What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 1pm - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 4pm Thursday 1pm - 6pm Friday 9am - 3pm Saturday 8am - 2pm

http://www.connect2thrive.com.au/

Connect 2 Thrive, 23 Belmore Street, Yarrawonga (2026)

07/04/2026

Welcome to my first attempt videos and reels! Stay tuned for more to come-

05/04/2026

We cannot provide effective mental health care if we don’t understand the realities women and AFAB individuals are living within.

Women’s mental health is not separate by accident — it is shaped by history, trauma, and systems that have too often caused harm.

From forced sterilisation and institutionalisation, to coercive practices and loss of autonomy — the mental health system itself has been, and can still be, a site of trauma. These experiences don’t disappear when someone walks into a therapy room. They live in the body, in trust, in hesitation.

And trauma is not rare.

Up to "97% of women and AFAB individuals with serious mental illness have experienced trauma" — including sexual violence, family violence, emotional abuse, childhood abuse, and systemic oppression such as poverty, racism, and ableism.

So when someone presents with distress, dysregulation, or relational intensity, we need to be thinking about what has happened to her/ or them — not just what is “wrong”.

Because too often, without this lens, we end up pathologising survival.

We see this in the high rates of Borderline Personality Disorder diagnoses in women — where complex trauma, attachment injury, and adaptive coping responses are misunderstood, labelled, and at times dismissed.

And even within care, harm can continue.

Many women and AFAB individuals experience re-traumatisation in treatment settings — through coercion, lack of privacy, not being believed, or witnessing distressing practices. For some, the system that is meant to support them has also been a place they have had to survive.

For me, this shifts how I sit with people. It’s not just about slowing things down or listening more carefully — it’s about actively holding the persons story, their context, and the systems that have shaped their experience, rather than reducing it to symptoms or diagnoses.

Because- healing is not just about symptom reduction — it’s about safety, voice, dignity, and reclaiming power.

This is what gender-responsive, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented care asks of us.

And it starts with understanding.

03/04/2026

This week has been a full one.
Highs, lows, the unknowns… and everything in between.

One thing that showed up again and again in the therapy room is how powerful our past experiences can be. The stories we carry don’t just stay in the past — they quietly shape how we interpret what’s happening right in front of us.

Sometimes, without even realising it, we respond to the present through the lens of the past. Our feelings intensify, our reactions come quickly, and we find ourselves acting on narratives that no longer belong to this moment.

And yet, so often the piece that gets missed is regulation.
When we don’t pause, when we don’t give ourselves space to settle, we can unintentionally misunderstand what’s actually happening.

What might shift if we slowed it down?
If we took a breath, grounded ourselves, and checked in before responding?

Not everything we feel in the present belongs to the present.

There is so much power in noticing, pausing, and choosing a different response. I want to extend my appreciation to the courage that was shown in this space and I hope there are gentle moments to reflect, breath and be within the self this long weekend 🤗

02/04/2026

There is something quietly powerful about stillness.

This morning’s walk offered me more than fresh air — it offered space. Space to slow down, to notice, and to reflect.

As I stood by the water, watching the gentle reflections across the surface, I was reminded how our nervous systems work in much the same way. Our neurons are constantly mirroring what is in front of us — absorbing, reflecting, responding.

The state we carry matters.

When we are dysregulated, it can ripple outward. But when we ground ourselves, soften, and come back to a place of calm, we create the conditions for others to feel that too. This is the quiet power of co-regulation — of showing up in a way that supports another nervous system simply through our presence.

But that begins within.

Sometimes, the most important step is creating distance — pausing long enough to gently turn inward and ask:
What am I feeling?
What thoughts are here?
What sensations am I noticing in my body?

Without blame.
Without shame.
Just noticing.

And from that place of awareness, we are given a choice.

A choice in how we show up.
A choice in what we reflect.
A choice in the energy we bring into our relationships.

Stillness is not doing nothing — it is where insight begins.

✨

15/03/2026

NDIS Report Writing for Child Therapists – Live Webinar
Following the success of the webinars facilitated last year, I’m excited to be offering this again.
Writing NDIS outcome reports for children can be challenging — especially when trying to balance clinical practice with NDIS expectations.
This small-group webinar for social workers and child therapists focuses on how to confidently write clear, evidence-based NDIS outcome reports that demonstrate child progress within a capacity-building framework.
We will cover:
• Structuring effective outcome reports
• Using language that aligns with NDIS evidence expectations
• Linking goals → therapeutic strategies → outcomes
👥 Small interactive group (max 8 participants)
💻 Live online webinar
Investment $65 + GST
Upcoming sessions (Victorian time):
Wed 18 Mar | 12:00–1:30pm
Thu 19 Mar | 6:00–7:30pm
Tue 24 Mar | 12:00–1:30pm
Thu 2 Apr | 6:00–8:30pm
Register via the Connect 2 Thrive Client Portal:
https://clientportal.zandahealth.com/clien.../connect2thrive
Questions:
hello@connect2thrive.com.au
— feeling excited.

08/03/2026

International Women’s Day 💜

Today is a day to recognise and celebrate the achievements, strength and contributions of women in our communities and across the world. It is also a reminder of the importance of continuing to work towards equality, safety and opportunity for women and girls everywhere.

This year I felt incredibly surprised and honoured to be nominated for Celebrating Women of the Moira Shire as part of the International Women’s Day celebrations. The theme for this year is “Give to Gain.”

Reading the nomination provided me the opportunity to pause and reflect on the deeper meaning behind the work I do each day. At its heart, my work is about giving — giving time, compassion, knowledge and care to support children, families and individuals who are navigating trauma, emotional challenges and developmental needs.

Through play therapy, EMDR, counselling and parenting support, I have the privilege of creating safe spaces where people can feel seen, heard and supported as they heal, grow and build resilience.

I feel deeply grateful to the person who nominated me. Your words meant more than you probably realise and reminded me why this work matters so much.

Today I also want to acknowledge the many women in our community who quietly give so much of themselves every day — in families, services, schools, workplaces and community spaces. Your care, strength and dedication make a real difference.

Happy International Women’s Day.

04/03/2026

Now Accepting Referrals – In Person & Online ✨

At Connect 2 Thrive, I am currently welcoming new referrals for children, adolescents and adults seeking compassionate, evidence-based mental health support.

As an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, I provide:

🌿 EMDR Therapy (adults, adolescents & children 3+)
🌿 Child-Centred Play Therapy
🌿 Parent Support & Attachment-Focused Work
🌿 Neuro-affirming Therapy for Neurodivergent Children & Adults
🌿 Trauma-Informed, Person-Centred Mental Health Care
🌿 NDIS Early Years & Ongoing Supports
🌿 Functional Developmental Assessments

I work from a neuro-affirming, strengths-based, and trauma-informed framework — supporting individuals and families to build regulation, connection, resilience, and self-understanding.

📍 In-person appointments available in Yarrawonga
💻 Online therapy available Australia-wide

Referrals welcome via:
✔️ Mental Health Care Plans
✔️ NDIS (Self & Plan Managed)
✔️ Agency referrals
✔️ Private/self-referral

If you are a GP, paediatrician, school, allied health professional, support coordinator — or someone seeking support for yourself or your child — I invite you to connect.

📧 Referrals can be sent to: hello@connect2thrive.com.au

Let’s work together to support healing & growth to thrive in life.

TraumaInformedCare Yarrawonga telehealth parentsupport childtherapy AcrossTheLifespan

04/03/2026

“Name it to tame it.”

We often say this when supporting children.

When we help a child name their emotion —
“You’re feeling overwhelmed.”
“That looks frustrating.”
“I notice your body feels worried.”

— we are supporting regulation.

We are acknowledging their internal state so their nervous system doesn’t have to work so hard to be understood.
When emotions are named, the brain integrates.
When feelings are acknowledged, the body softens.
When the state is seen, growth becomes possible.

When we name it, we begin to understand what the nervous system needs.

But how often do we do this as adults?

How often do we pause and say:
“My body feels tight.”
“I’m overstimulated.”
“I’m grieving.”
“I’m exhausted from masking.”
“I’m anxious because this feels unsafe.”

For many neurodivergent adults, especially those who grew up in environments that didn’t understand their sensory, emotional or relational needs — naming internal experience wasn’t always supported.

Instead, many learned to:

• Push through
• Mask
• Minimise
• Overachieve to compensate
• Shrink themselves
• Doubt their instincts

When your nervous system wasn’t understood as a child, you may have internalised the message that you were the problem — rather than your environment not meeting your needs.

Invisible difficulties often led to invisible effort.

And sometimes, limited achievement wasn’t about capacity —
it was about chronic dysregulation, burnout, or navigating systems that weren’t built with your nervous system in mind.

Neuro-affirming practice invites something different.

It invites us to go inward rather than block what’s happening.
To listen rather than override.
To feel rather than suppress.

Naming what is present isn’t weakness.
It’s regulation.

When we say:
“I’m overstimulated.”
“I need predictability.”
“I need rest.”
“I need connection.”
“I need less demand right now.”

- we are responding to our nervous system with respect.

This is adult regulation.
This is self-trust rebuilding.
This is growth.

Not forcing calm.
Not pretending we’re fine.
But acknowledging what is true — and responding with compassion.

Your nervous system is not an inconvenience.
It is communication.

And when we name it —
we begin to meet ourselves in the way we may not have been met before.

03/03/2026

Now Accepting Referrals – In Person & Online ✨

At Connect 2 Thrive, I am currently welcoming new referrals for children, adolescents and adults seeking compassionate, evidence-based mental health support.

As an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, I provide:

🌿 EMDR Therapy (adults, adolescents & children 3+)
🌿 Child-Centred Play Therapy
🌿 Parent Support & Attachment-Focused Work
🌿 Neuro-affirming Therapy for Neurodivergent Children & Adults
🌿 Trauma-Informed, Person-Centred Mental Health Care
🌿 NDIS Early Years & Ongoing Supports
🌿 Functional Developmental Assessments

I work from a neuro-affirming, strengths-based, and trauma-informed framework — supporting individuals and families to build regulation, connection, resilience, and self-understanding.

📍 In-person appointments available in Yarrawonga
💻 Online therapy available Australia-wide

Referrals welcome via:
✔️ Mental Health Care Plans
✔️ NDIS (Self & Plan Managed)
✔️ Agency referrals
✔️ Private/self-referral

If you are a GP, paediatrician, school, allied health professional, support coordinator — or someone seeking support for yourself or your child — I invite you to connect.

📧 Referrals can be sent to: hello@connect2thrive.com.au

Let’s work together to support healing & growth to thrive in life.

17/02/2026

Sibling relationships are complicated — they can love each other deeply and drive each other crazy in the same day.

But this is where kids learn some of their biggest life skills: repairing after arguments, sharing space, managing big feelings, and staying connected even when things feel hard.

Nate is on his first school camp, and Finn really felt his absence. The way he showed it was by drawing a picture of them together — his way of saying “I miss you.”

Supporting sibling relationships early really matters. How they learn to connect now can shape how they show up for each other for life.

13/02/2026

Weekend plans = comfy clothes, cups of tea, and getting lost in a good book 📚

I’m spending some time going back through Unleash Your EMDR: Release the Magic ahead of professional development in Sydney next week, diving even deeper into my EMDR practice.

It’s no secret — I genuinely love learning. I’m naturally curious, and I get really excited about opportunities to grow and keep refining how I show up for the people I support. And honestly… I’m very excited for this next week.

I’m also really looking forward to connecting with some incredible EMDR clinicians I admire ❤️

Feeling very grateful to work in a space where learning never really stops.

08/02/2026

I am not usually an on trend person, however, this seemed like a bit of fun. I think this came up as a good mix of my professional self- my years of supporting children and my passion for EMDR as well as being affirming with rainbow representation. Also- anyone who has seen me in my rooms, knows I am mostly a shoes off person ! Happy Monday to all :)

Connect 2 Thrive

07/04/2026

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Tuesday	1pm - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	1pm - 6pm
Friday	9am - 3pm
Saturday	8am - 2pm