Dana is a lived-experience neurodivergent counsellor and narrative therapist based in Naarm/Melbourne. She has over 20 years of experience walking with individuals, families and communities. This includes folks with varied experiences of neurodivergence including autism, ADHD, AuDHD, C/PTSD, bipolar, generalised or social anxiety, depression, OCD, Eating Disorders, unusual thoughts, dissociation and personality vulnerabilities. Dana is endlessly fascinated by the diversity of brains, bodies and beings in the world and is passionate about supporting people to live meaningfully and sustainably. With curiosity and interest, Dana supports folks to dignify experiences of suffering, celebrate survival and resistance values, skills and knowledges, identify and communicate needs, and strengthen community and belonging.

Dana’s specialty areas include:

• Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria and Persistent Drive for Autonomy (also referred to as Pathological Demand Avoidance)
• Gender expansiveness, dating, relationships and sexuality
• Persistent (chronic) pain, fatigue, burn out and recovery
• Neurodivergent parenthood transitions including conception, IVF, loss, adoption, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, parenting and the choice to not hold a traditional (or any) parent role
• Childhood, familial and trans-generational trauma healing and nurturing inner child work
• Creative, symbolic and dream work
• Suicidal thoughts - sometimes explored as "singing your death song"

Dana holds a Masters of Narrative Therapy and Community Work and is an Honorary Clinical Tutor with Dulwich Centre. This supports her to question oppressive claims about "success" and "normality" and centre voices from the margins in her work. Dana often supports folks who have felt misunderstood or like outsiders. Dana’s own "spiky profile" keeps her approach grounded in humour and compassion. Dana’s Jungian Coaching skills support symbolic work including dreamwork, creativity, nature and mythology that help folks who may be feeling lost or stuck in life. She facilitates a monthly Practitioner Dream Group and hosts the Jungian Coaching Room podcast where she has interviewed folks including Linda Ruff from Woven In and Christina Schmidt from Free to Be Me. Dana's background in speech pathology has allowed her to develop skills to support folks with:

• Situational Non-speaking (clinically labelled Selective Mutism)
• Mealtime differences (often labelled Avoidance Restrictive Food Intake Disorder)
• Acquired communication difficulties (e.g. aphasia after a stroke)
• Stuttering
• Navigating systems of care (e.g. hospital, psychiatric, community)

Other places you can find Dana:

• Australian Counselling Association – Find a Counsellor
• Neurodivergent Practitioner Community
• Northside Therapy Collective
• Northside Relationship Counselling – Neurodiverse Affirming Couple Counselling
• Narrative Connections
• Source – Find the Right Therapist
• International Association of Jungian Coaches and Consultants – Membership Directory