Celina Umow

Approach

Navigating the inevitable challenges in life can often feel difficult and isolating, causing stress and overwhelm. Through gentle talk therapy and a collaborative and empowering approach, my hope is to support those struggling with their emotional load. As a counselling psychotherapist, I offer a safe space where you can feel free to share your stories, thoughts, and feelings without fear of judgement. By listening with an open mind and warm heart, my aim is to ensure you feel seen, heard, and understood, and to help you reframe your internal dialogue whilst softening your inner critic.

I adopt a transparent and eclectic approach whereby different therapeutic treatment modalities and strategies are used and modified based on the individual needs and preferences of my clients. Whether your goals are to ease the mind and heart, have a reliable and secure sounding board, develop greater awareness, learn coping strategies, or gain the realisation that your reactions make sense and deserve self-compassion. I believe that the benefits of counselling and therapeutic growth that eventuate, are paramount to wellbeing and emotional health.
Everybody’s experience is valid and worthy of compassion.

Experience

As a registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA Level 2) with a Master of Counselling qualification, my passion to help others drives me to stay up to date with the latest research and embark on continuous professional training to ensure I am delivering the best care for my clients. With over 20 years working for the Department of Education, I have experience in an array of roles and responsibilities. My teaching philosophy and duties involve a constant emphasis on wellbeing and my work and approach with students, parents and colleagues is collaborative and compassion focused.

Although my expertise lies with youth, parenting, and workplace issues, I love to work with people of all ages and have a strong interest and training in areas such as loss and grief, family and relationship concerns, coping with change, depression, anxiety, poor self-esteem, and body image related issues. Throughout my studies and professional career, I have investigated how to reduce teacher/employee burnout and the significant role that trauma plays in one’s life. I also completed a capstone project addressing the impacts of food insecurity/cost of living issues on mental health and undertook an internship at a not-for-profit organisation where crisis counselling and interventions were performed.