I have been a single mother bringing up four children, I have been in and out of work and I have had to deal with a life threatening illness. It seemed appropriate then that I should bring all of these life skills to the area of counselling.

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I began by completing the Diploma and then the Bachelor of Counselling, through the Australian College of Applied Psychology.  I then worked in a Secondary College helping students cope with the many issues in their lives.

 

I began my working life as a Primary school teacher and that taught me a lot about being organised and prepared for any situation. It also increased my insight into other elements of human behaviour and taught me to listen for the real issues in people's lives. I then moved into radio and television production and that allowed me to learn about working with a variety of people in a sometimes stressful environment.  From there I turned my attention to the marketing and communication industry, especially working in the area of aged care and disabilities. 

 

Counselling is what I love and have probably been doing my whole life. I believe that my life skills and my working experiences help me listen to and understand the needs and wants of others. 

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A report from the Secondary College where I was placed, stated:

"The kids here are very particular about who they work with and the feedback is clear as they are turning up again and again to the sessions with Jenny. She is very professional, but has the gentleness and quiet strength that matches the counselling role. Jenny sees a variety of issues with our students. Some just want/need to talk while others want to have more structured support, so her ability to adapt her theory and approach has been great. How she interacts with staff is also great and she shows a lot of initiative. I feel she would be an asset in this field."

- Ian Thompson, Wellbeing coordinator.