PersonallyFreya grew up in Western Australia and has played music her whole life. Now in her 40's, she has found her home in Melbourne, and in her second career as a psychologist and therapist. A long-time student of yoga and other eastern contemplative traditions, Freya has been an explorer of her own inner world for over 20 years. She has been drawn to find a way to integrate her dual respect for eastern and western knowledge systems; for the mind and the body; for creativity and the logical mind. The pursuits of creativity, mythology, feminism, neuroscience, politics, and sociology are some of her loftier passions. Sharing a fireside jam with friends and watching her dog frolic with other canine friends are among the moments that make her heart sing in the present tense.
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Therapeutic approach
Freya is deeply interested in understanding psychological trauma and associated treatment approaches. In particular, (but by no means exclusively) she has a passion for assisting those who have suffered sexual abuse and other forms of childhood abuse, neglect, or loss. These experiences often result in great difficulty regulating emotions, and forming a healthy relationship with the self and others.
The combination of incredible recent advances in neurobiology and trauma research and the exposure of the western science to the wisdom of eastern traditions, has resulted in an unbelievably exciting landscape for the field of psychology. Freya has gathered an extensive collection of integrative and evidence-based tools to offer her clients in their journey towards growth through trauma, acceptance through loss, and compassion within ones own relationship with self.
Freya is in awe of witnessing greater self-compassion and emotional mastery emerge in her clients. She provides empowering psycho-education on how trauma and other overwhelming emotions are stored in the memory and nervous system, sharing her extensive knowledge of the latest research, and translating this into terms her clients can relate to on an experiential level.
She collaborates with her clients to develop a personally tailored therapeutic plan which usually involves a combination of EMDR, emotion regulation skills, parts work, art therapy, and compassion and mindfulness-focused practices.
The combination of incredible recent advances in neurobiology and trauma research and the exposure of the western science to the wisdom of eastern traditions, has resulted in an unbelievably exciting landscape for the field of psychology. Freya has gathered an extensive collection of integrative and evidence-based tools to offer her clients in their journey towards growth through trauma, acceptance through loss, and compassion within ones own relationship with self.
Freya is in awe of witnessing greater self-compassion and emotional mastery emerge in her clients. She provides empowering psycho-education on how trauma and other overwhelming emotions are stored in the memory and nervous system, sharing her extensive knowledge of the latest research, and translating this into terms her clients can relate to on an experiential level.
She collaborates with her clients to develop a personally tailored therapeutic plan which usually involves a combination of EMDR, emotion regulation skills, parts work, art therapy, and compassion and mindfulness-focused practices.
Qualifications
Freya is a clinical psychologist registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA reg. PSY0002100372). She holds a masters degree in Clinical Psychology, a graduate diploma in Therapeutic Arts Practices, a diploma in Mind-Body Medicine, and has completed her training in EMDR Therapy.
Freya continues to undertake regular trainings and supervision, predominantly in the trauma field, to enhance and further extend the tools and knowledge she can offer her clients. As well as Creative Arts Therapy and EMDR Therapy, Freya has training and experience using modalities including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and various somatic, and parts-based psychotherapies. She is currently pursuing further training in working with dissociative disorders.
Freya continues to undertake regular trainings and supervision, predominantly in the trauma field, to enhance and further extend the tools and knowledge she can offer her clients. As well as Creative Arts Therapy and EMDR Therapy, Freya has training and experience using modalities including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and various somatic, and parts-based psychotherapies. She is currently pursuing further training in working with dissociative disorders.
Career
Prior to her therapeutic training, Freya worked as a professional musician, recording and touring her own material. In 2006 she landed a job in a women's prison teaching song writing. It was there that she experienced first hand the impacts of intergeneration trauma that leads to cycles of poverty and embedded shame. Witnessing women sharing their stories of hardship and strength had a profound impact on Freya and set her on a path away from promoting her own material, shifting her focus to cultivating creativity and expression in others. Inspired by the women she worked with in the prison, Freya trained in psychology and art therapy. Since then she has worked with people experiencing alcohol and other drugs addictions, individuals experiencing psychiatric disorders, and children and young people in foster care. Currently Freya lectures in Art Therapy at the Ikon Institute in Melbourne as well as working in her private practice.
Professional Memberships
Freya is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA)
Research Publications
Freya has published three papers in peer reviewed journals, all in the area of Eating Disorders, which was the subject of her masters research.
Eating disorders and body image issues are of special interest to Freya, and she is passionate about contributing to the development of empowering and compassionate approaches which support individuals who struggle to accept themselves.
Her masters research was focused on evaluating a peer mentoring program for individuals with an eating disorder. The findings indicated that forming a mentoring relationship with someone who has recovered increases hope for their own recovery, while providing inspiration, encouragement and unconditional acceptance based on the premise of shared experience.
Eating disorders and body image issues are of special interest to Freya, and she is passionate about contributing to the development of empowering and compassionate approaches which support individuals who struggle to accept themselves.
Her masters research was focused on evaluating a peer mentoring program for individuals with an eating disorder. The findings indicated that forming a mentoring relationship with someone who has recovered increases hope for their own recovery, while providing inspiration, encouragement and unconditional acceptance based on the premise of shared experience.
