Hi this is Em
My background is Italian and I moved to Australia in 2008. I lived in Sydney for 8 years and moved to Queensland in 2016.
When I came to Australia I could not speak English, so I started with jobs that didn't require me to speak at all, like cleaning and kitchen hand jobs. Slowly that changed and at some point I was a bus driver in Sydney and was for 3 years.
I started my career in the community services by working in disability and aged care. When my English improved, I enrolled in the Bachelor of Counselling which I completed in 2018 and just before I graduated, I enrolled in the Master of Gestalt Therapy which I finished in 2021.
I have worked as a counsellor with families involved in the child protection system, with children and young people impacted by trauma, mainly stemming from domestic and family violence and generational trauma. I have worked extensively in the domestic violence field with people who have experienced or are experiencing domestic and family violence and those who use or have used domestic and family violence, especially with men. I see clients of any age in my private practiceI have completed the first level of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma Themes where I have learned how much the body holds of our life stories, how to listen to it and let it speak. This training enabled me to work somatically with clients if this is their preferred choice.
I have also completed the clinical/professional supervision training at Gestalt Therapy Brisbane; this enables me to support allied health professionals in their work with clients.
But the most valuable training and learning come from my clients throughout the years who have shown and taught me their inner wisdom, knowledge and resilience. It is those who have suffered and suffer the most that still have the hope and the courage to show up in this relationship with the willingness to be vulnerable and change with me. And for those who have found it difficult to hold hope, it has been an honour to hold it for them. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity that clients give me to be part of their self exploration and change. And with them, I have changed too.
I now speak fluent English and being Italian my first language, I can provide counselling and supervision in Italian. I am very passionate about social justice, the importance of community, relationships and support in people’s lives, and about a culture that allows individuals to be authentic. I am also passionate about working with trauma, its impacts and I see therapy as a way to let this silenced pain to speak and find its own way to release itself, whether it is thorough words or the body. “Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness" (Peter Levine); "trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you" (Gabor Maté). This is a phenomenon that can impact our bodies in terms of illnesses and our social and psychological life; sometimes it forces us to abandon ourselves to meet others' and the environment's demands and expectations, therefore in service of relationships. This process distances ourselves from our true self and in turn, we can feel depressed, anxious and deeply lonely.
My personal struggles on this journey called life stirred me towards these topics and I want my passions to translate in my work as much as possible. I struggle to see how lonely and isolated people can be and how unnecessary it is, given that there are so many of us in this world, possibly struggling with similar experiences. What I want to offer to those who come to see me is the opportunity to be heard and seen, a place where they can be themselves and explore their real needs. I firmly believe that a lot of hurt comes from relationships and only in relationships it can be healed. I want therapy with me to be a starting point for that healing relationship - a relationship and connection where humanness can happen with its challenges, differences and magics. The ultimate goal is for my clients to build relationships in their lives that are healing, authentic and supportive. Lastly, I live in the beautiful Deception Bay with my three dogs, Pepo, Lulu and Ilios and my three cats, Dalila, Frosty and Leia. I believe in the amazing power of animals to heal and support people, and in their power to feel us without the use of words. My training and experience
Bachelor of Counselling
Master in Gestalt therapy
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma Themes - Level 1
Become a Gestalt Supervisor
PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia) Clinical Member
GANZ (Gestalt Australia and New Zealand) member 
Aged care and disability support worker
Youth Worker and Youth Mentor
Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor
Family Counsellor
Children Counsellor
Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Workplace Harassment Counsellor
Men's Counsellor Contact me
If you are interested in working with me, please send me a message and I will get in touch with you as soon as possible