Treatments
Survivors of domestic violence
Domestic violence affects millions of women and children around the world. In Australia, one in three women will experience some form of violence in an intimate relationship at some point in their life.
Domestic violence includes not only physical and sexual abuse but also psychological and financial abuse, threats, coercion and the abuse of children, pets or other family members.
The healing after domestic violence may include court procedures and medical attention and certainly safety planning, but it also include the emotional healing as domestic violence often makes women feel hurt, sad, betrayed, scared or struggling to trust new people.
In our practice we support women from a feminist framework, understanding that domestic violence has its roots in the social undervaluing of women and the perpetrators willingness to use power and control over their partner while respecting women’s individual needs.
Survivors of sexual violence
Sexual Violence affects one in six women in Australia and even more women worldwide. It is an act of extreme violence that pushes the victim to feel ashamed and responsible for the violence. Often the silence just increases the pain of the violence and it is important to receive survivors of sexual violence honouring their stories, as breaking the silence is already a difficult step in the healing journey.
We work from a feminist framework, understanding how perpetrators abuse women in order to exercise power and control. We also utilise tools ranging from CBT to Psychodrama under the feminist framework.
Depression
Depression increases exponentially nowadays, as we are often unprepared to deal with trauma, excessive and prolonged stress and the fact that our environment does not wait for our healing journey to finish. We work verifying/ confirming diagnoses and supporting to overcome all associated symptoms such as sleep and appetite disturbances, low mood, lack of energy and reduced motivation, besides deep sadness and uncontrolled crying and melancholy.
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety is often associated with urban spaces and the 21st century as our environment pushes us to be more efficient and never let anything go, reinforcing messages that ‘you can have everything’ and ‘it is your responsibility to be on top of all parts of your life at all times’… However, when anxiety is above healthy levels it is paralysing instead of energising.
The therapy can include not only interpersonal and verbal therapy but also mindfulness and relaxation strategies.
Stress management and stress related mental health issues
Exposition to stress and being able to respond to that is an important part of being a human being. A health level of stress keeps you active and safe. It means you read the environment well and identify your challenges, however when we undergo high levels of stress due to prolonged pressures or crisis (at home, work or socially in general) it becomes a problem and many times we do not have the tools to relax, manage stress or remove stressful situations from our lives.
Psychotherapy is a space to achieve relaxation and find (or find again) tools to manage stress or problem solve more effectively.
Adjustment disorder
Humans are creatures of habit and big changes in our life disrupt our routine, sometimes with painful consequences. Immigration, separation, change of work or children arriving or leaving home can disrupt all our life and it may be difficult to find a new and suitable routine and re-connect with what brings meaning to our lives, our values and beliefs. Therapy can help you to find this new path or reunite yourself with that path that once was yours.