Diploma in Holistic Counselling and Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Hi, my name is Michele Haifer and I’m a Counsellor and Psychotherapist. Twenty-five years ago I became a Midwife and fell in love with the miraculous journey of pregnancy, birth and motherhood. Now as a psychotherapist I am again focusing on this area, supporting women from an emotional and psychological point of view, yet with grounding in the physiological aspects as well.
Being a mother of three has given me first hand experience of the challenges that this life changing process poses to every mother. The transition to motherhood can be more problematic for some resulting in feelings of anxiety, postnatal depression and grief and loss. Psychological help, as in psychotherapy, is cited as being one of the most effective ways to treat anxiety and depression. (www.beyondblue.org.au).
There are many types of psychotherapy yet I don’t practice solely in any one approach. I like to view the client holistically, that is acknowledging them on a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual level. In order to do this, I use an integrated approach, which means I use skills from various modalities depending on the needs of the client.
The great gift of psychotherapy is that it brings about awareness and insight that can create new perspectives on the way we see ourselves and the world. This can lead to ways of behaving that better serve us, resulting in more joy, fulfillment, purpose and meaning.
I believe that the therapeutic relationship is a mutually collaborative one between client and therapist. The client is supported in exploring their strengths, managing their struggles and will feel empowered to realize their goals. The therapeutic room becomes a safe place to share experiences and have a sense of being known and understood.
Here’s a little about my credentials. My current qualifications are a Diploma in Holistic Counselling and a Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy. I have past experience in both general nursing and midwifery and was previously a registered nurse and a registered midwife. I worked primarily at St Vincents Hospital and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for Women in Sydney. I have also been working for the last several years for a community based program that assists postnatal women by giving them emotional support. As part of my internship I spent time at The Tresillian Residential Unit in Willoughy (for postnatal women).