Sarah and Cinnamon at the paddock equine therapy counselling sessions

CREATING CAPACITY THROUGH CONNECTION

Telehealth, Online and in person at Eastwood Street, Chandler, QLD (20 mins South East of Brisbane CBD)

As a Mental Health Counsellor and Animal Assisted Therapist, I work alongside clients, curiously and collaboratively exploring their connections to themselves and others, building internal resources and fostering personal regulation and growth, to experience greater ease and peace in their lives.

I support clients with identity/regulation/behavioural challenges, and those who have experienced relational, attachment or early childhood trauma - exploring supports to feel less 'stuck' and more connected.

Through a nature-based, animal assisted, polyvagal informed, and somatic awareness approach, clients are supported to explore the connection between body and mind, gently integrating experiences and honouring both the felt sense and the intellect.

By building capacity, clients can move toward wanted change - from overwhelm and disconnection toward greater safety, choice, agency and empowerment.

An integrated, trauma-informed approach incorporating counselling, Equine-Assisted Therapy sessions, art activities, body-based awareness and mindfulness practices — supporting learning, growth, and emotional wellbeing.

Benefits may include:
- Increased self-awareness, regulation, and confidence;
- Improved social and emotional wellbeing;
- A greater sense of connection and empowerment through interactions with animals including horses

Sessions can be entirely room-based, or may include relational work with animals, depending on your counselling goals and preferences.

Client-centred - goal and strength-focused - trauma-informed

Sessions draw on polyvagal theory and body-based processing to create experiences of “being seen, being heard, feeling felt and getting gotten.” — Dr Daniel Siegel

Therapeutic modalities include connection-based therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), grief and loss counselling, resourcing, and expressive art activities.

Supporting:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples • Victims of Crime • Carers • Highly Sensitive People • School staff and students • Neurodiverse individuals • Veterans • First Responders • People experiencing the impacts of trauma

Private and NDIS sessions available.
Please note we do not currently offer Medicare rebates.

At Solace and Sanctuary, we provide counselling and equine-assisted therapy sessions within the scope of counselling practice. Sessions are tailored to your personal goals and needs, and may include talk-based therapy, creative activities, mindfulness, or interactions with animals. Some clients may require alternative or additional support — if your needs exceed counselling scope, we will work with you and, with your consent, your existing mental health or wellbeing care team to support holistic outcomes. Not all clients are suitable for animal-assisted sessions due to safety, physical, or health considerations, and appropriate referrals will be made when necessary.

Equine-Assisted Therapy sessions combine counselling principles with guided interactions with horses.
These sessions are facilitated by a qualified counsellor and trained equine-assisted practitioner, and are tailored to the individual’s needs, goals and preferences to support emotional regulation and wellbeing outcomes.

"Only when we are in a calm physiological state can we convey cues of safety to another"
(Stephen W Porges) ... and to ourselves ...

In-person sessions can take place indoors or outdoors — moving between the shed, the office, or sitting beside the paddock or dam — with the option to include members of our counselling herd (horses, labradors, and our Ragdoll cat).

Online sessions can also incorporate elements of nature or animal presence, as appropriate to client goals.

Spending time with animals can enhance focus and mindfulness.
Working with dogs and horses invites us into the present moment — noticing their movements, behaviour, and our own responses.

This awareness can help quiet mental distractions and bring a calming sense of connection and regulation.

"We can find peace through regulating and trust through animals to self and then to the world around us"
Rebecca Bailey, PVEI (Polyvagal Equine Institute).

In addition to talk-based therapy, sessions may include movement and playful exploration — recognising the essential role of curiosity and play in connection, experimentation, and new ways of being.

At Solace and Sanctuary, we work collaboratively and flexibly, adapting techniques and approaches to meet your personal hopes and needs.

We support your mind, body, and self to reconnect through embodied experiences, mindfulness, and non-judgemental curiosity.
Noticing. Witnessing. Being.

Qualifications

AIPC Master of Counselling (currently studying)
AIPC Diploma of Counselling
Mental Health Equine Therapy Specialisation – Equine Assisted Therapy Australia
Polyvagal Equine Institute – In-person Training (Levels 1 & 2)
ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
Arenas for Change (ARCH)
Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations) – Monash University

I look forward to meeting you and supporting your journey.

To book your session, please click here.

Best Wishes

Sarah

Professional Statement:

Solace and Sanctuary provides counselling and equine-assisted therapy sessions within the scope of counselling practice. These services are not a substitute for medical, psychological or psychiatric treatment. Where clients require diagnosis or clinical care, referral or collaboration with appropriate professionals is encouraged and made.