Compassionate, Trauma-Informed Counselling for Growth and Integration
Support Begins with Connection
Reaching out for help and sharing your story is an act of vulnerability. It takes courage to take that first step.
When we prioritise our own growth and integration, it ripples outward, benefiting our children, families, and communities. I believe that we are the true experts in our own lives. Navigating life’s challenges is most effective when we feel safe, non-judged, and truly heard.
When we seek support, we want to connect with someone who understands and sees us as a whole person—someone who doesn’t just focus on symptoms but honours our unique journey.
What to expect in a counselling session
I provide a thoughtful, attuned space where you are seen and heard as a whole person. Sessions are:
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Non-judgemental, warm, and respectful
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Trauma-informed and intersectional feminist in approach
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Inclusive of sexuality, gender, spiritual, and cultural backgrounds
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Creative and somatic (body-based) approaches for integration and reconnection
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Focused on building coping skills, solutions, and access to community resources
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
- Anxiety, depression, and perinatal mental health
- Parenting, relationships, and life transitions (menstruation, birth, menopause)
- Trauma: sexual violence, complex trauma, and postnatal experiences
- Sexuality, intimacy, and fertility challenges
- Grief, loss, and spiritual development
- Altered states of consciousness, spiritual awakenings, and transpersonal exploration
- Preparation, reflection, and integration of psychedelic experiences (non-directive, client-led)
- Astrological and symbolic exploration as a tool for self-understanding
Counselling is about supporting you ‘wherever you’re at’ right now
Life can bring challenges that leave us feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected. Counselling provides a safe, non-judgmental space to explore and work with common experiences, including:
General Life Challenges:
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Feeling lost, anxious, sad, or uncertain
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Stress, overwhelm, or difficulty coping with day-to-day life
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Relationship struggles with partners or loved ones
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Impacts of trauma, such as nightmares, flashbacks, panic, anger, low self-worth, disconnection from the body, or dissociation
Pregnancy & Postnatal Challenges:
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Anxiety, sadness, fear, or worry related to pregnancy or parenting
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Difficulty making sense of a challenging, traumatic, or unexpected birth
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Challenges adjusting to mothering or limited family support
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Difficulty bonding or connecting with your baby
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Fertility challenges, IVF, or pregnancy loss
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Complex decisions regarding your pregnancy, including continuing, termination, or adoption
Sessions focus on supporting your capacity to process experiences, build coping strategies, and reconnect with yourself and your life, in a compassionate, trauma-informed, and holistic environment.
The Silent Struggle of New Parents: You Deserve Support
Stress is a harsh reality for many new parents. Research shows that 1 in 5 mothers experience depression during pregnancy or within the first two years postpartum. Even more concerning, suicide remains one of the leading causes of maternal death in Australia.
When it comes to birth trauma, statistics vary—while it’s often cited that 1 in 3 women experience their birth as traumatic, some studies suggest that up to 45.5% of people giving birth in Australia report childbearing as a traumatic experience.
But birth itself is not inherently traumatic.
Rather, the way our society, maternity care systems, and support structures treat new parents often fails them. Too many gaps exist in maternal healthcare, leaving the mental health and well-being of parents—especially mothers—at risk. These struggles don’t just affect individuals; they ripple through families, relationships, and entire communities.
It doesn’t have to be this way. You deserve care, too.
If you’re struggling, support is available. You are not alone.
Availability & Fees
- Free Phone Consultation:I offer a brief, no-cost phone consultation to discuss support options and see if it feels like a good fit to work together.
- Session Length & Fees:Extended counselling sessions are available, up to 75 minutes. Standard fee: $220.
- In-Person Sessions:Fridays at It Takes A Village Midwifery Centre, Kenmore, Brisbane.
- Phone or Video Sessions:Available Monday–Friday, with limited after-hours availability.
- Sliding Scale:Reduced fees may be available for those with financial barriers and/or BIPOC clients (phone or video sessions only).
- Rebates & Funding:
- Medicare:Rebates available when referred by a GP with a Mental Health Care Plan. Contact via email for support obtaining a referral.
- Other Options:Victim Assist and NDIS funding may be applicable.
Counselling Appointments
Book your session or a free initial call
* please email if you can't find a suitable time
or to enquire about the waitlist *
Anne Castles, BSocWk
ABN: 72 648 150 387
Medicare Provider Number: 494 282 3X
AASW Member Number: 439847
I pay my respects to the Turrbal and Jagera people, the First Peoples with an ongoing connection to the land I create and offer my work from in Meanjin (Brisbane). Always was, Always will be Aboriginal Land.
info@annecastles.com.au