, trauma-informed practice, creative arts therapies, family and systemic therapy, and CBT). This includes a Graduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapies at Murdoch University. I also was a yoga and mindfulness teacher for a number of years which also informs my work.

As an Occupational Therapist, I look at mental health through the lens of how it impacts what people need and want to do in life, and how people can create a life rich in meaning and purpose that supports wellbeing. This might include daily living like self-care, being at school or work, hobbies etc. It also involves looking at values, interests, and what is most motivating in life. I see that exploring these themes as a teenager can be deeply transformative and supportive, as their main developmental task is to explore, challenge, and consolidate their sense of identity.

A little more about occupational therapy:

Occupational therapy is a broad profession, and sometimes people are not aware that this includes mental health. However, the practice of occupational therapy originated in mental health. In its most basic form, occupational therapy is about helping people move towards what they want and need to do in life.

Occupational therapy aims to facilitate an individual's sense of meaning, purpose, and wellbeing, through examining and using factors connected with:

• people themselves (e.g. thinking patterns, beliefs, values, coping strategies),

• their environment (e.g. relationships, social factors, friends, family, school/work/study environment),

• plus their activities and life roles (e.g. being a student, family member, sports team member, employee etc.).

This can be applied to many different challenges, problems and presentations experienced by clients (e.g. anxiety, depression, life-stage transitions, self-esteem, relationship/social difficulties, identity and so on).

If what I have shared here resonates with you, please contact me! I look forward to connecting with you soon.