Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Languages
Timeline
Generic

RACHEL VISS

Coffs Harbour,NSW

Summary

An experienced Individual, Couple and Family counsellor with over 20 years of experience , whose focus is on supporting clients with evidence based best clinical practice for the impacts of mental health and trauma , upon wellbeing . I have a genuine commitment to offering clients, the most innovative, evidence based and industry recognized, best standards of practice. I am always seeking to grow and invite reflective practice , through supervision and learning, with professional networking with peers.

Overview

27
27
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Private Practice Therapist

Self Employed
06.2020 - Current
  • Established a successful Private Practice for Individuals, Couples and Families including mental health support for Adults, Children and Adolescents .
  • Supported children and adult clients with diverse presentations including :- PTSD and complex PTSD, specifically due to domestic violence and sexual abuse recovery; primary structural dissociation; mental health, generalised anxiety and depression along with panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, phobias, adjustment disorders and suicidality; Parenting Management Training for children with behavioural and mental health presentations, including oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and neurodiversity; life skill building and somatic resourcing for individuals couples and families, including communication , assertiveness and relaxation strategies; grief and loss including bereavement disorders
  • Routinely conceptualised and implemented evidence based Focussed Psychological Strategies with individuals, children and adolescents with a special focus on EMDR for children and adults; trauma focused CBT; CBT; Interpersonal Therapy; psycho education for relaxation strategies, skills training in communication, stress management, problem solving, anger management and social skills and Parent Management training and Dialectical Behavioural Training ( DBT) for affect regulation and impulse control.
  • Developed a client referral base with networking relationships with Multi Layered Services, including Departmental and Community agencies, NDIS, Victims Services and Access EAP agencies.

Family Support Specialist

Relationships Australia
08.2018 - 06.2020
  • Developed collaborative relationships with parents and families to identify goals and case plans for meeting these targets
  • Facilitated family meetings in client's homes to hear each participant's views and concerns
  • Created a safe setting for families with complex presentations including adolescent self-harming, domestic violence, addiction, and mental health presentations
  • Identified family strengths and resources
  • Networked with Government and Not for Profit agencies across all sectors to support families and children.

Cross Cultural Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Self Employed
09.2008 - 07.2018
  • Provided culturally sensitive trauma recovery counselling for individuals from different cultural backgrounds
  • Developed programs for recovery from complex PTSD which were hosted with grassroots organizations in the United States, Central Asia, and China
  • Developed Arabic speaking children and women's support groups in multi-sensory modalities around themes of resilience, developing safe relationships, and empowerment
  • Created, promoted, and facilitated a community art therapy program in English and Arabic with refugees.

Project Manager - Community Program Not for Profit

Jian Hua
09.2004 - 06.2008
  • Pioneered community projects amongst the rural poor in China
  • Managed education programs for girls, high school students, and better health outcomes
  • Visited families and listened to their concerns, advocated and supported them in developing goals
  • Networking in an environment with scarce resources to bring redress to systemic injustice
  • Developed proficiency in conversational Mandarin.

Social Worker

Department Of Family And Children Services
03.1998 - 08.2004
  • Developed an evidence-based framework for best practice in assessment and intervention around risk, vulnerability, and protective factors in child protection
  • Provided child-centered counseling and brief therapy for children and young people who had experienced complex attachment-based trauma
  • Developed Life Story work, strengths and resilience activities, opportunities to process grief, loss, and trauma with children and adolescents who had been removed from the family of origin and were in Out of Home Care
  • Developed trusting relationships with children and adolescents to support them in having their voice heard
  • Advocated for them to be seen and heard in family meetings, court presentations, and multi-discipline forums
  • Supported youth in the Juvenile Justice system.

Education

Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling - Couple And Family Counselling

Institute of Social Relations
01.2020

Bachelor of Social Work - Child And Family Studies

University of Queensland
12.1996

Skills

  • I draw upon practice principles of Evidence Based models
  • I provide psycho education about CBT cognitive triangle and supported clients to implement strategies including cognitive interventions, thought recording, journaling, cognitive restructuring, activity scheduling, behavioural experiments and exposure therapy
  • Support children and adults with trauma focussed CBT, including the CBT Triangle, stress and relaxation strategies , development of a trauma narrative, reduction of subjective units of distress and challenging cognitive distortions and meaning making around themes of safety, trust, power and control, esteem and intimacy
  • Implement the 8 phases of the AIP ( adaptive information processing) model of EMDR ( eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) with children and adults, including, information gathering; preparation; developing a target assessment, negative and positive cognitions, validity of cognition, emotions SUDS and body scan; desensitization; installation; body scan; closure and reevaluation
  • Enhance clients ability to support skill development inherent in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy ( DBT) with a focus on developing strategies for mindfulness, emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships and distress tolerance
  • Implement Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) Biopsychosocial Model of Health as well as a focus on grief, interpersonal role conflict, role transitions and skill building
  • Work with client to utilise principles of Motivational Interviewing including supporting clients to engage in conversations in each of the 4 stages of change- contemplation, pre-contemplation, action and maintenance and formulate goals for treatment which are specific, measurable and achievable
  • Routinely support children and adults with developing somatic resources of breathing and muscular relaxation, particularly during preparation phase of trauma recovery
  • Help clients to develop their skills in problem solving communication, social skills, conflict resolution, assertiveness, anger management and stress management
  • Walk alongside parents in identifying goals and interventions and experiments for change practice principles of Parent Management Training, including skill development, positive and negative reinforcement and extinguishing behaviours
  • Support Indigenous clients using Narrative Therapy approaches to healing, with a focus on telling their stories, externalising the problem, deconstructing the problem, and unique outcomes
  • Regularly utilise Creative, Self-Expressive and Play based approaches to enhance the learning and experience for children and adults, to enhance access and the clients engagement
  • Embed my work with AASW practice standards for Mental Health Social Workers which include and are not limited to:- values and ethics in developing a professional working relationship with clients which focuses on choice, self determination and social justice; professional in all ways , culturally responsive and inclusive practice; knowledge for practice and ongoing investment into evidence based training, application of knowledge to practice in reliable case management procedures and regular professional development and supervision

Certification

  • 2019 Working Therapeutically with Complex Trauma- Blue Knot Foundation
  • 2019 Assessment and Treatment for Torture and Trauma- Refugee Children and Adults STARTTS,
  • 2019 - 2020 Externship and Core skills A and B in Emotionally Focused Therapy - Australian Centre for Emotionally Focused Therapy.
  • 2020 Supporting Children and Young People to heal from the trauma of family violence. The Australian Childhood Foundation.
  • Emotional Processing techniques in the treatment of trauma memories, webinar Australian Psychological Society. ( APS)
  • 2020 Treating Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dr Leah Giarratano
  • 2020 Managing Emotions - A working model of Dialectical Behavioural Therapy.
  • 2021 Theraplay and Marschak Interaction Method- Level 1
  • 2021 Levels 1 and 2 of Emotionally Focused family Therapy- International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
  • 2021 EFIT Emotion Focused Individual Therapy - Level 1 International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
  • 2021 Expanding the self with EFIT and SE- Peter Levine and Sue Johnson.
  • How to target the limbic system to reverse traumatic physiological imprint. NICABM The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioural Medicine.
  • 2021 Suicide summit- Mental Health Academy
  • 2021 Rethinking Personality Disorders ( an Attachment and trauma lens) Courtney Armstrong
  • 2022 Practical skills for working with a clients anger. NICABM.
  • 2022 An IFIO informed workshop: fostering connection with Internal Family Systems and Emotionally Focused Therapy in couples therapy.
  • 2022 principles and practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. APS
  • 2022 Therapeutic dolls for trauma responsive practice with children- Australian Childhood Foundation.
  • 2023 Introduction to Motivational Interviewing- Mental Health Coordinating Council.
  • 2023 Helping clients deal with problem anger: specific interventions. Mental Health Academy.
  • 2023 Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma Themes. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute.
  • 2024 Using CBT with generalised anxiety disorder. Mental Health Academy.
  • 2024 Trauma and Addiction: Taking Motivational Interviewing to the Next Level. Mental Health Academy.
  • 2024 Using CBT with Depression. Mental Health Academy.
  • 2024 Sitting with Aboriginal Clients: Appropriate Modalities. Mental Health Academy.
  • 2024 Evidence-Based Cognitive Behavioural Treatments for Phobias.
  • 2024 Something Better Than Punishment. Dr Justin Coulson.
  • 2024 Using CBT with Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Mental Health Academy.
  • 2024 Level A: Basic IPT Training . Interpersonal Psychotherapy Institute.
  • 2024 Narrative Therapy: the Basics. Mental Health Academy.
  • 2024 EMDR Institute Basic Training Weekend 1. EMDR Training Australia and New Zealand
  • 2024 EMDR for Complex Trauma: Step by Step Somatic & Polyvagal Informed Interventions. Rebecca Kase.
  • 2024 EMDR and Play Therapy: A Multimodal Approach for Children. Ana Gomez.
  • 2024 EMDR part 2: Advanced Children and Adolescents. Weekend 2 Dr Sarah Schubert.
  • 2024 Healing Trauma for Children and Teens and the Child Within. EMDR Academy.
  • 2024 EMDR Structural Dissociation Training. Dr Roger Solomon. EMDR Training Australia and New Zealand

Languages

Chinese (Mandarin)
Limited Working
Arabic
Limited Working

Timeline

Private Practice Therapist

Self Employed
06.2020 - Current

Family Support Specialist

Relationships Australia
08.2018 - 06.2020

Cross Cultural Counsellor and Group Facilitator

Self Employed
09.2008 - 07.2018

Project Manager - Community Program Not for Profit

Jian Hua
09.2004 - 06.2008

Social Worker

Department Of Family And Children Services
03.1998 - 08.2004

Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling - Couple And Family Counselling

Institute of Social Relations

Bachelor of Social Work - Child And Family Studies

University of Queensland

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RACHEL VISS