Mrs Sirini Kularatne-Samarapathi
Holistic Counsellor, Clinical Supervisor
Sasethna Counselling Services
Cockatoo, VIC 3781
Online Therapy Australia-wide
Philosophy & Vision
I am interested in all aspects of the whole person - practical, physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual etc. I am a professional counsellor with 35 + years' of mindful awareness practice, grounded in the Buddhist teachings. The deep self-reflection and continued practise gives me the gentle balance, contentment and equanimity which, as a therapist I bring to the session. This supports the whole person in their healing, in a compassionate way, to grow from within.
Background
My qualifications are in Bachelor of Applied Social Science specialising in Counselling with post graduate qualifications in palliative care, grief, loss & bereavement and Buddhist counselling and psychotherapy. I have specialised in drug and alcohol work with voluntary / mandated clients. My past employment experience includes working in homelessness, people in street sex work, group facilitator for victims of domestic violence, community palliative care, carer & bereavement counselling.
Currently I work as a first response counsellor for people impacted by sexual assault, domestic and/or family violence, PTSD/complex trauma. I continue to work in general counselling as well as in culture specific counselling with the migrant community.
Services
I provide clinical supervision for counsellors and therapists, and counselling for individuals. Other services include palliative care, carer support, grief & bereavement, including with parents who have lost a child in relation to any form of death including miscarraige, still birth, or abortion. I also work with trauma, domestic and / or family violence, anger management, stress reduction, issues with insomnia (any sleep related issues), anxiety, depression; drug & alcohol counselling, and general counselling.
Languages for counselling - English (fluent); Sinhela (fluent)
Quality Provision
I am a Level 4 counsellor and a Clinical Supervisor registered with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) School of Clinical Supervisors and Counsellors Victoria. I under take supervision, professional development and work according to the ACA Ethical Code of Conduct. My work is client / supervisee centred with an unconditional compassionate engagement where they decide on the focus on each session. The client / supervisee decides on the number of sessions needed for themselves.
Areas of Special Interest
Accreditations
- Buddhism and Psychotherapy Professional Training C - 2020 - AABCAP
- Clinical Counselling Supervisor - 2019 - RISE UP - Supervision Training Services
- Postgrad Certificate in Bereavement Counselling - 2015 - Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement
- Postgrad Certificate in Palliative care work - 2015 - Flinders University - SA
- Bachelor of Applied Social Science- Counselling Sp - 2013 - Australian Institute of Applied Psychology
Modalities
ACT - Buddhist Psychotherapy - CBT - Compassion-Focused Therapy - DBT - Dream Work - Emotional Release - Experiential - Gestalt - Holistic - Inner Child - Meditation - Mindfulness - NLP - Person Centred - Sensorimotor Psychotherapy - Somatic Psychotherapy - Trauma-Informed
Therapy Approach
I work with psycho-somatic techniques, incorporating mindful awareness to tap into our past/present experiences which might continue to have an impact on the presenting issues. In working gently with the body held memories to identify trauma triggers without intense distress, I am able to guide the individual to find healing and peace.
In clinical supervision, I support therapists to find balance in their work, assist with client work, equip self with tools & strategies to grow as an effective competent therapist, incorporating holistic ways to prevent burnout, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue.
In counselling with clients, I work with internal/external factors to help achieve the desired highest outcomes for that individual.
Professional Associations
- Australian Counselling Association - Level 4
Practice Locations
Cockatoo VIC 3781
Appointments
Appointments are available throughout the week
(including weekdays, weekends and on selected public holidays) Sessions are mainly offered via phone or online platforms
Fees & Insurance
Please call to discuss
Languages
English
Sinhala
Payment Options
Bank Transfer
Contact Sirini
Please contact me to make an appointment
A conversation with Sirini Kularatne-Samarapathi
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I have had an interest from a very young age to connect with people - to be present in their difficulties, to sit with their uncomfortable emotions. I guess that was what eventually got transpired in me becoming a professional counsellor. My Buddhist practises of compassion, loving kindness, meditation and mindful awareness practices paved the way for my internal development and my profession to be part and parcel of the same.
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I started my Buddhist practises of meditation, mindful awareness, deep reflection of going within around the tender age of 12 years. This foundation grew up through the adolescent years, changes through life, lifestyles and so on. It has enabled me to find balance, contentment and equanimity within myself and with the World that I engage with. Today I bring this background into my work, together with different qualifications and extensive employment experience to assist those who walk with me at different times and in different situations in their lives.
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I consider a person as a whole. Every individual is a unique person with unique characteristics and life experiences. Hence every experience, every situation and every moment can make a significant impact to an individual's life. Whatever is important to that individual from any part of the life journey is where I will start work with. The uniqueness of an individual and their experiences cannot be measured, hence every aspect of their life is important. The whole person is who I meet at each session, moving fluidly with them to explore whatever they uncover as they continue through their journey, discovery and healing process.
Therefore, I am interested in all aspects of the whole person including practical, physical, philosophical, emotional, psychological, etc. working with the whole person in a holistic manner. -
I work with an eclectic tool box, using mindful awareness techniques based in evidence based practices, with a foundation of compassion. Compassionate foundation of engagement with unconditional positive regard, bearing witness and being present, holding a trusting space to whatever that unfolds.
Holding an open space for the client to feel comfortable in bringing whatever they want to bring in to the trusted and open space. I work with a person centred approach using psycho-ed for clarity, evidence based therapies such as CBT, gentle Gestalt to bring clarity of a disparities, psycho-somatic work to work with body held memories that can assist clear trauma without the intense distress of retriggering.
Some other evidence based, mindful awareness therapies that I use are ACT, DBT, BT, etc incorporating the mindfulness components of these therapies to gain inner development and healing for individuals at they process and grow from within. -
Each session will be used for 'tracking' using tools for client to map their progress. This is an important part of therapy for clients to know if they are benefiting from the engagement and the therapeutic interventions. This is what would motivate and keep the client focused and engaged in therapy.
However, it is my role as a counsellor to facilitate that process while sitting by their side to acknowledge growth, but also blocks that might prevent growth. It is importnat to know that blocks uncovered in therapy can be the most important to work that gets done. Providing a trusted safe space to move through those blocks, can at times be the turning point a person needed to rise and soar to heights that they didn't belive they could.
It is also important to be aware that as clients move through therapy, they could tread into new unknown territory where for the first time they are trusted and safe, which could be quite daunting and overwhelming to acknowledge. Hence it is important that the client and counsellor walk each step of the way together side by side. -
My spiritual practice of self-awareness, and working with my inner development, I have found that there are many ways to face the challenges that come our way. The self practice has helped me change in the way I approach life and different situations. Through this process, I have developed as a person, matured as an individual, and approach to life challenges has changed. I am able to look at them with confidence, changing the things I can and, finding ways to engage and approach with what I can't change in order to maintain my inner sense of peace and balance. The compassionate foundation has changed me within and I bring that authenticity to the space as a counsellor to bare witness and walk with the pain of others.
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The ability to create a space for people to be who they are, and bring whatever the pain they would like to unfold knowing that they will be heard. To me one of the most important aspects about therapy is that space, which is open and compassionate, unconditional, empathic - where people feel safe to trust. That trusting non-judgemental space, can create opportunities for safe deeper exploration of self and growth from within. As a counsellor it is rewarding to sit back and see those individuals who walked with you stretch their wings to fly..
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Life is change, everyone has their moments where life throws things that can be faced head on, or at times one has to step back and take another look at. That is what makes me human, and brings in the authenticity to the counselling space. My confidence within myself helps me to know that everything is a part of the bigger picture and work with what is presented at the time in this moment. My stillness practices help me keep the inner equilibrium. These are pracitces I have developed over the years, which I bring as tools to support those individuals who come into the therapeutic space. I focus on thoughts, emotions, lived experiences in order to enhanse inner strengths and facilitate inner development through them.
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I think the world has many challenges. We go through different developmental stages in life and in that process each individual will be experiencing life in their own unique way. Nothing is concrete in its presentation, hence different people will experience situations in their own way, which is unique to each individual. It is this uniqueness that as a therapist that I choose to work with. Each individual's experience is authentic, valid and significant for that individual, hence it is the most significant problem / issue / challenge in that moment for the therapeutic space!
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Ajahn Brahmavanso's book of "opening the door to your heart'. It contains little stories with opportunities for deep reflections presented in a unique way inviting readers to look at life in a deep and meaning full way.
Elton John's - Goodbye English Rose written for Princess Diana - highlights the immense potential one person has in changing the World to the better. Her courage, compassion to heal the hearts and minds of those who she knew and those who she didn't.
Stage drama by Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favourites (Marina Prior did it jusitce). The story of pain and tragedy put together capturing the audience in the suspence of this intense human experience of one's emotions. The experience of tragedy, love, pain, grief and every other emotion, how it all has a rippled effect on others and their community.