About Me
Hi, I’m Penny.
I’m a counsellor, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and
educator. I’ve spent more than 10 years working in
therapeutic and mental health settings, with much of my
clinical experience in the specialist sexual assault and
family violence sector.
So, I know a fair bit about trauma.
But I also know that knowing a lot about trauma
doesn’t mean I know you.
And that distinction matters to me.
You are the expert on your own life. You know your
experiences, your relationships, your history and your
inner world in ways that nobody else ever can.
I bring my clinical experience, knowledge and curiosity to
our work, and you bring yours.
We meet somewhere in the middle and work it out together.
What you can expect from me
I value honesty, collaboration, respect, curiosity and willingness.
I won't pretend to have all the answers. I also won't sit quietly behind a professional mask while you do all the talking.
I believe a therapeutic relationship should feel like a genuine relationship — one where you can be yourself, ask questions, disagree with me, tell me when something isn't working and bring the messy bits along with everything else.
My job is to offer a steady, containing space for that to happen.
I bring my whole self to the work, while respecting that this is your space.
I’ll be curious with you. I’ll share what I’m noticing. I’ll sometimes gently challenge you when I think it might be useful. And I’ll always want to understand what makes sense from where you are sitting.
Perhaps just as importantly - maybe even more so - while we'll make room for the difficult things, I'm just as interested in what brings you joy, what matters to you, and what you'd like more of in your life.
There is no 'perfect' in therapy.
You don't need to come to sessions with the right words, a really clear goal or a beautiful, chronologically organised account of everything that has happened to you.
You can just arrive as you are.
A lifelong learner
My qualifications include degrees in Behavioural Science and Psychological Science (Honours), a Master of Counselling & Psychotherapy, and a Graduate Certificate in Sexology.
I'm also trained in EMDR (Level 2), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and other somatic and parts-based approaches.
These give me different ways of understanding and working with people, but I don't believe in squeezing anyone into a particular therapeutic model. The approach needs to fit the person, not the other way around.
Work beyond the counselling room
My work with people doesn't only happen in the therapy room.
I also develop and deliver education and training for health and community professionals, helping people who may not specialise in trauma to feel more confident recognising its impacts and responding to people affected by trauma, family and sexual violence.
I've worked with GPs, nurses, and allied health professionals, as well as those in community and education sectors, and therapeutic practitioners. I particularly enjoy taking complex clinical concepts and making them practical, useful and — hopefully — a little less intimidating.
I also provide clinical supervision and consultation for therapeutic practitioners and other professionals working alongside people affected by trauma and complex life experiences.
Before moving into counselling and psychotherapy, I worked as a remedial massage therapist and kinesiologist, including teaching diploma-level students and supervising their clinical practice.
Looking back, there is actually a fairly obvious thread running through all of this.
I’ve always been interested in people. In how we make sense of our experiences.
In how we relate to ourselves and each other. In what helps us feel safe enough to learn, change and grow.
That’s what I bring to Loom.
A place to slow down. To get curious. To make sense of the tangled bits.
And, perhaps, to gather some of the threads together.
