Felicity Ahern
Counsellor, Psychotherapist
OliveWing Counselling Services
Croydon North, Melbourne VIC 3136
In Person + Telehealth
Philosophy & Vision
I am a PACFA registered counsellor with forest therapy training and a background in holistic treatments such as reiki and meditation. I am skilled in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and have an extensive background in mental health work with complex conditions such as schizophrenia, psychosis and acute depression and anxiety. I am particularly interested in building day to day life skills, creating resilience and strong boundaries around self and others.
I am passionate about environmental anxiety as well as life transitions from teenage years, middle age such as menopause and end of life care such as palliative, where existential and eco anxiety therapy can be applied.
I have a strong drama background where I focus on drama therapy as means of expression as well as music and narrative therapy to focus on clarifying personal issues and stretching personal expression to encompass many types of experience.
Background
I trained as an actor until I began studying counselling and psychotherapy. I worked within schools, assisting children and teenagers as a wellbeing clinician until I attained my Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy. I began working as a mental health support to people with conditions such as schizophrenia and psychosis. From there, I decided to open my own practice while training in Reiki and Forest therapy as well as working towards certification for training a therapy dog (I am training Albie now to begin therapy work in the future).
Services
I can provide one on one face to face care, both in home and at an office as well as forest therapy or telehealth, depending on individual requirements.
Areas of Special Interest
Accreditations
- Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy - 2024 - Australian College of Applied Professions
- Graduate Diploma of Counselling - 2023 - Australian College of Applied Professions
Modalities
ACT - Animal Assisted Therapy - Attachment Theory - Compassion-Focused Therapy - Conversational Model - Existential - Holistic - Integrative - Internal Family Systems - Journal Therapy - Meditation - Mindfulness - Narrative Therapy - Person Centred - Psychodrama - Solution Oriented - Strengths-Based - Trauma-Informed
Professional Associations
- Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia
Practice Locations
Croydon North VIC 3136
Appointments
I am available Monday to Thursday from 8:30am to 5:00pm with negotiable times on other days if needed.
Fees & Insurance
I offer a free initial consult of 20 minutes and then charge $120 per session
Combination of Reiki and Counselling is $180 for a session
Contact Felicity
Please contact me for more information
A conversation with Felicity Ahern
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I have a passion for human connection and the ability within each of us to reach for our own path, and I love to shine a torch on paths that seem a little dark. I provide a soft place to land when life seems hard or confusing.
I believe in working together to untie the knots that bind. -
I admire Irvin Yalom's existential approach, as well as Judith Herman's Trauma Recovery. I also am interested in Carl Rogers' person centred therapies which imbue the client with the power and ability to access healing with the counsellor acting as a guide rather than a purveyor of knowledge.
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I am interested in connection within self and others through nature, self awareness and acknowledgement that though mistakes will be made, healing and recovery is always possible.
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I use ACT as a means to connect values within an individuals life to actions and behaviours that reflect those values. Thus the connections between value and behaviour is a crucial aspect of living a life that best suits the individual. I also utilise animal assisted therapies as a means of co-regulation and sensory soothing for adults and children alike. I am also using nature therapy through forest walks and meditation techniques for connection and rest.
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This is a vary subjective question however, generally progress is made quite quickly as even the decision to start therapy can itself be a healing decision. Collaborating together to create an individual plan is a powerful tool for long term benefits. However it is not a linear process and we utilise patience towards understanding that sometimes it has to hurt if it is to heal.
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I have found therapy a life saver when it comes to times in my life that have been so hard and so painful, I could choose to drown in anger or sorrow or scrape myself free of the muck and climb out so that I may help others to climb out too. I can only help others if I have helped myself.
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I love the connection between a client and therapist. Through all my experiences, observing the moment a client understands they are free of a damaging thought process and thus free of the ensuing behaviours is a wonderful experience.
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All the time. I would only wish for more hair as I age but alas...
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We face a multitude of problems all at the same time presented to us in real time courtesy of our devices 24/7. If we wanted to, we could bury ourselves in individual, communal and global crisis without much pause. Thus delineating boundaries for your mental health has become the most challenging, but necessary aspect of living within the world today.
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I love Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and on certain days I find 90's RnB and Nirvana very motivating!