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About
You don't always need to see a psychologist for mental health support. There are different kinds of allied health providers that specialise in mental health. As an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker I may be a better option for you! Click here to find out more about Mental Health Social Workers.
Nice To Meet You
I am Linda van Leeuwen
I was born in the Netherlands 39 years ago and I have been living and working in Australia for the past 10 years. I started working in the social work field in 2006 and have had the opportunity to work with hundreds, if not thousands, of strong and resilient people in the community in the fields of Mental Health, Domestic Violence, Child Protection and Disability Support. I am an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, which means that the Australian Association of Social Workers recognises my skills and years of clinical experience and that I am being monitored to ensure that I stay knowledgeable by doing ongoing training and professional development. I help with a range of difficulties through providing different services.
Mental health, disability and wellbeing supportSome of my areas of expertise in mental health are depression & mood disorders including suicidal thoughts, anxiety, trauma, stress management, low self-esteem, grief and loss including infertility & pregnancy loss. I work with all people on these difficulties regardless of gender and cultural background. I have a special interest in C-PTSD, ADHD, ASD & HSP.
I don't believe ADHD and ASD are mental health disorders, which is why I don't list them as areas of expertise in mental health.
I also provide therapeutic supports for people who have a diagnosis of Psychosis, Bipolar Disorders, Personality Disorders, Schizophrenia or disabilities covered under the NDIS, who are interested in learning how to make life meaningful through focusing on community participation and improved daily living. Read more here about what to expect. Click here for fees and locations. Parenting and child mental health I enjoy working with families on improving parent-child relationships, parenting skills and behaviour management and I have a specific interest in relational and developmental trauma and children with attachment issues. I have received intensive training in Dyadic Developmental Parenting, Practice & Psychotherapy. DDP is a form of attachment focused family therapy that is highly useful to help children with past trauma experiences to heal through the safety of the relationship with their parents and/or carers. Please be aware, I work with parents to help them be the best parent they can be, with a focus on improving their child's behaviour. I do no work with children individually anymore. If you would like to know how this works for your child or family, please send a message. I am also an experienced Circle of Security Parenting facilitator, which is an attachment focussed Parenting Program. I have run many groups over the years but I can also offer the program individually. Click here for fees and locations.
I also provide therapeutic supports for people who have a diagnosis of Psychosis, Bipolar Disorders, Personality Disorders, Schizophrenia or disabilities covered under the NDIS, who are interested in learning how to make life meaningful through focusing on community participation and improved daily living. Read more here about what to expect. Click here for fees and locations. Parenting and child mental health I enjoy working with families on improving parent-child relationships, parenting skills and behaviour management and I have a specific interest in relational and developmental trauma and children with attachment issues. I have received intensive training in Dyadic Developmental Parenting, Practice & Psychotherapy. DDP is a form of attachment focused family therapy that is highly useful to help children with past trauma experiences to heal through the safety of the relationship with their parents and/or carers. Please be aware, I work with parents to help them be the best parent they can be, with a focus on improving their child's behaviour. I do no work with children individually anymore. If you would like to know how this works for your child or family, please send a message. I am also an experienced Circle of Security Parenting facilitator, which is an attachment focussed Parenting Program. I have run many groups over the years but I can also offer the program individually. Click here for fees and locations.
Why Choose Me
I highly value to have a strong relationship with everyone and I achieve this by being genuine, non-judgmental, respectful, humble and kind. I work from a partnership model and you can trust that I am not going to tell you how to live your life, or how you "should be" thinking about things. I ensure that you have the right to choose your own path, I am merely there to help you explore your options. Some options you may have not seen, or been open to, before. I respect that you are an expert of your own life, and together with some of my expertise, we can be a team and reach goals that you haven't been able to reach before.
Therapy toolsIn sessions I provide a range of support options that are usually a mixture of different therapy movements but my passion lies with EMDR therapy. I include general counselling, solution focused counseling, motivational interviewing, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Cognitive Mindfulness Based Therapy using Creative Arts Therapy tools, Narrative Therapy tools and relaxation strategies in my sessions but I predominantly use EMDR therapy. I have completed full training with the EMDR Institute in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and I provide EMDR to adults with all types of issues and all levels of complexity.
Therapy tools for First PeoplesHaving worked in an Aboriginal organisation for 5 years, I understand the importance of working in a cultural manner. I therefore put emphasis on connecting through culture & family and I use creative arts and narrative therapy tools when I work together with First Peoples. Distant Therapy / Telehealth therapyI currently only provide Telehealth as I am temporarily living in Fremantle WA until I return to Brisbane around August 2022. I have specialist knowledge in the areas of domestic violence and child protection. Domestic ViolenceI have succesfully worked with many people experiencing domestic violence. I helped survivors see their own strengths which led to them feeling stronger and they have grown more confident. These people became better at making decisions about what they wanted for themselves and their children. They now have an increased sense of control and improved wellbeing and mental health. This did not necessarily mean they felt they had to leave the relationship! Some found better ways to stay safe or found different ways to have their needs met. I can work with both survivors or alleged perpetrators, but not at the same time. My work with you is confidential and I will not share anything you discuss with the other person. I work from the Safe and Together model to ensure a safe therapeutic environment for all.
Child ProtectionFor many years I supported parents in their journey to make changes to their lives, in order to keep their children at home with them, or with the goal to be reunified with their children. I understand how the child protection system works and how frustrating this can be. Having had dealings with Child Safety can lead to high anxiety levels about other areas in your life that you may not even be aware of. I can help you navigate this and find ways to decrease the stress that is involved.
Therapy tools for First PeoplesHaving worked in an Aboriginal organisation for 5 years, I understand the importance of working in a cultural manner. I therefore put emphasis on connecting through culture & family and I use creative arts and narrative therapy tools when I work together with First Peoples. Distant Therapy / Telehealth therapyI currently only provide Telehealth as I am temporarily living in Fremantle WA until I return to Brisbane around August 2022. I have specialist knowledge in the areas of domestic violence and child protection. Domestic ViolenceI have succesfully worked with many people experiencing domestic violence. I helped survivors see their own strengths which led to them feeling stronger and they have grown more confident. These people became better at making decisions about what they wanted for themselves and their children. They now have an increased sense of control and improved wellbeing and mental health. This did not necessarily mean they felt they had to leave the relationship! Some found better ways to stay safe or found different ways to have their needs met. I can work with both survivors or alleged perpetrators, but not at the same time. My work with you is confidential and I will not share anything you discuss with the other person. I work from the Safe and Together model to ensure a safe therapeutic environment for all.
Child ProtectionFor many years I supported parents in their journey to make changes to their lives, in order to keep their children at home with them, or with the goal to be reunified with their children. I understand how the child protection system works and how frustrating this can be. Having had dealings with Child Safety can lead to high anxiety levels about other areas in your life that you may not even be aware of. I can help you navigate this and find ways to decrease the stress that is involved.
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