Jill began her professional life as a nurse and midwife. She did her initial training as a counsellor at the University of Tasmania where she gained a Master of Counselling. Jill has undergone post-graduate specialist training in Couple Therapy at Relationships Australia and also Emotion Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT).
Maintaining a genuine interest in people and the events that have shaped their lives, Jill brings a calm and attentive presence. She seeks to help people gain new understandings in a confidential environment.
When people choose to come to counselling it is often an act of strength that increases their capacity to deal with issues they are confronting.
Jill works collaboratively with her clients who say that the new insights gained through counselling help them cope with greater awareness and make clearer choices in life.
As well as working in her private practice, Jill is an external consultant counsellor with a law firm. For over a decade, Jill worked at Frances Perry House Maternity Unit as a midwife specialising in counselling with women who were antenatal inpatients and parents whose babies were in Special Care Nursery. She also provided birth debriefing on the postnatal ward.
Jill maintains her professional practice through regular supervision, peer review and relevant professional associations.
She is sustained in her own life by nourishing relationships with family and friends, regular walks, reading and meditation.
Jill’s approach
Jill offers respect to everyone who comes to her for counselling. Whilst, many doctors and health professionals refer people to Jill because of her midwifery background, she does not characterise behaviour or experiences merely as “disorders” requiring medical treatment.
Through the process of counselling, Jill has helped many individuals and couples gain clarity and understanding about their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. In turn, they find these insights have led them to greater calmness, honesty and kindness.
Because no one person or problem is alike, Jill uses a range of therapeutic approaches:
- Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT)
- Person Centred Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Transactional Analysis (TA)
- Family or Systems Theory
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Mindfulness Meditation and relaxation
Research has shown that the quality of the relationship with the therapist is of more benefit to a person in therapy than the actual techniques used.
Qualifications
- Master of Counselling, University of Tasmania.
- Graduate Certificate Counselling, University of Tasmania.
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Melbourne.
- Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – CBT Australia, Vic.
- Emotion Focused Therapy Training – Levels 1 to 4
- Specialist Course in Couple Therapy – Relationships Australia, Vic.
- Externship in Emotion Focused Couple Therapy – ACEF.
- Certificate in Trauma Counselling & Therapy – Cairnmillar Institute.
- Graduate Diploma in Childbirth Education, NSW, Vocational Board.
- Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training, TAFE Tasmania.
- Midwife (nonpracticing)” – Midwifery Certificate, Mercy Maternity Hospital, Vic.
- Trained Nurse – General Nursing Certificate, Austin Hospital, Vic.
Professional Associations
- Registered Member of Psychotherapists & Counsellors Federation of Australia (PACFA) Reg. 20530
- International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)
- Australian Centre for Emotionally Focused Therapy (ACEFT)
- Melbourne Community for Emotionally Focused Therapy (MCEFT)