Somatic Psychologists and Therapists in Ferntree Gully, VIC

Julia Yarzar
Social Worker, AASW
1 Endorsed
Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156
Specialising in somatic (body based) and trauma-informed practices, helping to deepen each individual's experience of their emotions and responses to daily life stress, parenting and trauma.
With over 15 years of Social Work practice experience, and as a qualified Embodied Processing Practitioner, and most importantly a mother of two neurodivergent children I offer a safe, trauma-informed place for you to explore your emotions, experience your nervous system, understand your reactions and help you navigate the immense job of being a care-giver.
Specialising in somatic (body based) and trauma-informed practices, helping to deepen each individual's experience of their emotions and responses to daily life stress, parenting and trauma.
With over 15 years of Social Work practice experience, and as a qualified Embodied Processing Practitioner, and most importantly a mother of two neurodivergent children I offer a safe, trauma-informed place for you to explore your emotions, experience your nervous system, understand your reactions and help you navigate the immense job of being a care-giver.
(03) 8203 5430 View (03) 8203 5430
Stonewater Art Therapy
Psychotherapist, PACFA
1 Endorsed
Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156
Hi, I'm Samuel (He/They/She/Any) and I'm a non-binary/genderfluid Arts Psychotherapist. In life I have used the creative arts as a way of understanding, listening to and responding to my experiences and inner conflicts. I’m passionate about integrating our inner and outer selves and believe in the value the arts offer in encountering resources and parts of ourselves which aren’t accessed in normal daily life. I offer a gentle, non-judgemental and inclusive therapeutic space for you to reveal yourself as we explore struggles, hopes and what growth and resolution looks like for you at this time.
Hi, I'm Samuel (He/They/She/Any) and I'm a non-binary/genderfluid Arts Psychotherapist. In life I have used the creative arts as a way of understanding, listening to and responding to my experiences and inner conflicts. I’m passionate about integrating our inner and outer selves and believe in the value the arts offer in encountering resources and parts of ourselves which aren’t accessed in normal daily life. I offer a gentle, non-judgemental and inclusive therapeutic space for you to reveal yourself as we explore struggles, hopes and what growth and resolution looks like for you at this time.
(03) 8203 5271 View (03) 8203 5271
Third Wave Counselling
Counsellor, ACA-L1
1 Endorsed
Serves Area
My ideal client is someone who has carried the weight of responsibility for far too long: men, veterans, parents, and individuals navigating relationship strain, emotional fatigue, or a loss of direction. Often, they are the dependable ones, the "rocks" for others, but silently wrestling with stress, disconnection, or inner turmoil. They want someone who gets it, they want to break patterns that no longer serve them, reconnect with their values, and take action that feels honest and grounded. Their goal is not to be "fixed," but to become more aligned: emotionally, mentally, and relatationally.
My ideal client is someone who has carried the weight of responsibility for far too long: men, veterans, parents, and individuals navigating relationship strain, emotional fatigue, or a loss of direction. Often, they are the dependable ones, the "rocks" for others, but silently wrestling with stress, disconnection, or inner turmoil. They want someone who gets it, they want to break patterns that no longer serve them, reconnect with their values, and take action that feels honest and grounded. Their goal is not to be "fixed," but to become more aligned: emotionally, mentally, and relatationally.
(03) 8203 5353 View (03) 8203 5353
Ros Wilson
Counsellor, ACA-L2
Serves Area
My ideal clients are women who look capable and successful on the outside but privately feel emotionally exhausted. Many grew up with emotionally immature or narcissistic parents and learnt that being responsible, keeping the peace, becoming the peacekeeper, or carrying everyone else's needs. They often struggle with people-pleasing, guilt, anxiety, self-doubt, hypervigilance, or difficulty setting boundaries. Together we'll make sense of these survival patterns, calm your nervous system, rebuild self-trust and healthy boundaries, help you reconnect with the woman you've always been beneath years of adapting to survive.
My ideal clients are women who look capable and successful on the outside but privately feel emotionally exhausted. Many grew up with emotionally immature or narcissistic parents and learnt that being responsible, keeping the peace, becoming the peacekeeper, or carrying everyone else's needs. They often struggle with people-pleasing, guilt, anxiety, self-doubt, hypervigilance, or difficulty setting boundaries. Together we'll make sense of these survival patterns, calm your nervous system, rebuild self-trust and healthy boundaries, help you reconnect with the woman you've always been beneath years of adapting to survive.
(03) 6146 3205 View (03) 6146 3205
Ermanno Bergami
Psychotherapist, MA, PACFA
1 Endorsed
Serves Area
As a psychotherapist I create a field, I prepare the ground and the conditions, I set processes in motion, I resonate and synchronise with the rhythm of the person. I help the person to centre inside, to anchor in the body, in the present and in reality. What I am most interested in is the relationship people have with themselves. Most problems that occur in interpersonal relationships have to do with conflict within us. My work is about lowering fears, taking small and big courageous steps, regaining the capacity to love, rebuilding trust in ourselves so that we can find and follow our path.
As a psychotherapist I create a field, I prepare the ground and the conditions, I set processes in motion, I resonate and synchronise with the rhythm of the person. I help the person to centre inside, to anchor in the body, in the present and in reality. What I am most interested in is the relationship people have with themselves. Most problems that occur in interpersonal relationships have to do with conflict within us. My work is about lowering fears, taking small and big courageous steps, regaining the capacity to love, rebuilding trust in ourselves so that we can find and follow our path.
(03) 8797 5448 View (03) 8797 5448
Autism Counselling
Psychotherapist, MA, ACA-L4
Serves Area
Autism Counselling is a group of 6 experienced therapists who deliver specifically tailored sessions to suit children, teens, adults , couples and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. We are dedicated to helping individuals and families manage the specific challenges of ASD.
Autism Counselling is a group of 6 experienced therapists who deliver specifically tailored sessions to suit children, teens, adults , couples and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. We are dedicated to helping individuals and families manage the specific challenges of ASD.
(03) 9071 0181 View (03) 9071 0181
Naomi Apai
Counsellor, ACA-L1
Online Only
Many women reach a point where anxiety, stress, responsibilities and life transitions start to feel overwhelming. You might be holding everything together on the outside while feeling anxious, exhausted or unsure how to move forward. If you’re looking for a compassionate space to explore your thoughts and emotions, you’re in the right place. I work with women experiencing anxiety, stress, burnout, relationship challenges and major life transitions. Together we can explore what’s happening beneath the surface and begin to make sense of patterns that may be leaving you feeling overwhelmed or stuck.
Many women reach a point where anxiety, stress, responsibilities and life transitions start to feel overwhelming. You might be holding everything together on the outside while feeling anxious, exhausted or unsure how to move forward. If you’re looking for a compassionate space to explore your thoughts and emotions, you’re in the right place. I work with women experiencing anxiety, stress, burnout, relationship challenges and major life transitions. Together we can explore what’s happening beneath the surface and begin to make sense of patterns that may be leaving you feeling overwhelmed or stuck.
(02) 5017 3018 View (02) 5017 3018
Magdalen Ser
Social Worker, MSc, AMHSW
Serves Area
Waitlist for new clients
Have you spent years trying to understand yourself, only to find the same emotional patterns and relationship difficulties resurfacing? Insight can take you far, yet sometimes something deeper remains unmoved. Often, this is because trauma is not held only in thought. It is also held in the nervous system and in the protective responses the mind and body learned long before there were words for what was happening.
Have you spent years trying to understand yourself, only to find the same emotional patterns and relationship difficulties resurfacing? Insight can take you far, yet sometimes something deeper remains unmoved. Often, this is because trauma is not held only in thought. It is also held in the nervous system and in the protective responses the mind and body learned long before there were words for what was happening.
(03) 9994 1795 View (03) 9994 1795
Nur Sabrina M
Psychologist, MA, PsyBA - Clin. Psych
Serves Area
I use a range of therapeutic modalities to support healing and growth within my therapy spaces including Internal Family Systems (IFS, Level 1 certified), Somatic psychotherapy, ACT, and CBT.
Like roots growing quietly beneath the surface, I believe that healing happens when people feel safe, connected, and supported. When we feel connected, both within ourselves and with the communities around us, we can create the right conditions for meaningful and and lasting change, unfolding gently in its own time. I bring a calm, compassionate, and curious presence and my experience in university services, hospitals, and in community teams reflect my deep commitment to offering accessible care. My practice offers a warm and grounded space where you can slow down and feel heard, and this is possible when we work collaboratively.
I use a range of therapeutic modalities to support healing and growth within my therapy spaces including Internal Family Systems (IFS, Level 1 certified), Somatic psychotherapy, ACT, and CBT.
Like roots growing quietly beneath the surface, I believe that healing happens when people feel safe, connected, and supported. When we feel connected, both within ourselves and with the communities around us, we can create the right conditions for meaningful and and lasting change, unfolding gently in its own time. I bring a calm, compassionate, and curious presence and my experience in university services, hospitals, and in community teams reflect my deep commitment to offering accessible care. My practice offers a warm and grounded space where you can slow down and feel heard, and this is possible when we work collaboratively.
0481 568 841 View 0481 568 841
Erin Prater
Counsellor, ACA-L2
Serves Area
Services: General Counselling, Relationship/Workplace/Executive Wellbeing, Trauma/Abuse Recovery. Registered Counsellor with lived experience, Clinical Complex Trauma Professional, Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician, and Carer Gateway approved. By strengthening your mind body connection, present moment orientation, emotional regulation, communication and problem-solving skills, you will regulate symptoms, improve relationships, meet challenges, and achieve goals. Together we explore, daily functioning, stress and coping, relationship concerns, decision making challenges, impacts of past significant experiences, and much more
Services: General Counselling, Relationship/Workplace/Executive Wellbeing, Trauma/Abuse Recovery. Registered Counsellor with lived experience, Clinical Complex Trauma Professional, Narcissistic Abuse Treatment Clinician, and Carer Gateway approved. By strengthening your mind body connection, present moment orientation, emotional regulation, communication and problem-solving skills, you will regulate symptoms, improve relationships, meet challenges, and achieve goals. Together we explore, daily functioning, stress and coping, relationship concerns, decision making challenges, impacts of past significant experiences, and much more
(03) 8771 5669 View (03) 8771 5669
Kate Horne
Psychotherapist, PACFA
Serves Area
I believe each time we encounter a challenge or difficulty in life it offers us an opportunity to learn more and inhabit our selves and life more deeply. I'm passionate about supporting individuals, couples and families in exploring, accessing and tending to the internal and external resources needed to take up such opportunities and to flourish. I will wholeheartedly and collaboratively support you in finding your way through life challenges and towards your goals with warmth and compassion.
I believe each time we encounter a challenge or difficulty in life it offers us an opportunity to learn more and inhabit our selves and life more deeply. I'm passionate about supporting individuals, couples and families in exploring, accessing and tending to the internal and external resources needed to take up such opportunities and to flourish. I will wholeheartedly and collaboratively support you in finding your way through life challenges and towards your goals with warmth and compassion.
(03) 8203 5150 View (03) 8203 5150
Aspire Counselling | Trauma Therapy & EMDR
Social Worker, AMHSW
Serves Area
As a trauma-infomred yoga teacher I can bring body based somatic perspective to clients that are looking for this form of body and breath work.
Many women reach midlife feeling flat, disconnected, overwheled or unsure who they are anymore Often, this isn't a crisis, its a turning point. I support adults navigating life transitions, burnout, trauma, relationship changes, caregiving pressures, identity shifts and the emotional weight of always being the strong one. As an Accredited Mental Health Social worker and trauma therapist I offer a warm, reflective space to reconnect with yourself, build healthier boudnaries and create a life that feels more authentic, meaningful and emotionally sustainable.
As a trauma-infomred yoga teacher I can bring body based somatic perspective to clients that are looking for this form of body and breath work.
Many women reach midlife feeling flat, disconnected, overwheled or unsure who they are anymore Often, this isn't a crisis, its a turning point. I support adults navigating life transitions, burnout, trauma, relationship changes, caregiving pressures, identity shifts and the emotional weight of always being the strong one. As an Accredited Mental Health Social worker and trauma therapist I offer a warm, reflective space to reconnect with yourself, build healthier boudnaries and create a life that feels more authentic, meaningful and emotionally sustainable.
(03) 8203 5988 View (03) 8203 5988
Mindfulness Matters
Social Worker, AMHSW
Serves Area
Feeling out of sorts? Relationships not working? People not understanding? Feeling alone? Wanting to change life, change relationships, change patterns of behaviour? I can assist you in clarifying your thought patterns and develop new strategies to enjoy positive and emotional wellbeing in your daily life including your relationship with others. Managing issues relating to Child abuse? Family violence? Sexual assault? Experiencing Post Traumatic Stress disorder that leaves you feeling confused, dissociated, angry, highly anxious or fearful? Together we can work through these issues and regain a sense of emotional wellbeing
Feeling out of sorts? Relationships not working? People not understanding? Feeling alone? Wanting to change life, change relationships, change patterns of behaviour? I can assist you in clarifying your thought patterns and develop new strategies to enjoy positive and emotional wellbeing in your daily life including your relationship with others. Managing issues relating to Child abuse? Family violence? Sexual assault? Experiencing Post Traumatic Stress disorder that leaves you feeling confused, dissociated, angry, highly anxious or fearful? Together we can work through these issues and regain a sense of emotional wellbeing
(03) 8592 9256 View (03) 8592 9256
Jeanine L Busch
Psychologist, MA, PsyBA - Clin. Psych
2 Endorsed
Serves Area
I offer integrative, person centered therapy that draws on insights from trauma-oriented frameworks, evidence based therapies; holistic, somatic, gestalt and existential therapeutic frameworks amongst others.
Therapy can allow us to get to know, and live from, the self that guides all we want to be and guides our intuition; the self behind what world has led us to believe we are. By understanding all the aspects of being (mind, body, relational, transpersonal and contextual) therapy can help us learn how to negotiate life, let go of things that hinder us and live in a manner which is more conscious of all that is meaningful to us as individuals. In this way a person can live life to the full, in a manner that is true to yourself, leaves you feeling fulfilled and constantly growing.
I offer integrative, person centered therapy that draws on insights from trauma-oriented frameworks, evidence based therapies; holistic, somatic, gestalt and existential therapeutic frameworks amongst others.
Therapy can allow us to get to know, and live from, the self that guides all we want to be and guides our intuition; the self behind what world has led us to believe we are. By understanding all the aspects of being (mind, body, relational, transpersonal and contextual) therapy can help us learn how to negotiate life, let go of things that hinder us and live in a manner which is more conscious of all that is meaningful to us as individuals. In this way a person can live life to the full, in a manner that is true to yourself, leaves you feeling fulfilled and constantly growing.
(03) 5909 9860 View (03) 5909 9860

More Therapists Nearby

Mind Therapy Psychotherapeutic Services
Social Worker, AMHSW
Fawkner, VIC 3060
Immediate Openings Available - Medicare Bulk Billed. Face to face + telehealth. Cognitive Behavioural, Mindfulness, Emotional Focused Therapy & more. I work from the belief that the therapeutic relationship is built on trust, acceptance, validation and understanding. My purpose is to get you unstuck, confident, emotionally intelligent and not afraid to face life. I am passionate about working with Individuals, Adolescents & Couples facilitating meaningful and lasting change. I take pride in my ability to connect in a genuine way with a variety of clients and tailor my approach to best respect each person's potential, strengths.
Immediate Openings Available - Medicare Bulk Billed. Face to face + telehealth. Cognitive Behavioural, Mindfulness, Emotional Focused Therapy & more. I work from the belief that the therapeutic relationship is built on trust, acceptance, validation and understanding. My purpose is to get you unstuck, confident, emotionally intelligent and not afraid to face life. I am passionate about working with Individuals, Adolescents & Couples facilitating meaningful and lasting change. I take pride in my ability to connect in a genuine way with a variety of clients and tailor my approach to best respect each person's potential, strengths.
(03) 7302 2111 View (03) 7302 2111
Maks Steszewski
Psychotherapist, PACFA
Brunswick, VIC 3056
I am an integrative psychotherapist who offers a safe, grounded space that honours each client’s unique experience. My work is embodied, trauma-focused, and person-centred. I seek to work with curious individuals who feel called to reconnect with themselves — their intuition, purpose and sense of meaning. I have a special interest in working with people undergoing significant life transitions, as I believe that these tender periods offer rare opportunities to harness genuine growth toward one’s fullest potential. I've had significant experience working with LGBTQIA+ folk, but I confidently welcome clients from all backgrounds.
I am an integrative psychotherapist who offers a safe, grounded space that honours each client’s unique experience. My work is embodied, trauma-focused, and person-centred. I seek to work with curious individuals who feel called to reconnect with themselves — their intuition, purpose and sense of meaning. I have a special interest in working with people undergoing significant life transitions, as I believe that these tender periods offer rare opportunities to harness genuine growth toward one’s fullest potential. I've had significant experience working with LGBTQIA+ folk, but I confidently welcome clients from all backgrounds.
0431 463 928 View 0431 463 928
Ivana Pajkic
Psychologist, PhD, PsyBA General
Caulfield North, VIC 3161
I am Ivana and have 20 years of experience working across diverse aspects of psychological well-being. I work with individuals and couples using evidence based practices and Jungian analytic psychology. By creating a safe and trusting space I aim to help people explore their experiences, present and past, express their real thoughts and feelings connected to those experiences and understand how these experiences shape their life's choices. In our work we can focus on:
I am Ivana and have 20 years of experience working across diverse aspects of psychological well-being. I work with individuals and couples using evidence based practices and Jungian analytic psychology. By creating a safe and trusting space I aim to help people explore their experiences, present and past, express their real thoughts and feelings connected to those experiences and understand how these experiences shape their life's choices. In our work we can focus on:
0413 324 808 View 0413 324 808
Tas Manolopoulos
Psychotherapist, ACA-L2
2 Endorsed
Abbotsford, VIC 3067
I have been working as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist in Private Practice since 2011. My aim is to create spaces of trust for clients to explore the intricacy of their own lives, to identify the fullness and complexity of their experience, to come to terms with themselves, and to release behaviour which no longer serves them. My work is Humanistic, Person Centred and Emotion Focused, and I use the integrative approaches of my training as entry points for us to language, feel, and honour, all that we carry deeply within us.
I have been working as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist in Private Practice since 2011. My aim is to create spaces of trust for clients to explore the intricacy of their own lives, to identify the fullness and complexity of their experience, to come to terms with themselves, and to release behaviour which no longer serves them. My work is Humanistic, Person Centred and Emotion Focused, and I use the integrative approaches of my training as entry points for us to language, feel, and honour, all that we carry deeply within us.
(03) 7003 2801 View (03) 7003 2801
Emma Fenton
Social Worker, AMHSW
1 Endorsed
Online Only
I integrate a range of evidence-based modalities tailored to each individual’s needs, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Interoception work, Somatic work and executive functioning.
Welcome, I am an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with over 16 years of experience supporting individuals and families across all stages of life. I support clients as they navigate challenges and move toward meaningful change. I have a particular interest in supporting neurodivergent individuals (adhd and autism), working with men, first responders, anxiety, trauma, depression, and grief. I am passionate about creating inclusive, affirming spaces where clients feel seen and empowered. My approach is client-centered and strengths-based, guided by empathy, humor, and genuine connection.
I integrate a range of evidence-based modalities tailored to each individual’s needs, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Interoception work, Somatic work and executive functioning.
Welcome, I am an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with over 16 years of experience supporting individuals and families across all stages of life. I support clients as they navigate challenges and move toward meaningful change. I have a particular interest in supporting neurodivergent individuals (adhd and autism), working with men, first responders, anxiety, trauma, depression, and grief. I am passionate about creating inclusive, affirming spaces where clients feel seen and empowered. My approach is client-centered and strengths-based, guided by empathy, humor, and genuine connection.
(08) 6727 9972 View (08) 6727 9972
Joy Sparkes
Psychotherapist, PACFA
2 Endorsed
Thornbury, VIC 3071
If you’re neurodivergent—especially late-diagnosed—LGBTQ, and carrying trauma (from what happened or what was missing), you’re not alone—and you’re in the right place. Clients often come in burnt out from masking, untangling a late diagnosis, or navigating identity, relationships, and lingering trauma. Together, we make sense of your story without trying to “fix” you. My approach is affirming, trauma-informed, and practical—helping you build self-understanding, self-trust, and ways of moving through the world that actually fit you.
If you’re neurodivergent—especially late-diagnosed—LGBTQ, and carrying trauma (from what happened or what was missing), you’re not alone—and you’re in the right place. Clients often come in burnt out from masking, untangling a late diagnosis, or navigating identity, relationships, and lingering trauma. Together, we make sense of your story without trying to “fix” you. My approach is affirming, trauma-informed, and practical—helping you build self-understanding, self-trust, and ways of moving through the world that actually fit you.
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Somatic Therapists
How does somatic therapy work?
Somatic therapy is a form of treatment that focuses on how the body and mind are interconnected. In this approach, physical symptoms are addressed because they may in fact signal emotional distress. Somatic therapists combine mindfulness, talk therapy, breathwork, yoga, dance, and physical manipulations of the body to help patients become more attuned to what their body is telling them.

Is EMDR a somatic therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a form of somatic therapy, as it incorporates mental and physical principles. EMDR involves remembering a traumatic experience while allowing one’s eyes to track a side-to-side visual stimulus from a therapist. This lateral eye movement is believed to diminish the painful power of the memory so that it can be discussed with a therapist.

Is somatic therapy evidence-based?
Somatic therapy has been researched and studied, and some forms of somatic therapy are found to be effective in treating a wide range of conditions. Because somatic therapy encompasses many techniques, some, such as EMDR and meditation, have been studied more than others.

What is somatic trauma therapy?
Somatic trauma therapy is based on the idea that when people experience trauma, they can become stuck in the “freeze” part of a “fight, flight, or freeze” response. In this state, trauma can manifest itself both mentally and physically—through tension in the muscles, anxiety, and stress. Popular forms of somatic trauma therapy include EMDR, sensorimotor therapy, and somatic experiencing.