Counselling can often assist individuals  achieve positive outcomes for a range of issues affecting quality of life.  Examples of specific issues might be

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic Disorders
• Grief and Loss
• Addictive behaviours (including gambling, work-aholism)
• Substance Use (alcohol or drugs)
• Stress management
• Trauma

For families and couples, Crystal can assist with:

• Relationship counselling
• Interpersonal relationship counselling either at home and at work
• Parenting your child or adolescent

Crystal has been trained and is accredited in the Triple P approach to parenting.  The international award winning Triple P – Positive Parenting Program – is backed by over 25 years of clinically proven, world wide research.  Whether you are the parent of a tantrum-throwing toddler, a difficult teenager, siblings who fight and argue or a child with low self esteem, Triple P has the tools and information to assist you. 

Triple P is an easy to implement, proven parenting solution that help solve current parenting problems and works towards preventing problems before they arise.  It is flexible and adaptable to your unique situation.  Triple P focuses on increasing and enhancing the knowledge, skills and confidence of parents.  It has also been shown to be effective across a range of cultures, socio-economic circumstances and different family structures.

Please contact Crystal via this website or call +61 412 614 077 to find out more information on this unique program and how it is used in counselling work with families.

Crystal is a registered practitioner with the Cancer Counselling Professionals Inc. (CCP). The Cancer Council of NSW has partnered with the CCP to provide this specialised counselling service.  CCP was incorporated in 2005 bringing together mental health professionals from the fields of psycho-oncology, psychiatry, psychology, counselling and psychotherapy.   These practitioners offer professional counselling services to individuals and families affected by cancer.  The counselling fees are subsidised and up to six counselling sessions are available to people with cancer, their family and friends. 

Crystal can provide face to face counselling, or via telephone or Skype for those who are geographically isolated or unable to leave their residence for health reasons.  Home or hospital visits are also available by negotiation.

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer is often a shock for most people.  The impact is significant not just for the patient but also for family members.  Research shows that counselling plays an important part in helping individuals and families face and meet the many challenges implicit in a cancer diagnosis and so improve their quality of life.

Feedback from clients indicates that counselling has helped them deal better with their emotional issues.  They have a better understanding of the impact of their diagnosis and are better able to communicate their needs to family and health professionals.  Counselling also helps to ease the inevitable tension that results from this diagnosis in the patient’s relationships with family and friends.  The burden of expectation often borne by patients to maintain and achieve a positive outcome can be replaced by a positive but realistic outlook of the future. 

To access this service please call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 or call Crystal on +61 412 614 077

Crystal is a registered counsellor with the The National Carer Counselling Program (NCCP) offered through Carers NSW.  She has extensive experience in this area and has been providing this highly specialised counselling to carers for over 8 years. 

The NCCP is a Commonwealth Government initiative providing subsidised counselling services specifically targeted to meet the needs of carers about issues related to their caring role.  Counselling is offered face to face, via the telephone or Skype, for individuals or families and can be used for issues such as:

• stress management
• crisis counselling
• coping skills and strategies
• bereavement and loss issues (incudes former carers)
• transition issues related to the person being supported moving into residential care or supported accommodation
• practical problem-solving techniques

Carers are defined as relatives and friends who are caring for people with a disability, mental illness, chronic conditions or who are frail aged.  Former carers, that is, those carers whose relatives and friends have died, can also be provided counselling.

The counselling is subsidised and this can be organised when a request is made for counselling services.  To access this service please contact the Carers Resource Line on 1800 242 626 (free call) and speak to a Carer Support Officer or call Crystal on +61 412 614 077.

Family Dispute Resolution/ Family Law Mediation

Crystal is a registered Family Dispute Resolution practitioner with the federal Attorney General’s Department.  She has extensive experience in this field.  In the area of Family Law, Family Dispute Resolution is a fairly new concept.  Recent changes to Australian Family Law recognises that children are better off when parents cooperate rather than battle over residency and access arrangements.  A growing body of research links parental conflict to poor outcomes for children across health, mental health and well being measures during childhood and into adulthood.

Family Dispute Resolution is a type of mediation which provides people who are separating or divorced with an effective method of resolving disagreements and building co-operation.  It requires an effort by all parties to work towards overcoming differences and to build workable agreements for the future.  Importantly Family Dispute Resolution assists parents to develop arangements for their children’s future. 

Famiy Dispute Resolution Practitioners are highly skilled to help parents identify and focus on childrens’ best interests and learn to make decisions and communicate on parenting issues constructively.

For more information on this process please contact Crystal via this website or call +61 412 614 077

 Worker’s Compensation

Crystal is registered with WorkCover NSW to provide counselling services focussing on the psychological and emotional barriers that might impact on a return to work for employees.  Interventions are based on a collaborative assessment of the workers’ needs including self-management and return to work applying a biopsychosocial approach to the management of a worker’s injury.  Referrals can only be accepted via a medical practitioner.

Motor Accidents Authority of NSW

Crystal is registered with the Motor Accidents Authority (MAA) to provide counselling interventions for those injured in a motor accident resulting in injuries such as anxiety, whiplash and mild Traumatic Brain Injury.  The MAA regulates the NSW Compulsory Third Party (CTP or Green Slip) Scheme and its participants.  The approach is collaborative and appropriate working towards the best possible outcomes for clients.  Referrals can only be accepted via a medical practitioner.

Private Health Funds

Crystal is registered with Medibank Private and some other health funds to provide counselling services to their members.  Please call Crystal on +61 412 614 077 to find out if you have access to this cover.

Clinical Supervision

Crystal has provided clinical supervision and coaching to a number of government organisations, both state and federal.  Her clients have included the Department of Family and Community Services (formerly the Department of Community Services) and the Department of Defence.  She has also provided training in culture change to NSW Police.

Amongst Crystal’s current clients is the Department of Corrective Services and Crystal provides clinical supervision to staff in correctional institutions. 

Business Clients

Crystal has worked nationally and internationally with a number of organisations, both non-government and government.  In this context she has focused on organisational change, team development and enhancing staff effectiveness with clients.  Crystal’s experience has shown her that the best outcomes for clients are generally achieved when staff:

• are committed to the organisation
• feel the organisation is committed to them, and
• are able to strike a healthy work-life balance for themselves

Over time Crystal’s goal has developed into encouraging organisations to lead by example, to demonstrate a care for the well-being of their employees, in particular, their life style issues and emotional health.  Ideally, Crystal’s aim is to show organisations how to discuss these issues openly in the workplaces and to de-stigmatise what are common concerns for the human condition.

Crystal has provided the following services to organisations

• Review of organisational performance
• Worker Training and Assessment
• Professional Development
• Clinical Supervision
• Communication Training for staff
• Work-Life Balance
• Staff Mentoring and Coaching
• Employee Assistance Programs

A particular emphasis of Crystal’s work is on promoting the well being of children and Crystal offers organisations working with vulnerable children and families the following:

• Child Protection – Risk Assessments
• Placement Assessments
• Foster Carer Assessments