Annabel (Apurva Madhuri) is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (BSW, MSW), counsellor/therapist and yoga teacher with 8 years experience working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and circumstances. Annabel offers therapy for anyone experiencing challenges with managing their mental health, emotions, relationships, loss and grief, memories from the past, drug/alcohol use etc. She provides a safe space to set and work on any personal goals that someone might have including physical, mental, emotional, social, career and spiritual.

Annabel has worked extensively in culturally and linguistically diverse communities both in Australia and in South Asia. She currently works with young adults experiencing the impacts of complex trauma and adversity and with people experiencing challenges relating to their identity and sense of self. Annabel works from a healing-focussed, person-centred perspective, honouring the wisdom people have about their own lives and what is of value to them.

Some things that Annabel considers important in therapy are:

– having a safe, private, non-threatening space where change happens at your own pace;

– feeling heard and understood by the therapist, acknowledging the impact that forces outside yourself can have on you;

– understanding how your unique body and mind responds to stress;
– exploring, with curiosity, different ways to get ‘unstuck’;

– setting flexible goals…with the option to throw them out the window;

– creating space to open possibilities for new ways of being in the world.

Annabel has a Masters degree in counselling and draws from her education in narrative therapy, internal family systems therapy (IFS), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and somatic practice. She also has over 13 years of daily yoga/meditation practice and study. Annabel is committed to ongoing learning and evolving as a therapist and as a human!

EXPERIENCE

Counsellor/caseworker with Speak Out Dual Diagnosis team at Weave Youth and Community Services, Waterloo (2017-2020). Annabel provided trauma-informed, holistic counselling and casework interventions to young people aged 12-28 experiencing challenges with alcohol and/or drug use and mental health.

Yoga and meditation teacher (2010-present)

Social Work Officer at Nepal School of Social Work, Kathmandu, Nepal (2015)

Caseworker with Australian Red Cross’ Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme (2013-15), providing holistic, trauma-informed casework and advocacy for people seeking asylum in the Sydney community

areas of interest

Annabel is interested in anyone who wants to take some time out to reflect, learn, explore, grow and heal. Her particular areas of specialisation include LGBTQIA+, identity, relationships, grief and loss, post-traumatic healing and growth, depression and anxiety, social justice, spirituality, personal development, managing addictive thoughts/actions, managing self harm and suicidal ideation.

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qualifications

Bachelor in Social Work (UNSW, 2012)

Master in Social Work Counselling (UNSW, 2018)

Accredited Yoga Teacher (200 hours, Power Living Australia, 2010)

availability

Mondays & Wednesday 8am-5pm

Video sessions on other days