Making Changes
Professional Counselling Services and Supports
Welcome to Making Changes. If you or your child are facing personal or relationship challenges, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, distress or isolation, our professional counselling services can help. Or if you’re wanting to make changes and increase your effectiveness in life, build better relationships, or develop tools and strategies to deal with life’s challenges we can encourage, support and equip you. Our counselling service provides safe, supportive and empowering spaces for individuals, couples and families—in-person, mobile to you, zoom and via telehealth. I have been working in Mental Health since 2016. Originating in Disability and Mental Health Support Work. Over the first few years I have obtained Duel Diplomas in Counselling and also Community Services while continuing with Critical Care Support Work. I currently support Families struggling with mental health including children. My clients range from 5 yrs to 50 yrs. The majority of my clients are children suffering from spectrum disorders, familiy separations as well as psychosis. Psychotherapy is a psychosocial treatment intervention which explores your feelings, thoughts and behaviours that are distressing you and help you to work towards changing these. It can be used to treat a range of mental health disorders including:
Depression
Anxiety disorder
Panic Disorder
Specific Phobias
Social anxiety disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Severe mental health disorder such as psychotic disorder
Trauma or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Personality Disorder
Addiction (including alcoholism, drug dependence and gambling addiction)
Eating Disorder such as anorexia nervosa and bulimiaOur Services
Solution based therapy
Solution-focused practice concentrates on helping people move towards the future that they want and to learn what can be done differently by using their existing skills, strategies and ideas – rather than focusing on the problem.
Cognitive behavioural therapy
(CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It's most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.
Mindfulness therapy
Mindfulness therapy is a type of talk therapy that focuses on learning how to be more aware of thoughts, feelings, emotions, surroundings, and situations, and to reduce automatic responses.
Alcohol and other drugs
A person experiencing a dependence on alcohol may start to experience alcohol-related issues in their personal and work life. The end of a relationship, or the loss of a job, may result in symptoms of anxiety and depression on top of the existing dependence on alcohol.
A person’s physical health can also be affected. For example, alcohol can disrupt sleep, which may contribute to some symptoms increasing. Nutrition and exercise could also be affected, contributing to poorer health.
People with both AOD and mental health issues also face higher rates of relapse and subsequent hospital visits, imprisonment, unemployment, and family difficulties.
They are also are more likely to be a victim of violence than the general community, particularly if their mental health condition is severe, and they are more likely to experience homelessness and discrimination.
Stigma is attached to both conditions and further marginalises people who may avoid seeking help, due to the real or perceived attitudes of others.
Alcohol and other drugs and mental health challenges are not distributed equally throughout the population.
Many people are vulnerable due to genetic, environmental, social or biological factors over which they have little control: they may experience a severe difficulty or trauma in their life or face chronic personal, social, or economic problems.
Family counselling
Family therapy is a type of psychological counseling (psychotherapy) that can help family members improve communication and resolve conflicts. Family therapy is usually provided by a psychologist, clinical social worker or licensed therapist.
Children, adolescents and teenagers
Mental health treatment for your child starts with a mental health assessment. This will help to work out the issues that are affecting your child’s mental health and wellbeing.
The assessment should result in a treatment plan that aims to improve your child’s wellbeing and reduce their symptoms. It can also aim to build on your child’s strengths and support their development.
The plan should focus on things that your child finds difficult or that trigger your child’s symptoms or make them worse.
Domestic violence and abuse.
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is best suited for children, adolescents, adult survivors, and families and aims to help address emotional and mental health needs, as well as unhealthy behavior patterns.
Anxiety
Difficult experiences in childhood, adolescence or adulthood are a common trigger for anxiety problems. Going through stress and trauma when you're very young is likely to have a particularly big impact. Experiences which can trigger anxiety problems include things like: physical or emotional abuse. There are many strategies that can be used for managing anxiety. Guided meditation, positive affirmations or lifestyle changes are just a few things you can try.
Depression
Cognitive behavioral therapy or Psychotherapy
This type of psychotherapy focuses on changing both negative thought processes and behaviors that contribute to depression symptoms. According to research, CBT offers some of the most promising evidence for effective therapeutic treatment for depression available.
General mental health and wellbeing
What are examples of health and wellbeing?
Having someone to talk to who can provide support and reassurance. eating healthily and exercising regularly. spending time with people who share similar interests. Experiencing new things such as trying different foods, travelling, or meeting new people.
Caring and creative counselling for all ages.
Based on the Gold Coast, Making Changes provides professional counselling services for people of all ages.
Our Services are available face to face or online, personalising support to best suit you.
Total confidentiality is assured and mobile, Zoom and FaceTime services are available.
Prices start from $80/hour subject to the complexity of each client.
Contact Us
makingchanges.counselling2022@gmail.com
0402 636 550
About Us
Liz McKenzie is a Disability Support Worker and Professional Counsellor who understands the importance of mental health and provides evidence-based counselling to improve your mental health and wellbeing.
Liz incorporates a variety of counselling methods to suit her clients such as relaxation & pet therapy, puzzles, colouring, cooking, outings and more.
Liz is registered with the Australian Community Counselling Association.
Accreditation
Diploma of Counselling and Disability Support
Diploma of Community Services and Mental Health
Certification In Mental Health
6 Years of Acute care