Sivan Benesh - Beelieve Therapy

18/07/2025

Meet Lady. 🐾
8 weeks old. Soft, sleepy, and already shifting the energy in our home in the gentlest ways.

The first reaction when you see her?
An immediate “awww.”
That feeling? It’s oxytocin at work.
This hormone is released and floods our system during moments of connection, such as cuddling, gentle touch, or even looking at something we love. It tells our body: It lowers stress. Regulates the nervous system. Reminds us we’re safe.

She’s not a therapist. Yet.
But she’s definitely doing the work.

Of course, the cuteness is also a brilliant cover for the shoes we’re losing and the “surprises” we keep finding on the floor.
More of Lady’s lessons (and mischief) to come....
🌺🦋🙏🦋

18/06/2025

10/06/2025

You left.
And then… you went back.

Now you’re wondering, 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁?

Because he said he was miserable.
Because he blamed you.
Because you're a good person, and you can’t tolerate the idea that you might be hurting someone else.
But guess what?
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗺. 𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗹.
You just stopped eating it.

Because you still wanted to believe the version of him that once felt like love.
Because he pulled you away from everyone, until he was all you had left.
Because the silence after leaving felt colder than the chaos you knew.

Because your kids need their dad.
You want them to feel whole.
To have stability.
Even though you know
that when he says 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁,
he really means 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿.
And that’s not the kind of love they deserve to grow up in.

Because the world says “just leave,”
but never stays to hold you afterward.

And because most women go back 𝟳 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 before they’re able to leave for good.
Not because they’re weak, but because the cycle is designed to keep them stuck.

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻.
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

You don’t have to go through it alone.
𝗜’𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. I’ve seen this before.
I can be the outside voice that gently reveals the manipulation,
support you as you rebuild a new network,
and remind you of the strength that’s always been yours.

Mental Health Care Plan is available throgh your G.P

If you need someone now:
1800RESPECT is available 24/7.
Call 1800 737 732 — free. confidential. never judgmental.

Call 1800 737 732 — free. confidential. Never judgmental. idea that you might be hurting someone else.ort

31/05/2025

I’m thrilled to share that I’m now officially a Medicare Provider and have received my Mental Health Accreditation.

This step enables me to offer Medicare rebates for eligible sessions, making therapy more accessible, supportive, and affordable for more of our community through the Mental Health Care Plan.

It’s been a journey of learning and growth, and I’m so grateful to expand the way I can support people in need.

If you or someone you know is ready to explore healing, build resilience, or have a safe space to talk, I’m here.

Feel free to reach out or share this post with someone who might benefit.
Together, we continue to create space for connection, compassion, and growth.

With warmth and gratitude,
Sivan.

18/05/2025

I’m so thrilled to share a meaningful milestone in my practice: I’ve officially completed my training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) therapy.

What I love about EMDR is how it honours the body’s natural ability to heal, while gently guiding the mind toward clarity and calm. It aligns beautifully with the compassionate, holistic care I strive to offer every client.

What I love about EMDR is how it honors the body’s natural ability to heal, while gently guiding the mind toward clarity and calm. It aligns beautifully with the compassionate, holistic care I strive to offer every client.

If you’ve been carrying something heavy and are curious about how EMDR might support your healing, I’d love to explore it with you. 💛

06/05/2025

In last week’s post, we talked about how gaslighting distorts your reality.
But what’s even more painful?
💔 The lies it plants inside you.
Over time, gaslighting doesn’t just confuse your thoughts - it reshapes your identity.
Here are some common lies survivors start to believe:
“I’m too sensitive.”
“I can’t trust my memory.”
“I always overreact.”
“It was probably my fault.”
“No one else would understand.”

Sound familiar?

These are not your truths.
They are the echoes of emotional abuse. And they can be unlearned.

✨ Here’s what’s actually true:
Your sensitivity is not a flaw -it’s a strength.
Your memory isn’t broken -it’s been questioned for too long.
You have every right to your emotions.
You are not to blame.
You deserve to be seen, heard, and believed.

Healing means remembering who you were before the gaslighting - and who you’re becoming now.
If you're ready to untangle these lies and reclaim your truth, you're not alone.
This is the work I do with women every day -and I’m here when you're ready.

You're not alone if you're ready to untangle these lies and reclaim your truth.thHeart

02/05/2025

What is gaslighting? And how does it actually feel?

The word “gaslighting” comes from the 1944 film Gaslight,
where a husband slowly manipulates his wife into believing she’s going mad.
He dims the gas lights in their home, then denies it when she notices.
Over time, she begins to doubt her senses, her memory, even her sanity.

This is where the term was born.
But for many, it’s not just a movie — it’s real life.
Gaslighting sounds like:
🗣️ “You’re imagining things.”
🗣️ “You’re too sensitive.”
🗣️ “That never happened.”
🗣️ “You’re always overreacting.”

But what it feels like is harder to name.
It feels like:
💥 Shrinking inside
💥 Shame and guilt in your chest
💥 Spinning thoughts trying to defend yourself
💥 Apologizing for things that aren’t your fault
💥 Silencing your truth to keep the peace

And then comes the worst part…
You start blaming yourself.
“It’s probably my fault.”
“I am too much.”
“Why can’t I just let things go?”

💛 Here’s how healing begins:
Feel it. Notice how it shows up in your body - the tightness, the freeze, the spiral.

Observe your thoughts. Watch how quickly they turn against you.

Name it. Gently say to yourself: This might be GASLIGHTING.

Get familiar with the feeling. Recognition is the first step toward reclaiming your truth.
But know this:
Sometimes, you won’t be able to identify it on your own.
Because it feels so familiar.
Because it matches the story you’ve been told about yourself.
Because the blame has been internalized for years.

That’s why support matters.

✨ You deserve someone outside the pattern who can reflect what’s really happening, and remind you:
💛 You are not too sensitive.
💛 You are not overreacting.
💛 You are not to blame.

If you're ready to unlearn doubt and come home to your truth, DM me or click the link in my bio
And ...please share it with someone who needs to know!

Image from the 1944 film “Gaslight.” Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

30/04/2025

Being trauma-informed isn’t a technique — it’s a way of being.
It’s understanding that trauma isn’t just something that happened.
It’s how your body learned to stay alert, shut down, or protect you, even long after the danger is gone. And that survival response can shape how you feel, connect, and cope in everyday life.”

This means that in my practice, I hold space with gentleness and respect.
I’m not afraid of your story.
I won’t rush you, fix you, or try to make you fit into someone else’s idea of healing.
It means noticing your body, gently tuning into where tension lives, and knowing you don’t have to brace anymore.
Instead, I meet you exactly where you are.
I offer a space where you don’t have to explain or hide.
Where you can slowly, safely, begin to be fully yourself — even the parts that feel messy, guarded, or unsure.

Safety, to me, means you get to take a breath.
I won’t rush you, fix you, or try to make you fit into someone else’s idea of what healing is; you don't have to hold in anymore.
It means you are allowed to be — not perform, not prove, just be.

And from that place, healing can begin, one gentle breath, one honest moment at a time.

27/04/2025

Healing after trauma isn't just about moving on. It's about coming home to yourself.

Many of the people I work with carry invisible wounds —
* Anxiety that feels overwhelming.
* Deep self-doubt, even when they know something isn’t right
* Shame and self-blame rooted in someone else's harm

If this sounds familiar, I want you to know:
None of this means you're broken.
It means you survived — often by internalizing things that were never your fault.

Healing is possible.
It looks like learning to trust yourself again.
Building emotional safety inside.
Recognizing manipulation without second-guessing.
Choosing yourself, with strength and self-kindness — again and again.

Recognising manipulation without second-guessing.
Choosing yourself, with strength and self-kindness -again and again.

If you're on this path, you don't have to walk it alone. 🧡
I’m welcoming a few new clients this season. Feel free to reach out if you want to explore working together

22/04/2025

I haven’t been here for a while.
Life has been moving — fast, slow, and everything in between, and I needed some time to sit with it all.

Recently, I left the security of a stable paycheck and committed fully to building my private practice.
It’s a choice that feels right, but it’s also stirred up moments of doubt.
Thoughts like:
"Who am I to guide others?"
"Am I good enough?"
"What if I don't know enough?"
"What does it even mean to be a therapist?"
I remind myself that I have the skills, knowledge, and heart for this work.

I remind myself that I am already doing it — every day, in ways big and small.

I remind myself that these doubts are old visitors, echoes from earlier days when I didn’t yet know my own strength.
They are not the truth of who I am.

It’s about creating a space where all aspects of a person: their strengths, their fears, their hopes -can be seen without judgment.

As I step forward, I'm arriving with everything I have:
I am here, prepared, grounded, and committed to fulfilling the purpose that has been quietly shaping me all along.
and the real-world experience that has taught me the complexity and resilience of the human spirit.

My work is person-focused and trauma-informed.
I follow the lead of the person — honoring their pace, their choices, and their inner wisdom.

Real-world experience has taught me the complexity and resilience of the human spirit.
I am here, prepared, grounded, and committed to fulfilling the purpose that has been quietly shaping me all along.