How I became a Relationship Counsellor & Psychotherapist

I received my post graduate degree in Counselling & Psychotherapy from the Jansen-Newman Institute of Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy in Sydney after successfully completing 2 years of study and 50 hours of face to face counselling in the Counselling Clinic.  I chose to study at the JNI Institute as I wanted to be working with real clients as soon as possible and found the combination of training in psychological theory, group therapy and working in the Clinic, a holistic approach to learning.

After graduating from Jansen Newman in 2007 I worked for Relationships Australia in a counselling and relationship education role on the Northern Beaches and Lower North Shore whilst setting up my private practice, Sydney Sanctuary Counselling Services.  This experience ensures you will receive quality, well informed counselling from a professional with recent training and employment in the field of relationship education and therapy

My interest in Counselling developed from my previous career working as an English teacher for 15 years. Teaching children and adolescents in high school was deeply rewarding but I was increasingly drawn towards the pastoral and welfare concerns of the students and their parents.  My first Counselling position was working for Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia) as a telephone support and advice line officer providing parents, school counsellors, case workers and people on the spectrum with counselling and referral information.

I continued to maintain my links with education working for the Melbourne Institute of Technology (Sydney Campus) as the College Counsellor providing crisis counselling and welfare support to both international and domestic students.

Becoming an Emotion Focused Therapist

I am currently in my second year of training at The Institute of Emotion Focused Therapy in Annandale, Sydney working towards a Graduate Certificate in Emotionally Focused Counselling.  As I have a background in the arts I wanted to work with clients in a creative and imaginative way and to devote myself to one main therapeutic approach.  From a practical perspective Emotion Focused Counselling has been found to be highly effective for couples and individuals experiencing relationship distress.

Developing self-awareness around emotions, thoughts and behaviours and re-experiencing them in the safety of the counselling session can help to facilitate change as the client is involved in an experiential learning process. I believe at the very core we are emotional beings who experience emotions to inform us of our needs and wants. By connecting to our feelings, both secondary or surface emotions like anger and guilt as well as deeper primary feelings such as hurt, fear and sadness can allow us to discover our true needs and wants and change the way we relate to ourselves and others.

Professional Membership

Australian Counselling Association
MACA Registered Member 8203

Code of Conduct

Click here for the ACA Code of Conduct

Every year as a requirement under the ACA code of conduct I engage in at least 25 hours of professional development training whilst seeing my supervisor, a renown Sydney Psychotherapist of over 20 years experience, after every 10 hours of counselling.

Indemnity Insurance

OAMPS

Member No: MATH004

What's the difference between a psychotherapist, psychologist and psychiatrist?

Sam Mathews

Qualifications

Working towards The Graduate Certificate: Emotionally Focused Counselling, IEFT

Graduate Diploma Counselling & Psychotherapy
(Jansen Newman Institute) www.jni.edu.au
PGCE Secondary English
MA Victorian Literature
BA Hons English & History

Training 2006- 2011

Emotions in Couple Work - Institute for Emotionally Focused Therapy, Annandale

Couple Talk - IEFT

Couple Assessment – IEFT, Annandale

Emotionally Focused Skills – IEFT, Annandale

Emotion Focused Therapy Workshop – IEFT, North Sydney

Deactivating the Buttons – Laurie Mackinnon, Crows Nest

Domestic Violence – Relationships Australia

Engaging Dreams – Sally Gillespie at The Nature Care College, Surry Hills

Human Change Theory III: Couple & Family Therapy – The Jansen-Newman Institute, Crows Nest

Professional & Contextual studies I: Clinical Issues & Interventions – JNI

Personal Development IV: Advanced Group Facilitation - JNI

Personal Development III: Introduction to Group Facilitation – JNI

Personal Development II: Group Process & Co-Facilitation – JNI

Personal Development I: Experiential Group process – JNI

Practicum II: Micro Skills – JNI

Practicum I: Core Skills – JNI

Human Change Theory II: Foundations – JNI

Human Change Theory I: Foundations – JNI

Issues affecting Relationships

• Anxiety
• Assertiveness/lack of assertiveness
• Body image
• Conflict, arguments
• Coping with change
• Depression
• Domestic violence
• Eating disorders
• Grief & loss
• Isolation & loneliness
• Jealousy/clinging/co-dependency
• Low self-esteem
• Silence & withdrawal
• Sexual concerns
• Stress
• Substance abuse
• Third party concerns
• Trauma

When choosing a therapist make sure they have:

• A graduate or postgraduate qualification in Counselling and/or Psychotherapy from an accredited university or higher education provider
• You can ask for proof of these qualifications from the therapist or the higher education provider
• Ask how long the training took as many counselling certificates are short courses
• Check to see if they adhere to a professional set of guidelines or ethics and are a member of a Professional association