Anna Sheppard Counselling & Psychotherapy
Counselling and psychotherapy for adults in Crows Nest, NSW, and online
Counselling and psychotherapy for adults is always a collaborative and empowering process for my clients, regardless of their age. You will always find a safe, non-judgemental space with me to work through whatever is causing you distress. I work in a strengths-based, trauma informed framework. The way we will work together will vary according to your unique needs, personality and comfort.
​​
As a qualified adult counsellor and psychotherapist, I have been trained to integrate various evidence-based therapies (or modalities) in my work. There is always room for fun and creative ways to work through feelings and issues, through playing games, expressing feelings through artwork, music or journalling and letter writing.
​
Adult counselling and psychotherapy in Crows Nest NSW
​
The therapies I use in counselling adults all involve fostering and deepening self-awareness. We work at identifying and exploring beliefs, habits of thought, behaviours and emotions. This deeper understanding can help people reassess their automatic reactions to situations and choose new ways of responding that serve them better. Creative approaches, such as art therapy and sandtray therapy can help us express emotions that are more difficult to express in words. Deeper self-awareness brings clarity, allowing pathways to positive change to reveal themselves.
​
My work is often supported by somatic (body-based) and mindfulness approaches, such as body awareness, breathwork, movement and mindfulness, focus on the body's sensations, movements, and experiences as a gateway to healing the nervous system.
​
Through these therapeutic processes, my clients improve their emotional regulation, coping skills, and relationships, as well as find courage and confidence to make changes to improve their lives.
​
Evidence-based counselling therapies
I draw on various effective evidence-based therapies in my counselling work with adults, including ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), Sandtray therapy, Narrative Therapy, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and mindfulness.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) supports people to accept their feelings rather than fight or resist them. It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but by accepting and exploring our more difficult emotions, we are able to process them and take action to make positive change and move on. ACT is supported by mindfulness-based and somatic (body based) practices and offers clinically effective treatment for many mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, addictions, grief and loss, and trauma.
​