Hunter Valley Walk and Talk Therapy

17/08/2025

Book Here:

https://hunter-valley-walk-and-talk-therapy-102465.square.site/

15/08/2025

Sometimes, the reactions you wish you could take back… aren’t about the moment you’re in at all.
They’re about a younger version of you who didn’t feel seen, heard, or safe — and who is still showing up, trying to protect you the only way she knows how.

When we begin to notice her and understand why she’s there, everything changes. We respond differently. We relate differently. We begin to feel steadier inside ourselves.

This is the heart of The Threshold — a gentle, live, 8-session group for women who know their past still echoes in their present and are ready to explore it with compassion, understanding, and care.

We start: Group 1 * Monday September 15 - 12pm. Group 2 * Thursday September 18 -7pm
You can read more and join us here: https://huntervalleywalkandtalktherapy.com.au/the-threshold

13/08/2025

Do you sometimes find yourself reacting in ways others say are out of proportion to the moment? Have you seen that look of shock on a loved one’s face when you snap at something they’ve said when they were perhaps just expressing a thought or feeling and, in no way, meaning to hurt you?

Maybe you get antsy when people don’t reply to texts, you’re stuck too long in a queue, or your partner seems distracted.

Often, when our reaction feels unnecessary in hindsight, shame piles on, and the distance in our relationships widens. But what if you’re not a terrible, reactive person? What if a younger part of you is showing up in those moments?

A younger you who never felt seen or prioritised.
A younger you who was silenced or had to be ‘the good one’.
A younger you who felt invisible and unloved.

She steps in because she thinks she’s protecting you. She isn’t wrong for trying, she’s just using the tools of a three-, eight-, or fourteen-year-old, not the tools of a 40-plus woman.

We don’t want to shut her down, but we do want to give her some new tools to use. And of course these take time to develop. What you can do in the meantime though is actually quite simple:

Notice her.

Let her know you see her.

Ask: How old do I feel right now, and what do I need?

You won’t always get a clear answer. Still, pay attention to your body and where your memories wander. Then do something quietly revolutionary: offer compassion. Instead of beating yourself up for not reacting perfectly, try: ‘Oh, I felt like I did when that thing happened all those years ago. It makes sense I reacted that way. That’s okay. I can try again.’

Pause. Reflect. Offer yourself that compassion.
See what shifts.

Small kindnesses to your younger self, might just change how the rest of your day plays out.

13/08/2025

Spending some time with a good friend recently, discussion turned to how it can sometimes feel that existence is a little futile. You spend most of the healthy and functional years of your life raising kids, earning an i...

13/08/2025

As I get older, the more I realise that our 'age' has very little do with *who* we are. I've looked at journal entries I wrote when I was 14/15 years old, and the themes I wrote about are the exact same themes, just different situations, that I struggle with now.

I've matured in lots of ways, I have more wisdom and self-awareness - but at my core, I'm still that messy kid, just trying to figure herself out and get by.

If I think about what she needed back then - things like safety, belonging, caring people etc, I'm really aware there are echoes of those needs showing up today. The good news is, I am far more resourced now, than I was 30 odd years ago, so I can actually find ways to provide those things for 'her' and myself, now.

For my inner child, I need to look for ways to connect meaningfully with someone. I need to remove myself from places I don't feel so ok in. I need to take the time to do the things that feel creative and fun in my soul - even if I'm not great at them.

If you think about what you needed 30, 40, 50+ years ago, can you recognise those needs still somewhat alive within you today? And if you can, in what ways could you begin to meet them?

12/08/2025

What a great opportunity for someone who's got some time and wants to make another's load just a tad lighter ♥️

We’re putting the TRANSFORMATION into TRANSPORT and we need your help!

At Jenny’s Place, we continually strive to find new ways to support vulnerable women and children in our community, and you can help us transform the support we give by making transport easier.

Many of the women we help have no access to a vehicle or have limited funds to pay for public transport. So, to better support our clients, we are establishing a Jenny’s Place Community Transport program, staffed by a volunteer driver workforce.

If you are a good driver and a kind, respectful person who wants to help through volunteering, this might be perfect for you! To learn more go to https://www.jennysplace.org/community-transport-program/

12/08/2025

Listening to your younger self might mean:

Leaving situations where you feel unsafe.

Saying “no” and protecting your time.

Getting your body out for a walk, swim, or bike ride.

Catching up with your favourite people.

Spending an afternoon curled up with a good book or your favourite TV series.

When you ignore her, you might notice yourself feeling depleted, unseen, unheard, and carrying an overwhelm that hovers like a heavy cloud..

12/08/2025

We can’t take “personal responsibility” without acknowledging the bigger picture.

11/08/2025

11/08/2025

Recently I underwent a very common treatment for a problem I’ve been having with my hip, but it involved needles (dry needling) and in all honesty I was scared.

Will it hurt?
Will they hit some nerve that they aren’t supposed to be touching?
What if it’s all just quackery? 😉

Normally when I’m looking into medical treatments, I ‘research’ (ie look it up on Google) pretty extensively, and once I start seeing any mention of side-effects that sound scarier than I’m up for, it becomes a pretty solid no. This time I didn’t do *any* googling, I *really* want the issue resolved, so didn’t want to talk myself out of trying it. A friend told me it worked well for her, so that’s what I trusted.

Once I was in that room, my voice changed, my body language changed, I was scared and very, very uncomfortable. I came to realise that this wasn’t a middle aged woman who’d experienced far more pain than a skinny little needle throughout my life - instead it was a much younger version of myself who was feeling incredibly scared and vulnerable.

I got through the needles (didn’t hurt at all really – jury is out on whether or not I’m fixed just yet), and walked out of there feeling a little like a big baby, but completely intact.

Maybe you’ve had those moments too - when your reaction feels bigger than the situation, and you can’t quite work out why.

It’s not a weakness to feel this way, as much as it might feel like it is. It’s simply another part of you - often a younger part - stepping forward in the hope of keeping you safe.

When we start noticing those moments and getting curious about them, we begin to gather the tools to meet ourselves with more understanding. We start to see the patterns we’ve been carrying and contemplate how we might loosen their hold.

This is the kind of work I love: slow, gentle, and grounded in real life. And over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more about a small, in-person group I’m creating for women who want to explore this kind of self-discovery in a supportive, down-to-earth way.

You might be surprised at what you discover when you give yourself the space to listen in to YOU in a supportive group environment.

10/08/2025

I provide a number of different ways that you can access therapy with Hunter Valley Walk and Talk.

My standard service is 1:1 in nature for 70 minutes. But I also provide Breakthrough sessions, Zoom appointments, couples work, longer sessions and groups. Discounted Sessions are also available.

You can see all of my offerings, and make a booking here:

https://hunter-valley-walk-and-talk-therapy-102465.square.site/

I also work late a few nights a week.

You'll find information for the next group I'm offering here:

https://huntervalleywalkandtalktherapy.com.au/the-threshold

08/08/2025

The Threshold, a new offering for women, is now open for bookings.

This will be a gentle, supported space for women ready to begin deepening their self-understanding. You'll make new connections with fantastic women, learn new tools, and come away with a deeper sense of compassion for yourself and the journey you've walked so far.

It will be held Mondays during the day, and Thursday evenings. Beginning in September. Indoor location, Morpeth.

It's not exactly therapy, but it will be therapeutic. If you're curious, click on the link to learn more.

Because the past doesn't have to write the future...