Background

Rhonda has a Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood) and commenced her career as an Early Childhood Teacher, spending 10 years working in a variety of early childhood services.  She then branched out into early intervention, and has over 10 years experience working with children with learning difficulties, behaviour problems and disabilities.  Rhonda has run parenting courses and support groups, has been a consultant to schools and early childhood services, has run workshops for industry professionals, and has implemented and run literacy programs.

Much of Rhonda’s early intervention work involved the counselling of parents. As a result of her experience and expertise in counselling families, Rhonda undertook formal counselling studies, completing an Advanced Diploma in Systemic Therapy.  Her counselling experience includes working at Burnside, Coast Shelter and Unifam Counselling and Mediation.  She is an experienced counsellor with people of all ages.

Rhonda established Inner Journey Counselling in 2006.

Counselling Approach

Inner Journey Counselling adopts a systemic therapy approach.  A systemic perspective holds that individuals are best understood within the context of relationships and through assessing the interactions within an entire family.  In addition, to fully understand an individual, one must view them in the broader contexts in which they live, including partners, past relationships, and the wider social and cultural factors.

The approach is positive in its nature as it focuses and builds on a person’s inner strengths.

“All you need is deep within you,
waiting to unfold and reveal itself.”

Specific approaches used include:

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy consists of making changes to behaviour and thinking in order to make you feel better. Therapy also aims to improve your communication skills and how you get along with others.

A modified version of this technique is also used with anxious children. Through fun activities children begin to learn the relationship between their thoughts and their feelings. We look at such things as realistic thinking, fighting fear by facing fear, problem solving, social skills and relaxation.

Strength Based Approach

The foundation of my work with both adults and children alike is the principle of a strong self esteem and a feeling of self worth. With adults ‘life coaching’ techniques are also utilised to find those inner strengths and passions that give life meaning and enjoyment.

When it comes to children the better your child feels about themselves the more in control of their emotions they will be and the happier they will feel. Through a range of fun activities your child will begin to like themselves more. As their self esteem grows they will come to realise just how many talents and skills they have and how special they are.

Art and Play Therapy

Art and Play Therapy is used with both adults and children in specific circumstances. The option to use this medium of therapy is one of individual choice by adults, but often enjoyed by children, because they play their feelings better than they talk about them.
Art mediums such as paints, pastels, clay, dough, charcoal and crayons are used to create images/stories in a therapeutic setting. Another popular medium, especially with children (5yrs and above) is Sand Play. Here the adult or child creates 3-dimensional scenes in a tray using sand and a number of miniature figurines, ie: 3-D story telling.

Both art and sand play are powerful tools in enabling children and adults the ability to explore creatively what is happening in their life. Through this process of exploration the subconscious mind is given a form of self expression which allows the release of emotions. Healing begins at its own pace and readiness as new ways of looking at the world are found in the experience. The powerfulness of the experience is not only in the process but also in the discussion that follows when retelling ‘the story’.