Sara Phillips
Counsellor / Coach

Background/Experience:
I worked as a Speech Pathologist for over 10 years in the Kimberlys WA and Tasmania and then as a primary school teacher and family support worker in Alice Springs.
From 2015-2018 I ran Mindful Parenting Mindful Coaching and I am experienced in working 1:1 with parents and in groups / workshops such as Bringing Up Great Kids, Positive Discipline, How to talk so your kids will listen, Raising Resilient Teens.
I am a Professional Certified Coach (over 500 hours coaching) with the International Coach Federation & I am a member of PACFA & ACA. I receive external supervision to support me to develop my skills and I am always comfortable in referring clients to the appropriate service as needed.
I completed my Master of Counselling at Monash in 2020 and as I studied I worked as a Youth Mental Health Clinician and Therapeutic Groups Facilitator at headspace Port Macquarie from January 2018-June 2020 and then as a Student Counsellor, Community Development Worker and Relationships Counsellor at Interrelate March 2020 until May 2021.

Interest Areas for Counselling/Coaching:
- Anxiety Management Strategies
- Depression
- Relationship Counselling
- Parent Coaching
- Key Life Transitions
- Spirituality
- Mindset coaching
- Find Your Purpose
- Nature Coaching
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
- Mindfulness – mind-body connection (polyvagal theory)
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
- Art Journalling
- Attachment Needs
- Transformational heart, body & soul healing
- Women’s Circles

on the beach is a favourite thing to do!!
In 2021 I’m Reading or Listening to:
- Soulcraft by Bill Plotkin
- The Lasting Connection by Michaels Thomas
- Becoming Safely Embodied by Deidre Fay
- Emotional Agility by Susan David
- The Art of Holding Space by Heather Plett
- Discovering the Inner Mother by Bethany Webster
- Eight Dates to keep your relationship happy, thriving & lasting by J & J Gottman
- Radical Awakening by Dr Shefali Tsabary
- Dare to Lead Podcast by Brene Brown
Training in 2021:
- Compassion Focused Therapy
- Internal Family Systems
- Mindful Self Compassion
My Personal Favourite Daily Mindfulness Activities:
- Stream of consciousness journalling
- 10 minute recorded meditation (my favourite right now are music & mantras with Deepak Chopra)
- Shower affirmations
- Art Journalling
- Mindfulness Walk / Swim
- Hug until relaxed
- New Moon & Full Moon Labyrinth
I write about my mindfulness journey here: https://deepheartwisdom.com/2015/08/27/my-mindfulness-journey/

More Info on Counselling/Coaching:
The type of counselling and coaching I offer is holistic and solution-focused. It is a combination of evidence-based neuroscience and polyvagal theory intertwined with ancient wisdom from many philosophies/spiritual traditions across the world with the main focus being supporting you to access your own inner wisdom in your body, mind, heart & spirit.
When appropriate I like to use Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, NLP and attachment theory / abandonment wound healing (for the inner sense of shame, the internal dialogue of ‘I’m not good enough’). Please ask for more information on these methodologies and I welcome requests for particular forms of therapy if you already know what works for you.
I use a combination of ACT, mindfulness and CBT in my own life and I personally experienced depression and anxiety in my teens and early 20’s so I know what it is like to use CBT/ACT & mindfulness as part of recovery. A focus in each counselling / coaching session will be small changes that you will experiment with daily to retrain your brain to feel differently and to find new ways of being.

Particular interests I am continuing to grow and learn in:
- Relationship Counselling: communication, conflict resolution, rebuilding or renegotiating your relationship, identifying core needs / feelings, (I am completing Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 2 Clinical Training and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT))
- Navigating important life transitions: (becoming a parent, becoming an empty nester, changing jobs/careers, perimenopause, menopause, midlife crisis, grief).
- Supporting Parents to support children/teens with anxiety / other emotion issues: I am trained in No Scaredy Cats, Cool Kids Anxiety Program (& Chilled Teen Program) and the ProACTive treatment program for young people and children with anxiety.
- Supporting Parents to improve their relationship with their child/teen: communication, parenting, conflict resolution, navigating a child/teen’s need for connection and independence.
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PACFA Reg. Provisional No. 27532.