Practitioners: Julie Twohig

Qualifications and Experience

Master of Counselling and Human Services
Specialist in Relationship Therapy
Clinical Member of CAPAV (Counsellors' & Psychotherapists' Association of Victoria)

Background

In 1998 I established the Hartington Centre with the vision of creating a dynamic counselling and allied health-services team and centre. My earlier work in the body-focused therapies fostered a strong appreciation of the interconnectedness between the mind, body and emotions. This awareness became the impetus for my undertaking a further six years of formal and experiential studies in the counselling field.

Approaches to Counselling

I enjoy an interactive and collaborative approach with clients and bring warmth, humour, insight, compassion and challenge to our work together.

I bring to my counselling and psychotherapy practice a solid academic training in counselling theory and practice, along with a rich background drawing from my interests in Jung, psychodynamics, the esoteric arts, mythology, Buddhism and metaphysics.

Areas of Work

Individuals and couples
Psychotherapy & counselling
Relationship: exploration, reconciliation separation
Family of Origin: Where we come from
Exploring the past and connecting it to the present
Differentiation
Communication
Dealing with difference
Negotiating conflict in relationships
Enhanced awareness
Depression & anxiety
Life Transitions
Grief & Loss
Loneliness & isolation
Good-will
Inclusion & exclusion
The experience of shame
Identity, meaning & purpose
Sexuality
Diversity
Sexual abuse

Interests

I view life as a whole, with all things connected, so I'm interested in the parts of us that become disconnected from our self, from each other, from our community and family.

I am interested in how we are often out of touch with our feelings and needs and the split between the head and the body. I particularly enjoy working with clients in bridging this gap.

I am interested in the myriad relationships we must juggle: our relationship to our self, our partner, to our family, our friends, to our work, our play, spirituality and so on. To this end, I am interested in how we can achieve a work/life balance.

I'm curious about people and where we find ourselves in life I'm interested in paradox.

I like to challenge unhelpful patterns and belief systems that get in the way of well being.

I'm interested in expansion, awareness, fun, creativity and finding our passion.

I am a passionate fiction-writer, and in particular, I love writing short-stories. I'm currently working my way through a Diploma in Professional Writing & Editing and now tackling my first novel (daunting!).

I feel extremely fortunate to have discovered a creative outlet that nourishes me on many levels, whilst helping to provide that often illusive work/life balance.

I've included three short-stories: Full Circle (This story won the 2007 Darebin Leader Writer's Competition), The Interior Decorator (This will be published in the 2009 Invisible Ink anthology) and Paradise (Commended by the Fellowship of Australian writers' Short Story Competition 2008), to be included in their anthology later this year (2009).

Length of session

60 mins

Contact:

email:jatwohig@hotmail.com

phone: (03) 9482 1888

reception hours: 10am-3pm Mon-Sat (answering service outside reception hours)