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More about Mending Memories
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!
Nice To Meet You
My name is Linda van Leeuwen
I am the founder of Mending Memories for PDA Families. I was born in the Netherlands 43 years ago and I have been living and working in Australia for the past 13 years. I am a mother of 2 small children and 2 cats.
Initially I started my practice in 2019 offering general counselling & EMDR Therapy services to individuals from 16+ and up. For some reason I attracted mostly Neurodivergent people, predominantly young women and mums, as they were on their journey overcoming complex trauma histories. Over the years I have found that I do my best work with clients who were all very similar in their experiences. Clients who I would now identify as possible PDA, without knowing they and myself were PDA.
I identify as Neurodivergent with a PDA profile and have 2 PDA children (almost 5 and 3 years old).
I have a special interest in helping people from the Neurodivergent community, survivors of domestic violence as well as parents experiencing parenting challenges / difficulties with their child(ren) in particular PDA kids. I have a lived experience as a child of a mother who experienced domestic violence as well as lived experience of developmental trauma related issues resulting in anxiety & panic.
I have always had a special interest in mental health. Growing up, both my parents experienced mental health challenges and I always felt a strong need to understand them better. This has ultimately led me to EMDR therapy, which has been a game changer in my practice. Now I have a solid understanding of PDA, I want to use my knowledge and skills to help those families that need it the most. I feel extremely passionate about getting PDA people the support that they need and I am hoping to work on filling a big gap that we experience here in the PDA community in Brisbane.
In my free time I love to do lots of different things, like walking around soaking up nature, going on adventures, exploring new places, going scuba diving, going on holidays, exploring new cafe's, having dinner with friends, seeing movies, doing escape rooms, making puzzles, reading a book, etc.... but I don't get to do any of these things at the moment. Currently, I am the happiest when I have a warm cup of good made coffee in my hand whilst my 2 children are playing nicely together. It's rare, but on occassion it happens ;)
Why Choose Mending Memories
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 often complemented with parts work (to address structural dissociation). Read more about parts work here.
I completed full training with the EMDR Institute in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and I have experience providing EMDR to adults with all types of issues and all levels of complexity.
I have specialist knowledge in the areas of domestic violence and parenting issues.
Domestic ViolenceI have succesfully worked with many people experiencing domestic violence as well as with perpetrators. 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 HIGHLY confidential and I will not share anything you discuss with the other person.
Parenting challengesFor many years I have supported parents in their journey to make changes to their lives in the best interest of their children. I particularly enjoy anything that is involved around parenting, childrens behaviours and trauma and attachment issues. I am trained in the Circle of Security Parenting Program and has run many parenting groups over the years. I am also trained in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy complemented with many years of experience working in family intervention services prior to starting my work in private practice. I brings personal lived-experiences and extra training for parents with PDA Kids.
Parenting challengesFor many years I have supported parents in their journey to make changes to their lives in the best interest of their children. I particularly enjoy anything that is involved around parenting, childrens behaviours and trauma and attachment issues. I am trained in the Circle of Security Parenting Program and has run many parenting groups over the years. I am also trained in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy complemented with many years of experience working in family intervention services prior to starting my work in private practice. I brings personal lived-experiences and extra training for parents with PDA Kids.
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