Counsellors Victoria

14th February 2026 - "Parenthood & Perinatal Mental Health" presented by Cindy Cranswick
2026-02-14 11:00 - 12:30 (Australia/Melbourne)
Happy New Year!!
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the first Counsellors Victoria (CV) online professional development Zoom session for 2026 on Saturday 14th February from 11.00am – 12.30pm.
CV Presents:
Parenthood & Perinatal Mental Health is an evidence-informed professional development session for practitioners working with parents during the perinatal period.
The presentation explores perinatal anxiety and depression (PNDA) in both mothers and fathers, the neurobiological and psychological transitions into parenthood, and the impact of these changes on identity, attachment, and emotional regulation.
Drawing on current research and clinical practice, the session examines early indicators of PNDA, barriers to help-seeking, and the importance of screening both parents.
Attachment-informed and compassion-focused approaches are integrated throughout, highlighting the role of self-compassion in supporting parental wellbeing and secure parent–infant relationships. This session supports reflective practice and enhances assessment and intervention skills in perinatal and family-focused work.

Cindy Cranswick is a registered Clinical Supervisor, Counsellor, Educator, and Author, and the Founder and Director of Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes. She provides professional supervision, training, and counselling to individuals, couples, families, and allied health professionals, with a particular focus on the Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) sector.
Cindy has a strong clinical and research interest in perinatal mental health and is the author of Self-Compassionate Motherhood, exploring the role of self-compassion in perinatal anxiety and depression. Her work integrates attachment-informed, compassion-focused, and evidence-based therapeutic approaches, supporting reflective practice and professional wellbeing across health and community services.

Cindy will discuss her experience on this topic, followed by a Q&A and the option to network with others in the industry in small groups, following the presentation.

This is a 90-minute presentation relevant to the Counselling / Healthcare industries, complete with an assessment component. The presentation meeting link will be provided via email and a ‘Certificate of Attendance with online assessment’ is issued to all members and registered visitors (expressions of interest welcome – reach out via our Contact Us page).

14th March 2026 – “Boundary Distress and Counselling” presented by Lyndal Schultz
2026-03-14 11:00 - 12:30
Hello all,
We are looking forward to our upcoming professional development presentation which will be held on Saturday 14th March 2026 from 11:00am to 12:30pm

CV Presents:
Boundary Distress and Counselling
Counsellors routinely see clients arrive at boundary conversations late, under strain, or at the point of rupture. This session asks why. Drawing on long-term pattern observation across corporate, trauma, and relational contexts, Lyndal explores what the timing and sequence of boundary distress reveals, and what might shift when we start looking upstream rather than at the point of breakdown.
Lyndal Schultz is a qualified counsellor with over 25 years of corporate project rescue experience and 16 years supporting individuals through cancer care, bereavement, and domestic violence contexts. Working across systems where misalignment carries real cost, she became interested in the patterns that emerge long before breakdown becomes visible.

Lyndal will discuss her experience on this topic, followed by a Q&A and the option to network with others in the industry in small groups, following the presentation.
This is a 90-minute presentation relevant to the Counselling / Healthcare industries, complete with an assessment component. The presentation meeting link will be provided via email and a ‘Certificate of Attendance with online assessment’ is issued to all members and registered visitors (expressions of interest welcome – reach out via our Contact Us page).

11th April 2026 – “Opening Up Conversations about Sex and Pleasure in the Counselling Room” presented by Kassandra Mourikis
2026-04-11 11:00 - 12:30
Hello all,
We are looking forward to our upcoming professional development presentation which will be held on Saturday 11th April 2026 from 11:00am to 12:30pm

CV Presents:
“Opening Up Conversations about Sex and Pleasure in the Counselling Room: normalising discussing sex and pleasure, how to support client sharing, unlearning biases around sex & pleasure, and expanding our ideas of sex.”

Kassandra Mourikis (she/her) is a sex and relationship therapist in Naarm/Melb. She works with individuals and people in relationships to explore sex, intimacy, pleasure and connection in inclusive, trauma-informed and non-pathologising ways. Kass recognises the intersection between sex and wellbeing, drawing on somatic approaches and other tools to support more awareness, curiosity and choice, and guiding the people she works with to feel less unstuck and deepen their own understanding of themselves and their relationships.
Kass will discuss her experience on this topic, followed by a Q&A and the option to network with others in the industry in small groups, following the presentation.
This is a 90-minute presentation relevant to the Counselling / Healthcare industries, complete with an assessment component. The presentation meeting link will be provided via email and a ‘Certificate of Attendance with online assessment’ is issued to all members and registered visitors (expressions of interest welcome – reach out via our Contact Us page).

9th May 2026 – “Nature-Based Telehealth: Practical Tools for Online Therapy” presented by Kit Kline
2026-05-06 08:00 - 17:00
Hello all,
We are looking forward to our upcoming professional development presentation which will be held on Saturday 9th May 2026 from 11:00am to 12:30pm

CV Presents:
Nature-Based Telehealth: Practical Tools for Online Therapy
Kit Kline is a registered Social Worker, Clinical Supervisor and trainer with over 20 years’ experience specialising in addictions counselling.
Kit will discuss her experience on this topic, followed by a Q&A and the option to network with others in the industry in small groups, following the presentation.
This is a 90-minute presentation relevant to the Counselling / Healthcare industries, complete with an assessment component. The presentation meeting link will be provided via email and a ‘Certificate of Attendance with online assessment’ is issued to all members and registered visitors (expressions of interest welcome – reach out via our Contact Us page).

13th June 2026 – “Neurodivergent Clients and Their Experiences with Conflict” presented by Dr Samantha Hardy
2026-06-13 11:00 - 12:30
Hello all,
We are looking forward to our upcoming professional development presentation which will be held on Saturday 13th June 2026 from 11:00am to 12:30pm

CV Presents:
Neurodivergent Clients and Their Experiences with Conflict
Most conflict training is built on neurotypical assumptions about how people signal distress, process disagreement, and communicate needs, which means neurodivergent clients are routinely misread, even by well-intentioned practitioners.This workshop examines how neurodivergent clients may experience conflict differently: from recognising it, to holding it, to communicating through it.

Dr Samantha Hardy is the Director of The Conflict Management Academy, and provides mediation, coaching, training and other services to help people manage conflict more effectively. She is the founder of the REAL Conflict Coaching System and the author of a number of books including Conflict Coaching Fundamentals.
Samantha will discuss their experience on this topic, followed by a Q & A and the option to network with others in industry, in small groups, following the presentation.
This is a 90-minute presentation relevant to the Counselling / Healthcare industries, complete with an assessment component. The presentation meeting link will be provided via email an d a ‘Certificate of Attendance with online assessment’ is issued to all members and registered visitors (expressions of interest welcome – reach out via our Contact Us page).
