About James

I have been a member of the Rural Fire Service (RFS) since 2014. I enjoy rockclimbing, bush walking, camping and living in the Blue Mountains.

I become curious about mental health back in 2009 through my own lived experience of depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and relationship breakdown.

I obtained my Diploma of Counselling and continued on to further study with Grief Australia, The Centre for Prolonged Grief , Centre for Existential Practice and the Blue Knot Foundation. I discovered more about grief, loss and bereavement as well as studying wellbeing and emotional awareness for people with complex trauma.

Through my personal therapy experience of many years, I began to explore my authentic self, and continue to do so. Finding out WHO I am helped me to become aware of many areas of life that we usually don’t consider and to share that experience with others.

‘Your skills and lived experience are so valuable and I can personally vouch for how effective my sessions with you have been’. (Shaya, W.A., current client)

I currently work for StandBy - Support after suicide, as a casual support worker. We carry out face-to-face visits with people following the loss of someone through suicide, with an approach based on Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASSIST).
I am a member of Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and Certified Practising Counsellors Australia (CPCA)

My counselling joke
‘How many counsellors does it take to change a light bulb?’
Answer - One…
’but the light bulb has to want to change’.

Please Contact James to have a chat and find out more.