Counselling and Psychotherapy

There are many reasons why people become addicted. People with anxiety, mood, personality disorders or other mental health problems are particularly vulnerable to becoming dependent on substance use or other forms of compulsive behaviors. For example, people find that drinking alcohol or taking drugs helps them initially to alleviate stress or emotional pain. However, doing so often worsens their life circumstances and mental health conditions. Ambivalence about own addiction and treatment is very common so working with a compassionate therapist can help make that shift and increase motivation.

Nerida respects the wide range of experiences that patients who seek treatment may have. Some may have just come from a rehabilitation program. Many patients may have been considering addressing the need for treatment and are taking a tentative first step. Others may be in the middle of a difficult relapse. Her commitment is to work with each client at their own pace in a non-judgmental, compassionate and confidential environment.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is particularly effective for those requiring distress tolerance skills, improved emotion regulation and increased interpersonal effectiveness. Research demonstrates DBT is an effective approach to assist an individual to “Live a Life Worth Living”.

Nerida can help her clients acquire emotion regulation skills that become the foundation for new behaviours.  Her speciality is to work with people whose emotion dysregulation is creating major impediments in sustaining relationships, employment or engaging in education.

Nerida facilitates a DBT skills group weekly and is an advocate for DBT having witnessed first-hand the effectiveness of the skills. Nerida has studied at the Australia DBT Institute and understands the value of having a DBT therapist for individual work to compliment attendance at weekly group sessions.

DBT is a highly effective, researched, internationally recognised treatment for people with significant emotional and relationship difficulties.

Who would find DBT helpful?
Research evidence confirms that individuals with emotions that feel overwhelming and at times uncontrollable, people who find themselves doing impulsive things, or those who feel chaotic and have a feeling of not knowing who they are, all benefit greatly from DBT. Individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, people with self-harm and suicidal behaviours, as well as other psychiatric conditions such as clinical depression, those suffering anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders and substance abuse issues also benefit significantly from this treatment.