I created this space to foster the practice of seeking solidarity. For me, this is an active process that requires tending to, deep listening, and reflection. Whether it's counselling or supervision, I believe attention to social justice, human rights, and community wisdom should be at the core of any conversation. I welcome people who may be seeking empathy and care, or those with a commitment to reflecting on how to be in solidarity with the people they support.
About Me
My name is Alex (she/her), and I am a cis-gendered white settler living and working on the unceded lands of the Jagera and Turrbal people in Magandjin (Brisbane). I originally trained as a secondary teacher but then pivoted to social work practice. I have been working for over 10 years mostly in the anti-violence and trauma sectors and chose to create this practice as my own form of resistance. I am eager to create a community with people either seeking support or providing it, in a way that honours what people need rather than what systems believe they need. Outside of this work you’ll find me at home trying to learn a new craft, reading, imagining a different world, and wishing my cat would sit on my lap.
Lens & Approach
I have a strong commitment to social justice, dignity, and anti-racism. I believe everything is political and objectivity and neutrality are forms of colonial violence. I seek to centre the voices of the dispossessed in my practice, and this includes striving to be decolonial in my approach and an accomplice in seeking First Nations justice. I endeavour to critically reflect on the mechanisms of the State and how we can imagine a different world while grappling with the reality of the systems we work within. I enjoy exploring ways of organising and strategising within communities and workplaces and the creative ways people sustain themselves living and working within neoliberal and capitalist systems.
I believe what qualifies us for this work is more than professional qualifications or the modalities we use. The people I walk alongside in community will always be my greatest teachers. They have shaped the way I see the world, the way people resist violence, as well as their strategies of survival, love, and care. I am guided by narrative therapy, intersectional feminism, abolition theory, disability justice, response-based therapy, queer theory, justice frameworks, ethics, and collective care. I am continually unlearning the white settler narratives I grew up in and critically reflect on my privilege. I also regularly engage in clinical supervision as a way of fostering my own sustainability and accountability to myself, the people I support, and community.
Qualifications
I hold a Bachelor of Arts/Education (Secondary) and Master of Social Work Studies (Qualifying) from the University of QLD. I am a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers. I also have over 10 years' experience as a social worker, counsellor, manager, and supervisor within NGOs in so-called Australia.
Services
-
I provide clinical supervision to workers in the community sector or people engaged in the work of justice-doing or care. I welcome individuals who help and care for others in both paid and unpaid roles. This includes social workers, counsellors, peer workers, carers, students, health practitioners, support workers, organisers, administration workers within NGOs, community workers, and activists.
Whether you are starting out or have been helping people for a while, please know that you can contact me. I welcome people from any gender, sexuality, ethnicity, culture, or religion in this space.
-
I offer a non-judgmental and compassionate space where individuals can explore and reflect on their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. I use a non-pathologising approach, which means I will not diagnose or label a person. I am guided by response-based theory and draw on narrative principles to unpack the stories people are carrying. In practice this means that a person may come to therapy for a particular reason, but part of my approach is looking at how this issue is influenced by the wider world. I have experience counselling people who have been subjected to gender-based violence, sexual violence, war, displacement and dispossession, and detainment.
I seek to be guided by a person’s wisdom and experience in setting the pace and topics we discuss. I strongly believe that the individual is the expert in their lives, as opposed to the therapist being the expert in the relationship. I am interested in collaborating with people to create a therapeutic space and finding out what works best for them. People might reach out if they want to explore identity, (complex) trauma, culture, community, existentialism, relationships, grief and loss, experiences of violence/abuse, or how to repair/remain accountable if they have caused harm. If you do not see yourself in this list but have a topic or something happening that you would like to be met with humanity, care, and empathy, please feel invited to contact me. I welcome people from any gender, sexuality, ethnicity, culture, or religion in my practice.
Fees & Information
Rates
My standard rate for individual supervision or counselling is $150 per 60-minute session or $220 per 90-minute session. Concessions are available if you are self-funding or finances are tight. I never want financial reasons to stop people getting the support they want and deserve.
I provide a free 15-minute phone call to explore if I am the right fit for you as a supervisor or counsellor.
Group supervision is available, and the cost is dependent on the number of participants and length of session.
Please note, Medicare and private health rebates are not available for counselling.
Where & When
Individual sessions are available via phone or online using Jitsi or Microsoft Teams. I am open to connecting with people living locally to me, or folks from other areas of the country.
Group supervision is available online or in-person at locations within 1 hour of Magandjin (Brisbane), additional travel costs may apply.
I offer appointments during weekdays, but if you need an after-hours or Saturday session at no extra cost, please let me know.
Cancellations
Day to day life can be unpredictable and I recognise that people are many things. If you ever need to reschedule or cancel, please do not be nervous to contact me. I would appreciate you letting me know as soon as you can, as I may be able to fill the time with another person.
Contact
Hours by appointment
To connect or to book a session please use any of the following:
Text or call - 0403 622 385
Send a message on the contact form
Instagram - @seeking.solidarity