Introducing
Nurture Counselling
& Supervision.

Compassionate, personalised support for children, families, and practitioners — through counselling, play and art therapy, and reflective supervision.

My approach

I have worked with parents/carers and children over many years in their most challenging times and have come to see that a strength based approach is the most effective.

Parents/carers and children need to be reassured that they will work through whatever challenge they are facing and that they can build skills to be successful if more challenges pop up. I use a play/art based therapy style with children and a coaching style with parents/carers.

About me

Having started my career as an early childhood educator I have a deep understanding of childhood development and attachment. This guides and informs my skill as a counsellor as I sit with families and hear their stories, as I watch and interact with children and come to understand what is happening for them.

Working with families in an educational setting led me to pursue my wellbeing career as I could see how much families needed support to navigate the growth of children and parents as their families grew over time.

I have worked with parents/carers and children over many years in their most challenging times and have come to see that a strength based approach is the most effective. Parents/carers and children need to be reassured that they will work through whatever challenge they are facing and that they can build skills to be successful if more challenges pop up. I use a play/art based therapy style with children and a coaching style with parents/carers.

Rachel Walz

Masters of Health & Human Services, Bachelor of Arts - Counselling, Diploma of Community Services - Early Childhood, Certified Clinical Supervisor

My services

Counselling

I work with children (13 and under) and their families/carers to find solutions for problems that many of us experience. Whether that’s generalised anxiety, separation anxiety, school refusal, behavioural challenges, or challenges associated with neurodiversity there are strategies and solutions for you and your child.

Having worked as a school counsellor for the past 10 years I have been privileged to support many families through play therapy (craft, sand, slime, football, basketball, bubbles), art therapy (clay, drawing, painting, sewing) and parent coaching to develop new skills for the challenges that parenting inevitable brings.

I use a combination of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution focussed therapy and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy. I have a strength based approach and lean into the belief that parents are their child’s greatest ally and asset. Parenting doesn’t come with a manual but there is help out there and anyone should be able to access it and utilise it.

Supervision

A supervisor hears the ‘story’ of the work the supervisee has undertaken, with a particular emphasis on what is important to understand in order to be helpful. The supervisor then facilitates the exploration of the main ‘themes’ or issues by asking questions which invite the supervisee to reflect on her or his work.

Michael Carroll describes supervision as “A working alliance, between two professionals, where supervisees offer an account of their work, reflect on it, receive feedback and guidance if appropriate”.

As mental health practitioners our work is person-centred practice, dependent on the quality of relationships between practitioners and clients. This includes being able to develop rapport, trust and empathy. It includes bringing the ‘whole self’ to practice. This kind of practice exposes us to unique psychological health safety and wellbeing risks. We must recognise and normalise the impact on practitioners’ emotions, behaviours and reactions. Vicarious trauma and employee compassion
fatigue are common issues for the sector.

I use a reflective method of supervision that supports professionals in developing their practice by encouraging them to reflect on their experiences, emotions, and decision-making in a safe and confidential space. It differs from traditional supervision by acknowledging the supervisee's emotional responses and fostering a deeper understanding of the work they do.

  • “My decision to seek Rachel's guidance stemmed from the challenges of being a single parent, and managing my child’s emotional outbursts.

    Rachel provided innovative strategies to address these challenges. If any suggested approach was ineffective, she would quickly offer alternative solutions, showcasing her adaptability and expertise.

    Rachel is an exceptional professional who excels as both a counsellor and a play therapist. Her methods were not only practical but also transformative, providing tools and techniques for improved parenting and emotional management. I credit Rachel’s approach for positively impacting my relationship dynamics with my child.

    Rachel's personal attributes include warmth, insightfulness, encouragement, sensitivity, responsiveness, and energy. Her supportive and knowledgeable demeanour made her an invaluable resource. I highly praise Rachel's work and encourage others to invest the time and effort into sessions with her, noting the significant and lasting benefits I experienced.”

    - KATIE

  • “When we first started working with Rachel, we felt confused and unsure of what was happening with our 7-year-old son. She welcomed us with endless patience, guiding us step by step, and made us feel we were not alone.

    What touched me the most was that even in the quiet moments, we would receive a kind email from her reminding us, “I’m here if you need me.”

    That simple gesture made the weight on our hearts feel so much lighter.”

    — MITZI AND FRANK

Get in touch.

To begin working together please book a free ‘get to know you’ session by emailing me using the button below:

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