Grad. Dip. Psychotherapy/Counselling, Cert. Transactional Analysis, Therapeutic Skills Cert. Trauma, Facilitator and Educator residential childhood trauma retreat, Cert. IV TAA
Dragan is an experienced Psychotherapist who runs Creating Differently, a service that specializes in working with adults from a background of childhood abuse and trauma. As a survivor of such a background himself, with the physical and mental health issues that ensued, he holds the holistic perspective of having been a consumer of services and then experiencing the other side working as a professional.
Dragan offers a skillful and passionate attitude and has trained and worked in a recovery focus with residential groups and individuals from extensive trauma backgrounds who exhibit the adaptations one would expect to see. He is also committed to a psycho-educational role – helping professionals and consumers understand how interpersonal trauma impacts the developing brain, ongoing interpersonal relationships, personal coping mechanisms, how trauma affects a persons relationship with services and how services can provide a Trauma Informed Care approach.
"Dragan is one of the best facilitators I have ever had the privilege of having been taught by. Warm, real, honest, fun and so so knowledgeable!" - Kate Priddle, Specialist Rehabilitation Clinician
"Dragan is an excellent facilitator, educator and communicator, he leads with and demonstrates a deep understanding of the topic with compassion." - Margaret Watson, Counsellor
"Dragan is an outstanding trainer. He comes with a wealth of knowledge and understands the needs/wants of a group in training. So engaging and intuitive. Thank you!" - Melanie Charlton, Enrolled Nurse
MA (Gestalt), BA, Grad Dip Ed, Dip Counselling; Dip Homoeopathy, Diploma Sensorimotor Art Therapy, Certificate Initiatic Art Therapy; Certificate Clay Field Therapy, Certificate IV in Workplace Training & Assessment TAE 40110
PACFA: Clinical member
Jane has a background in holistic counselling, psychotherapy, counselling education, group facilitation, clinical supervision and natural medicine.
Over the past 22 years she has worked with adults, children and adolescents in private practice. She has supported many clients who have a history of traumatic injury who suffer from the symptoms related with post traumatic stress such as anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, somatic complaints, depression, addictions, relationship difficulties, auto-immune conditions, disassociation and other.
Jane adopts a relational, integrative and strengths-based approach incorporating the interrelationship between mind, body, spirit and the natural world. To facilitate the therapeutic process she uses present-centred awareness, body-oriented focus, meditation, sand play and symbol work, clay field therapy and sensorimotor art therapy.
Jane has the utmost respect for a person’s inherent wisdom, resilience and their capacity to transform their challenges into growth opportunities if given the support of a safe and empathic environment and therapeutic relationship.
Jane also conducts group supervision and works part-time as the Course Coordinator for the Diploma of Counselling at the Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP).
Jane’s current passion is supporting parents with how to raise resilient, resourceful and well-rounded children.
BA (Psych) Grad Dip App Sc (App Psyc) MA Forensic Psychology
Julie is a registered psychologist with a Masters in Forensic Psychology. She has worked extensively in the area of sexual and domestic violence and trauma for the past 20 years. Having worked with both people who use violence and people who have been harmed by violence. Julie brings a balanced and well-rounded perspective to understanding the causes and consequences of violence and trauma. She is passionate about bringing together knowledge and research from the fields of traumatology and behaviour change. As an experienced practitioner and supervisor, she is well-informed and skilled in applying her knowledge of vicarious trauma to support other practitioners working with trauma and build workplace cultures that support practitioners in their work.
AssDip Social Welfare, BA (Psychology), PostGradDip Psychology, Psychologist (AHPRA Regn No. PSY0001404728), APS Member.
Leanne is a psychologist with over twenty years of experience across community, hospital and private practice settings, particularly in the areas of domestic violence and childhood sexual assault. Leanne has worked extensively in training, management and project management, and is currently completing a Research Masters at UTAS focused on domestic violence.
Master of Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy, Master of Education, Graduate Diploma of Communication Management (Human Resource Development), Diploma of Somatic Psychotherapy, Diploma of Energetic Healing, Certificate IV in Telephone Counselling Skills, Certificate of Meditation Facilitation
Merle is a respected consultant, trainer, supervisor and psychotherapist with experience in service delivery, management, board and volunteer roles. She previously managed Blue Knot Foundation’s trauma counselling team and national Helpline.
Merle provides trauma-informed training and consulting in diverse settings, such as organisations implementing redress in response to institutional abuse, Aboriginal services, judicial and legal organisations, health and community services, and government agencies. She has a particular interest in supporting staff working with trauma survivors and in advocacy roles to sustain their wellbeing. Through her private practice she supports adult survivors of interpersonal, institutional and political violence with counselling and therapeutic groupwork.
Her respectful strengths-based approach is informed by social justice principles, a blend of therapeutic modalities and cultural guidance from Aboriginal mentors. She holds clinical membership with PACFA and is also PACFA accredited to provide Trauma Informed supervision.
"Merle's presentation was clear, calm and sensitively delivered. It was clear that she has a wealth and depth of experience; it was a very rich, authentic learning opportunity. Thank you Merle." - J. Shaw, Deputy Principal
"Merle is an excellent presenter; great content and a good combination of activities and information." - Catherine, Director
"Many of our course participants commented that it was the best training they had ever done by the best trainer they had ever experienced. Merle presented difficult material in a safe and engaging way." - Urvashi, Mangrove Mountain NSW
Gestalt Psychotherapist and Cert IV Training and Education
Naomi Sirio began working as a contract trainer/facilitator with Lifeline six years ago to deliver training within their Skills for Life and DV Alert programs. A qualified psychotherapist with a therapy and training practice at Erina on the NSW Central Coast, Naomi has worked for over twelve years with women, men and children to bring about transformation, navigate challenges and support healing. Naomi uses a trauma informed, Somatic and Gestalt lens in her therapy practice and brings this knowledge and experience to her training delivery.
Over the last ten years Naomi’s experience in training includes private and public primary and secondary schools, tertiary sector, Government and non-Government agencies, Corporate, Local Council, Charity organisations and Community workshops. Naomi is a clinical member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and is currently consulting as a Subject Matter Expert to the DV Alert program in Australia.
BA (Psych and Gender) Honours (Gender), Master of Social Work, Grad Dip (Public Health), Grad Cert (MBCIGWI), Cert IV TAE
Sarah is a social worker who has worked with child, adolescent and adult complex trauma survivors since 2003 in a range of roles including case worker, group worker and counsellor. She has also co-ordinated program delivery and taught a diploma of community services and mental health and AOD counselling.
Sarah is passionate and committed to supporting survivors of complex trauma recover and live safe and meaningful lives. As a social change agent she is dedicated to transforming socio-political and organisational systems to recognise and respond to complex trauma in restorative ways. Sarah brings an empathic, empowering and strengths-based approach to what she does.
TAE, CIV Aboriginal Family Health (Family Violence, Sexual Assault, Child Protection, Advanced Diploma Aboriginal Specialist Trauma Counselling, Graduate Certificate Human and Community Services, Bachelor of Education
More than 25 years experience developing, implementing and managing community based services and projects for families, community groups, children and young people. 20 years experience training community and workforce groups in family violence, sexual violence, child protection, case management, working with adult survivors, and working with Aboriginal families and communities.
"Sigrid was fantastic! She checked the context with us prior to the training and sought to bring the training in a way that was appropriate to the needs and experience of our organisation. On the day she allowed a good mix of input and discussion/response. Everyone was very positive. Sigrid herself was a great presenter!" - Sonia Roulston, Archdeacon of Newcastle