Deborah Cole – Relationship Counsellor Social Worker
Sees Couples, Individuals and families
Deb has been counselling couples, individuals, families, children and adolescents for 25 years since graduating from Social Work in 1998. Over the past 10 years Deb has been following her passion for working therapeutically primarily with couples. In this work, Deb provides a non-judgemental, unbiased and respectful space to support and assist couples gain new understandings about themselves – both individually and within their intimate relationship. Further – within the couples work, she maintains a strong focus on the safety and wellbeing of children who are often exhibiting distress about the state of the parental relationship. Deb has also developed a strong interest in assisting couples around the complex role of becoming and being a parent – from prenatal to adolescence. Deb works alongside couples to identify their relationship’s strengths and challenges. She helps individuals/couples clarify their therapy goals, working on how to reduce their relationship stress and experience a more fulfilling and satisfying life.
Deb is passionate about sharing with her clients the established wisdoms and the exciting research of what makes couple relationships successful. She utilises a warm and practical approach - incorporating good foundational knowledge of human and family development, social and family systems theories, emotional intelligence, mindfulness practices, child and adult attachment theories and trauma - including polyvagal theory and the mind/body connection.
Call (03) 9391 9866 to enquire.
Therapeutic Approaches:
Deb regularly invests in professional development opportunities and recent training includes the Specialist Relationship Counselling certificate course (Relationships Australia), Emotion Focussed Therapy (EFT Australia), Advanced Trauma Training (Blue Knot) and MARAM (DVRCV). She draws on a range of approaches including The Gottman Method, EFT, CBT, DBT, Solution focused therapy, Single Session, Interpersonal Therapy and Family Therapy - amongst others. Deb has extensive experience in family violence and post separation and has recently worked in the mental health field as a suicide and men’s counsellor.