Counselling
Counselling for self-awareness, self-acceptance and meaningful change.
Counselling with Simon offers a respectful, person-centred space to build self-awareness, self-understanding and self-compassion, and explore workable steps forward.
Sessions may be offered online, at home, or in garden and nature-connected settings where appropriate.
Awareness, self-compassion and meaningful action
Counselling with Simon is respectful, person-centred and guided by what is helpful for the person. Sessions aim to meet people where they are, work at a pace that feels manageable, and keep support connected to real life.
Simon’s counselling work is strongly informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, often known as ACT, while also drawing from different counselling approaches depending on the person’s needs, goals and preferences.
The aim is to support greater awareness, self-understanding and self-compassion, so each person has more choice in how they respond to life’s challenges.
This connects closely with one of the core ideas behind Cultivating Care WA: cultivating care for self. Counselling can help people notice what is happening, respond to themselves with more kindness, and take small, meaningful steps towards the life they want to live.
Who counselling may suit
Counselling may suit people who are looking for a calm, practical and compassionate space to better understand themselves, their situation and what may help.
Where counselling is accessed through NDIS funding, sessions focus on the person’s disability-related needs, NDIS goals, functional capacity, independence, participation and daily life.
For people feeling stuck or overwhelmed
Counselling may support people experiencing stress, anxiety, low mood, emotional fatigue, adjustment, uncertainty, or difficulty knowing what to do next.
For people wanting greater self-understanding
Counselling can help with self-awareness, self-acceptance, reducing harsh self-judgement, clarifying values, and making sense of patterns in everyday life.
For people navigating relationships, roles or life changes
Counselling may support people adjusting to disability, health changes, family dynamics, parenting or caring roles, identity changes, life transitions, or shifting responsibilities.
Counselling does not need to be about having everything “worked out”. It can be a space to slow down, notice what is happening, make sense of things, and explore small, meaningful steps forward.
Similar settings, different purpose
Counselling, Garden Therapy and community-based support may sometimes happen in similar places, including gardens, parks, walking trails, the person’s home, online or community settings.
The difference is the purpose of the session.
Counselling
Focuses on therapeutic goals such as self-awareness, emotional wellbeing, relationships, coping with change, self-acceptance and making sense of life experiences.
Where counselling can happen
Counselling may happen outdoors, while walking, in a garden, at home, in the community or online, where this is suitable and helpful.
Garden Therapy as support work
Focuses more on practical participation, routine, confidence, everyday skill-building, meaningful activity and connection with nature.
The most suitable approach can be discussed during enquiry, so the support offered is clear and matched to the person’s needs, goals and funding.
Practical information
Counselling may be available for private clients and, where appropriate, self-managed or plan-managed NDIS participants.
Sessions may be offered online, at home, in garden or nature-connected settings, or in suitable community settings.
Simon is a qualified counsellor and ACA Level 3 member. He is not currently an NDIS registered provider.
For more information about settings, funding and costs, please visit the practical information page.
The Next Step
The best way to find out if counselling with Simon is right for you is to make an enquiry.
A free, no-obligation meet-and-greet can help explore what you are looking for and whether counselling through Cultivating Care WA may be a good fit.