A Little Bit About Chrissie

I’m Chrisse, a qualified Creative & Experiential Counsellor with 20 years experience across the community services sector, which is grounded in relationality, neuro-affirming, and trauma-informed practices.

I have a particular interest in supporting individuals experiencing burnout, chronic stress, and the cumulative impacts of physical, cognitive, and emotional demands. I hold a deep understanding of how these experiences are influenced by systemic stress, including experiences of discrimination, exclusion, and limited support.

Arts Therapy offers a powerful pathway for expression, insight, and change, particularly where re-telling trauma narratives and words alone may be limiting. I integrate creative and somatic processes to support participants in healing their nervous system, building awareness, resilience, and meaningful transformation, with a touch of other counselling approaches (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution Focussed Therapy, and elements of IFS-informed parts-work).

My work is deeply shaped by my lived experience within a diverse, multicultural family, neuro-affirming parenting, and navigating my own neurodivergence. Having walked through burnout, I understand how essential it is to build a practice focused on sustainable pacing, genuine self-compassion, and authentic care. Outside of work, you’ll find me walking in nature, engaging in the arts, and spending time with my three adolescent children.

Professional Experience

Across my career, I have worked in program coordination, project and case management, and training roles, supporting individuals, families, and groups with diverse and complex needs.

My experience spans Youth and Family Services, Child Protection, Family Violence, Education, Employment Services, and Disability Support.

Working across these systems has shaped my understanding of complex individual experiences, and the broader social and cultural contexts that influence emotional wellbeing, safety, and identity.

A woman with brown hair and green eyes wearing a blue dress and a colorful necklace standing indoors.

Qualifications

Holding a Master’s in Arts Therapy, BA in Community Development, Diploma in Welfare Work (Specialisation in Counselling), and additional qualifications in Visual Arts, Training & Assessment, and Employment Services, I bring a strong interdisciplinary foundation to my Creative & Experiential Counselling practice.

Professional registrations & compliance

I am registered with Australian, New Zealand & Asian Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA), Australian Counselling Association (ACA), Psychotherapy & Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), and Community Work Australia (CWA). I hold a valid Working With Children Check, NDIS Worker Screening clearance and CPR/First Aid.

Training, accreditation & professional practice‍ ‍

I am accredited and trained to facilitate a range of evidence-informed programs and therapeutic approaches, including: Tuning into Kids, Girls with Attitude (self-awareness and self-esteem program), Adolescent Violence in the Home (AVITH) and High Risk Youth Mentoring.

I also hold additional professional development in areas including MARAM (Family Violence Framework), ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills), Non-Violent Resistance (NVR), Single Session Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Tapping, Single Session Therapy (SST), Internal Family Systems, Shark Cage (Family Violence), professional supervision, neurobiology, managing challenging behaviours, and a range of trauma-informed practice frameworks.

My ongoing professional development reflects a commitment to working safely, ethically, and responsively with people experiencing complex emotional, behavioural, and systemic challenges

Arts Therapy In Motion

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Arts Therapy In Motion *

To mask or not to mask? Part 2 For ADHD Awareness Month, let us look at the reality of navigating a world not built for nervous systems like ours. Masking often gets framed as purely negative, but for many neurodivergent people, it functions as a conscious choice or a practical survival strategy. The goal is not necessarily to burn down every boundary or force total exposure everywhere. It is about building enough flexibility into your days so that performing for others does not completely drain your energy. Real balance comes from recognising when adaptation serves you and when it begins to cost too much. When you spend hours adjusting your focus, communication, or body language to match external expectations, you need intentional intervals where zero effort is required. True support means granting yourself permission to step back, regulate, and exist without explanation. Chrissie’s Creative Therapies offers neuroaffirming creative and experiential counselling to process trauma and safely embody your authentic self. “Keeping it real” with Chrissies Creative Therapies. #ArtTherapy #SomaticHealing #Psychotherapy #TraumaInformed #MentalHealthCounselling #BurnoutRecovery #CreativeCounselling #MelbourneWest
To Mask or Not to Mask? (Part 1) In Part 1 of my ADHD Awareness Month series, I explore the subtle line between blending in and burning out. When you’ve spent decades conforming to societal standards, masking becomes so natural you don’t even notice you’re doing it; until your body and energy reserves begin to speak. Burnout happens when we suppress who we are, whether that’s our neurodivergence, our culture, our vulnerabilities, or our emotions. Check out the attachedf Part 1 reel to delve into this further, and stay tuned for Part 2 where we explore how to find balance in this experiencing. Chrissie’s Creative Therapies; neuroaffirming creative & experiential counselling to process trauma, and safely embody your authentic self.
This post is in memory of my dear adolescent participant who passed away recently. They (inc. her family) consented to posting her beautiful creative expression from one of our many 'Creative & Expressive Counselling' sessions (prior to her passi
This post is in memory of my dear adolescent participant who passed away recently. They (inc. her family) consented to posting her beautiful creative expression from one of our many 'Creative & Expressive Counselling' sessions (prior to her passing). Working alongside her continuously reminded me of how much I learn from my clients. I was moved by her courage to face challenges and her willingness to explore new ways of being; alongside her trust in this expressive process. Despite everything she carried, she met the world with extraordinary resilience and kindness. Standing alongside this remarkable young person as she expressed her inner world was a profound privilege. Her bravery and creative spirit taught me so much, and her memory will stay with me always. "Keeping it Real" with Chrissie's Creative Therapies
Shared with permission, this piece offers a brief look into a client’s therapeutic process. Arts Therapy is often mistaken for a casual creative activity, but it's structured, evidence-based mental health counselling. Whilst traditional Talk
Shared with permission, this piece offers a brief look into a client’s therapeutic process. Arts Therapy is often mistaken for a casual creative activity, but it's structured, evidence-based mental health counselling. Whilst traditional Talk Therapy relies entirely on verbal communication, Arts Therapy integrates creative tools to access aspects of your experience that live beyond words. Standard verbal therapy operates mainly through the prefrontal cortex, the logical, analytical part of the brain. When stress or trauma is involved, that region goes offline or you struggle to articulate your feelings. The art making process provides an alternative language, allowing complex internal experiences to be externalised, observed, and worked through in real time. Our practice is informed by established clinical frameworks, including: * Polyvagal Theory : Regulating the autonomic nervous system to move out of fight, flight, or freeze. * Somatic Trauma Processing : Engaging the body to release implicit memories held in physical tension. * Somatic Experiencing: Tracking bodily responses to safely discharge trapped stress and track system shifts. * The Neurosequential Model: Prioritising sensory regulation before moving to higher-level reflection. * Internal Family Systems (IFS): Giving visual shape to internal "parts" to foster inner dialogue and harmony. * Gestalt Therapy: Exploring artwork in the present moment as a direct extension of the self. * Narrative Therapy: Externalising your story visually to help separate your identity from your struggles. Arts Therapy offers a distinct pathway to self-understanding, combining clinical depth with sensory exploration to support genuine psychological growth. You're welcome to reach out via PM to find out more, or follow my page for updates. "Keeping it Real" with Chrissie's Creative Therapies #ArtTherapy #ExpressiveArtsTherapy #Psychotherapy #MentalHealthCounselling #SomaticHealing #TraumaInformed #IntegrativeTherapy
For ADHD & Mental Health Awareness Month, my hope is to honour everyone currently navigating the inbetween of private struggles, and facing the world with a smile. The journey often carries isolation before reconnection, and grief before growth; but there is still deep hope in the slow unfolding. Living with ADHD and navigating mental health isn’t a quick fix or a sudden transformation; it is often a long, quiet journey through burnout, sensory overwhelm, and deep fatigue before any real sense of return. Over time, unsustainable environments, mask-wearing, and constant struggle can slowly wear away at your energy, identity, and inner rhythm until life feels unrecognisable. Yet even in the depths of that shadow, something patient continues. A quiet turning inward. A re-meeting of self. A different, gentler kind of becoming. Growth with ADHD and mental illness is rarely linear. It unfolds in small, unglamorous stages: stepping back from what drains you, creating room for neglected parts of yourself to return, and letting new parts emerge in their own time. There will still be hard, heavy days, but alongside them, moments of light, alignment, and quiet restoration begin to take root. If you're looking for a gentle space to explore your own process, I invite you to contact me to discuss how Creative & Experiential Counselling can support your path... no pressure to proceed with a booking. "Keeping it Real" With Chrissie's Creative Therapies. Reel Features: 'Emerging from the Shadows', Monoprint with black ink (25 x 33cm) and original poetic form.
I just unboxed a beautiful new oracle deck and had to share it with you. Take a breath, pick the card that you feel most drawn to, then swipe to read the corresponding message. The card you picked was not random! Ever notice when you were planning
I just unboxed a beautiful new oracle deck and had to share it with you. Take a breath, pick the card that you feel most drawn to, then swipe to read the corresponding message. The card you picked was not random! Ever notice when you were planning for a baby, suddenly you see babies everywhere, or when you buy a new car, you begin to notice that exact model on every street? The world did not change overnight, but your internal focus did. What we notice in the external world acts as a direct mirror to what is happening inside us. This principle sits at the heart of Arts Therapy; noticing what you notice is a powerful conduit to explore deep within. Working with oracle cards is one of many creative tools you can choose to work with in my sessions. The artwork acts as a gentle doorway to unpack your hidden layers, including the behavioural patterns we all carry. As a qualified Arts Therapist, I guide you to reflect on these visual cues to uncover subconscious thoughts, process stress and trauma, and explore meaningful change as your story emerges. Which card pulled your focus today, and what inner feeling did it reflect back to you? Feel free to send me a message if you would like to inquire into your life narrative further. "Keeping it Real" with Chrissie's Creative Therapies
This piece was created by a client who gave permission to share a glimpse into their journey. Notice the colours, the movement, the texture. In Arts Therapy, every stroke is a form of release, self-discovery, and processing. When we bring creative t
This piece was created by a client who gave permission to share a glimpse into their journey. Notice the colours, the movement, the texture. In Arts Therapy, every stroke is a form of release, self-discovery, and processing. When we bring creative tools into the therapy space, the art becomes a bridge between your inner world and conscious thought. It bypasses the mind’s usual filters, allowing subconscious feelings and suppressed parts of self to safely emerge into my therapy room. Through collaborative dialogue, blending talk therapy with creative reflection, you discover the personal meaning behind your own art expression. As your therapist, I guide this process by highlighting details or patterns that stand out and together, hold space for whatever emerges. This gives you room to learn from these parts of yourself, integrate new insights, and move forward. If you feel ready to explore your own story through creative expression, my door is always open. You are welcome to reach out via DM or click the link in my bio to learn more about starting this journey together. "Keeping it Real" with Chrissie's Creative Therapies `#ArtTherapy` `#ExpressiveArtsTherapy` `#CreativeHealing` `#TalkTherapy` `#SelfDiscovery` `#SubconsciousMind` `#HealingThroughArt`
So happy to receive an award for my 'Sound, Movement & Creative Reflection' workshop, as part of the Wyndham Learning Festival. Thank you to those who attended and the WLF team!
So happy to receive an award for my 'Sound, Movement & Creative Reflection' workshop, as part of the Wyndham Learning Festival. Thank you to those who attended and the WLF team!
To mask or not to mask? Part 2 For ADHD Awareness Month, let us look at the reality of navigating a world not built for nervous systems like ours. Masking often gets framed as purely negative, but for many neurodivergent people, it functions as a c
To Mask or Not to Mask? (Part 1) In Part 1 of my ADHD Awareness Month series, I explore the subtle line between blending in and burning out. When you’ve spent decades conforming to societal standards, masking becomes so natural you don’t
This post is in memory of my dear adolescent participant who passed away recently. They (inc. her family) consented to posting her beautiful creative expression from one of our many 'Creative & Expressive Counselling' sessions (prior to her passi Shared with permission, this piece offers a brief look into a client’s therapeutic process. Arts Therapy is often mistaken for a casual creative activity, but it's structured, evidence-based mental health counselling. Whilst traditional Talk
For ADHD & Mental Health Awareness Month, my hope is to honour everyone currently navigating the inbetween of private struggles, and facing the world with a smile. The journey often carries isolation before reconnection, and grief before growth;
I just unboxed a beautiful new oracle deck and had to share it with you. Take a breath, pick the card that you feel most drawn to, then swipe to read the corresponding message. The card you picked was not random! Ever notice when you were planning
This piece was created by a client who gave permission to share a glimpse into their journey. Notice the colours, the movement, the texture. In Arts Therapy, every stroke is a form of release, self-discovery, and processing. When we bring creative t So happy to receive an award for my 'Sound, Movement & Creative Reflection' workshop, as part of the Wyndham Learning Festival. Thank you to those who attended and the WLF team!

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