Helen Brennan

Memberships: APS, AAPi, Resolution Institute

Helen works with adults, couples and families  experiencing mental health difficulties or needing support to navigate life stressors. Helen’s individual work focuses on grief & loss, adjustment difficulties, life stage issues, trauma, depression, anxiety and more…

Approach

I founded Wellbeing Clinic in 2005 with the dream of making it easier for people to find the best psychologist for their specific need by being able to choose from a team of psychologists passionate for their particular area of expertise.

The ‘right fit’ between client and psychologist is critical for being able to develop a beneficial therapeutic relationship and be able to work together to reach the outcomes that each individual seeks when they come to therapy. 

I have a warm, encouraging style but am also down to earth and pragmatic. I focus on getting to know and understand each client’s specific circumstances, their goals and challenges and then draw from the evidence base to identify the most suitable approach and strategies for their personal preferences and best outcomes. I’m passionate about creating a non-judgemental and confidential space to explore ways to improve client’s satisfaction with, and enjoyment of, life – whatever that might look like for each individual. 

My work is mainly with adults with a range of issues including grief & loss, adjustment difficulties, stress, trauma, mood and anxiety disorders. I also work with relationship issues for individuals, couples or for any other strained relationship dynamic as well as with families either as Family Therapy or family dispute resolution for those couples/families experience separation and post-separation difficulties.

Using a range of approaches including acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), positive psychology and others, I focus on helping clients recognise and build on their strengths by identifying the links between their thoughts, feelings and behaviours so that they can heal, grow and and/or create the life they wish to live. 

I am both humbled by and in awe of the courage, resilience and determination that clients bring into therapy. I am grateful to do this work. It is a joy to see clients embrace therapy and achieve improved wellbeing that they will be able to enjoy long after therapy concludes.

CLIENT I SEE:  Adults, Older Adults, Couples

Specific Areas of Work:

Adults and Adolescents 18+ years

• Relationship Issues

• Couples Counselling

• Conflict Resolution

• Family Therapy

• Divorce & Separation Support

• Parenting Support

• Grief & Loss

• Palliative & life-limiting illness support (self or carer)

• Anxiety disorders

• Mood disorders

• Trauma & stressor related disorders

• Adjustment issues

• Anger management /Emotional dysregulation

• Self-esteem & resilience

• Life Changes/transitions

• Stress & adjustment difficulties

• Workplace stress, conflict & burnout

• Workplace / Executive Coaching

• Communications Skills

• Body Image Concerns

• Eating Disorders

Assessments

• Personality Assessments

• Cognitive Assessments

FDR:

• Family Dispute Resolution

• Child Consultations

• Parenting Post-separation Coaching

Approaches I use:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• System Therapy

• Gottman Therapy 

• Emotion focused Therapy (EFT)

• Positive Psychology

• Mindfulness

• Motivational Interviewing

• Solution-focused brief therapy

• Psycho-education

• Supportive Counselling

• Family Systems

• e-CBT (eating disorders)

• Skills Training – anger management, communication skills, stress management, distress tolerance, emotion regulation