My Approach

As a counsellor with lived experience of epilepsy, servicing NDIS and private clients, I offer a person-centred, recovery-oriented, and trauma-informed approach with relatable personal insight to guide and tailor support to the individual client's needs.

 

My approach is guided by the NDIS framework principles of choice, control, and capacity building to help participants achieve their goals.

 

​Key Aspects of My Approach include:

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• Valuing Lived Experience: The core of my approach is leveraging personal experience with epilepsy  to foster a deep, nuanced understanding and genuine empathy for the participant/client's journey. This shared experience can help build trust and rapport more quickly than with a professional without this background.

• Person-Centred and Recovery-Oriented: I place the individual at the centre of my support, acknowledging them as the expert in their own life. Recovery is seen as a personal process of "regaining control of their identity and life, having hope for their life, and living a life that has meaning for them," rather than just managing symptoms.

• Empowerment and Choice & Control: A primary goal is to empower participants to make informed decisions and exercise greater choice and control over their supports and lives. I act as a guide, helping participants/client's explore their strengths, set personal goals, and develop self-advocacy skills.

• Navigating the System Effectively: Lived experience often provides practical knowledge about the complexities and potential barriers within the NDIS and broader service systems (e.g., mental health, housing, careers). This enables them to provide practical assistance in navigating bureaucracy, identifying appropriate services, and coordinating support efficiently.

• Capacity Building with Sensitivity: Support focuses on building practical skills, resilience, and coping strategies for daily living (e.g., emotional regulation, social skills, problem-solving). The lived experience perspective ensures this is done with sensitivity, understanding the importance of pacing, celebrating small wins, and avoiding overwhelming the participant.

• Addressing Stigma and Promoting Inclusion: Lived experience often actively works to reduce stigma and discrimination at both individual and systemic levels, promoting social and economic participation. 

• Trauma-Informed and Responsive: My approach is typically trauma-informed, recognising that many individuals with disabilities have experienced past trauma or ongoing negative impacts. They are responsive to the episodic and fluctuating nature of some disabilities (especially psychosocial disabilities), providing flexible and consistent support during times of increased need. 

 

As a lived experience counsellor I combine professional skills with personal insight to provide a more holistic, relatable, and effective support system that aligns with the NDIS's goal of empowering individuals to live full and contributing lives.