Transformational Counselling

Transformational Counselling Accredited Mental Health Social Worker

This week I was very lucky to see one of the world’s greatest innovators and researchers into PTSD, Dr. (author of “The...
19/04/2026

This week I was very lucky to see one of the world’s greatest innovators and researchers into PTSD, Dr. (author of “The Body Keeps the Score”) speak live at Brisbane City Hall with my beautiful friend and fellow Accredited Mental Health Social Worker Kiran .

Dr Van Der Kolk explains, when we are traumatised, the rational part of the brain switches off and the limbic system takes over… hence, to reverse or heal the trauma, the “mind” alone cannot take you where you need to go. The body keeps the score, and the body holds the key to healing traumatic experiences.

Dr Van Der Kolk swears by two of my favourite forms of therapy, yoga 🧘🏻‍♀️ and EMDR ✌🏼, for healing trauma, noting that the shifts he has witnessed in people in minimal sessions of EMDR is unsurpassed. I see this all the time in my EMDR practice .counselling.

Dr Van Der Kolk is also an advocate for psychedelic assisted therapies, nature, arts and play based therapies, and of course stresses the vital importance of the therapeutic relationship in affect (emotional) regulation and trauma resolution.

It’s always a buzz to be in the room with one of your gurus and a house full of therapeutic fellows.

Check out my website for more about trauma and EMDR and feel free to reach out via the website if you have any enquiries. I am currently taking new clients.

For young people, I can recommend the amazing services of Kiran! Check out her Instagram for more info.

To your growth and transformation,
CC

🪷🙏🏼🪷

This little guy Stormy the mini Husky is becoming more of a regular at the Coolangatta clinic as he’s settling into his ...
26/04/2025

This little guy Stormy the mini Husky is becoming more of a regular at the Coolangatta clinic as he’s settling into his therapy pup role.

Stormy is a Pomsky, a Siberian Husky crossed with a Pomeranian and is only 9.5kg fully grown at 15 months old. He’s all fluff, cuteness and pure love.

You might be lucky to meet this little wolf if you come for an appointment! He will greet you and usually just curls up under my chair for your session, making sure your oxytocin levels are topped up as needed 🥰.

Animals are natural masters of regulating humans and bringing joy, healthy attachment and uncomplicated love into our lives.

Let me know if you would like some puppy love next time you come to see me here .counselling.

I’m taking new counselling, EMDR, Medicare, NDIS, work cover clients now. Please direct all enquiries via my website via the Linktree in my bio.

CC + Stormy (the dreamteam) 🪷🐺🪷

🦋 Client testimonial 🦋“Claire has genuinely changed my life, it’s hard to express exactly in words but I will be forever...
08/04/2024

🦋 Client testimonial 🦋

“Claire has genuinely changed my life, it’s hard to express exactly in words but I will be forever grateful for her.

She has a real gift for helping people and understanding exactly what you need. I was not in a good place when I started seeing her and she was kind and genuine. It is very evident that she listened and understood me ensuring her approach was fitting for how my brain worked.

We worked through my trauma using EMDR and the change it has had is amazing. I have seen a shift within myself and the way I think and approach situations.

I really cannot thank her enough for just how much she has helped me. She is one in a million.“

- Chloe, 35














The many C’s of a healthy and mutually fulfilling relationship include: ❤️‍🔥 connection❤️‍🔥 chemistry ❤️‍🔥 communication...
07/04/2024

The many C’s of a healthy and mutually fulfilling relationship include:

❤️‍🔥 connection
❤️‍🔥 chemistry
❤️‍🔥 communication
❤️‍🔥 commitment
❤️‍🔥 compatibility
❤️‍🔥 capacity

No matter how strong your connection, chemistry, communication and even your commitment…

If there is incompatibility in your wants and needs, relating styles, lifestyles, values, and relationship vision, it will be difficult to make the relationship work.

Likewise, we are only able to honestly offer as much in relationship as we have capacity for. Many couples get frustrated trying to have their needs met by partners who may be trying their best but are genuinely at the limit of their capacity, including their capacity for growth.

Partners may be at their capacity to tolerate discomfort, conflict or closeness in a relationship, to be honest, open and vulnerable, or otherwise be able to offer or receive whatever it is their partner desires or needs in relationship.

Be realistic with prospective and current partners and make sure you consider compatibility and capacity when wrapped up in the excitement of chemistry and connection.

We can communicate until we are blue in the face but if we are incompatible or incapable we may find ourselves eternally frustrated and unmet.

The quality of our relationships is one of the greatest determinants of the quality of our lives. Choose well.

Reach out to a licensed therapist if you are struggling in this area. Remember that Instagram is not a replacement for tailored advice from a trained therapist 🌻

To your transformation,

CC 🙏🏼🪶💕


🪶 For anyone needing support, I am open over Xmas / New Years (excluding public holidays) and currently taking new clien...
01/12/2023

🪶 For anyone needing support, I am open over Xmas / New Years (excluding public holidays) and currently taking new clients for counselling and EMDR therapy.

Medicare rebates, Victims Services, NDIS, EAP, work cover, and some health funds available.

Sessions are available online or in my Coolangatta clinic, please contact me via info@clairecottone.com or ph 0493 433 338.

More info via my website www.clairecottone.com 🦋

For anyone needing support, I am open over Xmas / New Years (excluding public holidays) and currently taking new clients...
01/12/2023

For anyone needing support, I am open over Xmas / New Years (excluding public holidays) and currently taking new clients for counselling and EMDR therapy. Medicare rebates, Victims Services, NDIS, EAP, work cover, and some health funds available. Sessions are available online or in my Coolangatta clinic, please contact me via info@clairecottone.com or ph 0493 433 338. More info via my website www.clairecottone.com 🦋

༆𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙀𝙈𝘿𝙍 -𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙨༆🪄 EMDR is known as a magic wand when it comes to processing PTSD and other ex...
08/05/2023

༆𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙀𝙈𝘿𝙍 -𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙨༆

🪄 EMDR is known as a magic wand when it comes to processing PTSD and other expressions of unresolved trauma.

Here’s a quick run down on how it works...

🤯 When we are overwhelmed by a traumatic event, the brain can’t process the information in its usual way.

👉 When this happens, information may be stored maladaptively, causing common PTSD symptoms such as👇

⚡nightmares and intrusive flashbacks
⚡avoidance of things related to the trauma
⚡heightened states of arousal (hypervigilance)
⚡persistent thought and mood disruption

📖 As said by leading trauma expert, psychiatrist Bessel Van Der Kolk, “𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎 𝓀𝑒𝑒𝓅𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒸𝑜𝓇𝑒.”

💕 The good news is, the body is also built with an incredible capacity self-heal.

EMDR is an organic, evidence-based treatment that simply involves

💭 bringing to mind the traumatic event
☝️ following the therapist’s fingers from side to side with your eyes (or alternative bilateral stimulation)
🎤 reporting what you notice

In simple terms, this method taxes the working memory and simultaneously relaxes the threat detecting system in the brain, allowing the brain to safely and effectively process traumatic material that has been maladaptively stored.

This results in:

🧚‍♀️The memory becoming distanced (blurry, faded or changed)
🧚‍♀️The memory becoming desensitised (no longer distressing)
🧚‍♀️A positive shift in cognition (so that any negative self-belief that was cemented in the psyche as a result of the trauma is replaced by a positive, adaptive belief that is self-affirming).

I’ve witnessed incredible results using EMDR with clients who have processed a wide range of traumatic experiences in a short number of sessions, with lasting results.

🎤 Have you encountered EMDR or are you curious about it?

Let me know in the comments ⤵️ 💕

P.s I’m taking new clients. Links in my bio to book now.

🙏🏼 Follow .counselling for more on emotional mastery, mindfulness, healthy relationships and trauma education


🦋 Client testimonial 🦋“I was a bit nervous before seeing Claire for EMDR. I didn't know what to expect, and if my trauma...
04/05/2023

🦋 Client testimonial 🦋

“I was a bit nervous before seeing Claire for EMDR. I didn't know what to expect, and if my trauma would be like opening up Pandora's box.

Claire's calm and grounded presence, along with her clear guidance straight away eased these fears.

I’ve been rather shocked at how well EMDR in combination with Claire's therapeutic style has created a knock on effect of freedom within my life.

The doubt I was having about myself holding onto these past memories has actually evaporated. I still have real life work to do, but I don't feel hung up or attached to the imprinted memories anymore.

It's like a cloud of heaviness has lifted and I feel more whole. I can now sheppard my inner child with greater awareness and love. I highly recommend Claire!”

RF, 34














🧚🏻‍♀️Did you know the NSW government offers up to 22 hours of free counselling for people who have been the direct or se...
08/03/2023

🧚🏻‍♀️Did you know the NSW government offers up to 22 hours of free counselling for people who have been the direct or secondary victim of a violent crime in NSW?

I have just become an approved counsellor for this service and am very happy to be able to offer this referral pathway now for clients.

Click through the slides for more info and please send any enquiries via the link in my bio.

To your emotional, psychological, spiritual and physical health and healing.

CC 🙏🏼🦋💕

Every year the conversation gets louder ❤️💛🖤💙🤍💚
25/01/2023

Every year the conversation gets louder ❤️💛🖤💙🤍💚

༄ How is your higher self guiding you today? Slow down, tune in and hear the whispers 🌬
19/01/2023

༄ How is your higher self guiding you today? Slow down, tune in and hear the whispers 🌬

💕༄ Client testimonial ༄💕“I went to Claire to work on the rumination I was experiencing over a past trauma. I didn't know...
18/01/2023

💕༄ Client testimonial ༄💕

“I went to Claire to work on the rumination I was experiencing over a past trauma. I didn't know much about EMDR, only that it was recommended by many for freeing yourself from trauma.

Claire was a great rock through the process which was surprisingly gentle and simple. Despite the simplicity of the process, I soon realised I wasn't stuck in those same mental loops any more.

I feel that the EMDR really helped create mental space and gave me my energy back to focus on the here and now. Claire was great at refocusing me and guiding me to get the most out of each session.

I highly recommend this to anyone who needs help in moving through their past so that they can step into the freedom of their now ✨”

- Zoe

Address

309/87 Griffith Street Coolangatta
Gold Coast, QLD
4225

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+493433338

Website

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