Get to know Dawn
Profile on Dawn Wilson –
Professional Counsellor, Counselling Trainer & Wellness Practitioner
I am a qualified Counsellor, who assists individuals, couples and families through a myriad of concerns, issues and problems that exist in everyday life.
I graduated in December 2006 and have been in private practice since January 2007.
From April 2023 after more than 18months travelling, I shall be relocating to my new home in the Port Macquarie area, after having enjoyed the Northern Gold Coast and spending several years in both Hope Island and Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast, where I had a multi-modality counselling and wellness practice. Prior to that I worked in Melbourne after completing my intitial studies in both Brisbane and Melbourne with the same college.
To date, I have worked with children as young as 4 through to adults in their 70’s and 80’s.
I graduated in December 2006 and have been in private practice since January 2007.
From April 2023 after more than 18months travelling, I shall be relocating to my new home in the Port Macquarie area, after having enjoyed the Northern Gold Coast and spending several years in both Hope Island and Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast, where I had a multi-modality counselling and wellness practice. Prior to that I worked in Melbourne after completing my intitial studies in both Brisbane and Melbourne with the same college.
To date, I have worked with children as young as 4 through to adults in their 70’s and 80’s.
I am trained in many traditional counselling therapy types, such as Cognitive Behaviour, Solution Focused, Client Centred, Narrative, Gestalt and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy; often using a combination to achieve the best results for my clients. Most people would say this was 'traditional' counselling.
I believe in treating the 'whole' person and as I have always had an interest in 'east and west' methodologies and philosophies, I studied a number of additional (often times referred to as complimentary) modalities as part of my initial training. These included aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Body Mind Medicine, Aromatherapy, Homoeopathy and Kinesiology. Separate to this I underwent training in Seichim Reiki and Meditation. I use my knowledge and training in these areas to compliment my work as a counsellor however will always refer to professionally qualified experts in these fields including therapists in the local area and those I have worked with in the past, including a Naturopath.
I believe in treating the 'whole' person and as I have always had an interest in 'east and west' methodologies and philosophies, I studied a number of additional (often times referred to as complimentary) modalities as part of my initial training. These included aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Body Mind Medicine, Aromatherapy, Homoeopathy and Kinesiology. Separate to this I underwent training in Seichim Reiki and Meditation. I use my knowledge and training in these areas to compliment my work as a counsellor however will always refer to professionally qualified experts in these fields including therapists in the local area and those I have worked with in the past, including a Naturopath.
I work with the ‘whole person’, looking at the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of clients’ lives. This is called Holistic Counselling. In this way, where appropriate, I will incorporate natural therapies, namely Australian Bush Flowers to bring about change, healing and well-being.
I also work with visualization, mindfullness and meditation to bring about the best results for clients. In 2017/8 I also completed a Diploma of Clincal Hypnosis and Psychotherapy to learn more about how hypnosis can help us to change and heal.
I am also a Qualified Trainer and Assessor in the field, teaching students who wish to complete either a Graduate Diploma in Relationship Counselling or a Diploma of Counselling or Community Services. For the last 12 months I have enjoyed working with several students at TAFE Port MacQuarie complete their studies in this field and I look forward to training and mentoring more students in the future. I have worked for RTO's on the Gold Coast, in Brisbane and also in Melbourne and have been flown to Cairns in far north Queensland and to Hobart to undertake classroom based courses.
I also work with visualization, mindfullness and meditation to bring about the best results for clients. In 2017/8 I also completed a Diploma of Clincal Hypnosis and Psychotherapy to learn more about how hypnosis can help us to change and heal.
I am also a Qualified Trainer and Assessor in the field, teaching students who wish to complete either a Graduate Diploma in Relationship Counselling or a Diploma of Counselling or Community Services. For the last 12 months I have enjoyed working with several students at TAFE Port MacQuarie complete their studies in this field and I look forward to training and mentoring more students in the future. I have worked for RTO's on the Gold Coast, in Brisbane and also in Melbourne and have been flown to Cairns in far north Queensland and to Hobart to undertake classroom based courses.
Qualifications:
Graduate Diploma in Counselling (Addictions, Family Therapy, Loss and Grief)
Certificate of Completion in Levels 1 and 2: Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Completion of Levels 1 and 2 Shamanic Healing Practitioner Training
Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Psychotherapy
Certificate IV in Training & Assessment (TAE40116)
Specialist Course in Relationships & Couple Therapy
(Relationships Australia) This course forms part of the Masters Degree in Relationship & Couple Counselling with La Trobe Uni in Melbourne
Certificate of Completion in Levels 1 and 2: Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Completion of Levels 1 and 2 Shamanic Healing Practitioner Training
Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis and Psychotherapy
Certificate IV in Training & Assessment (TAE40116)
Specialist Course in Relationships & Couple Therapy
(Relationships Australia) This course forms part of the Masters Degree in Relationship & Couple Counselling with La Trobe Uni in Melbourne
Diploma in Health Science (Holistic Counselling)
Diploma in Health Counselling
Diploma in Regression Therapy
Certificate in Medical Terminology
Advanced Bush Flower Practitioner
Certified Ho'oponopono Practitioner
Advanced Bush Flower Practitioner
Certified Ho'oponopono Practitioner
First Degree Seichim Reiki
Certificate in Fitness Leader – Health & Fitness
Senior First Aid & CPR
Senior First Aid & CPR
I have also completed specialist Domestic Violence Training courses through Lifeline as well as the AVERT Family Family violence programmes..
I am a member of the Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association
Other:
Holder of a Blue Card for Queensland and shall shortly acquire my WWCC for NSW.
Holder of Professional Indemnity & Public and Products Liability Indemnity
Professional Development:
It is important to continue with Professional Development Courses. To date these are the additional courses I have completed through The Counselling Academy, Australia’s premier Professional Development provider in Counselling, now called the Mental Health Academy:
* Working with Parents;
* Relationship Breakdown;
* Mediation;
* Anger Management;
* Conflict Resolution;
* Eating Disorders;
* Games & Scripts;
* Expressions of Feelings in Early Childhood;
* Indigenous Counselling.
* Constructing Genograms;