Hi, I’m Monica (she/her):

I am a Counsellor, Parent Educator and Psychosocial Recovery Coach living in the Northern Rivers and specialising in supporting parents and carers of children who are neurodiverse, gender diverse or experiencing challenging behaviour. I also work with individuals who are struggling with mental health or gender curious. I have lived experience with mental health, complex PTSD and a survivor of childhood abuse. I have first hand experience as a parent to children who have experienced self harm, suicide ideation, generalised anxiety and psychosis.

I am a parent to four amazing (and at times challenging!) boys, three of whom are neurodiverse, adhd and one who is gender diverse. Early in my journey as a mum of children with disabilities I felt completely alone, we became isolated and our world became very small. The outside world was unkind and unforgiving to my children, who simply needed kindness, acceptance and guidance. They needed an ally, as did I.

Raising a child with a disability and gender diversity can be incredibly isolating and lonely -

I WANT TO CHANGE THAT!

I met many other struggling parents through workshops when my kids were younger and through this we made friendships that would help us share our story. A story of challenge and heartbreak and ultimately triumph.

I came to explore The Nurtured Heart Approach® and for our family this was a game changer. Our relationships became stronger and we started to move out of the crisis we had been in for so long and the debris started to settle. I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Through this journey of raising children and my own childhood struggles I was drawn to supporting and connecting with other families. I have been working with families for over ten years now either one on one, in schools and within groups. I have seen them flourish.

I am fiercely passionate about ensuring you don’t feel alone as I did in those early days. It has been this driving force that has guided me to become a Counsellor and Psychosocial Recovery Coach to specialise in supporting individuals and families.

My journey of supporting individuals and families of children who are gender diverse has been inspired and informed by my own lived experience as a mother to a child who is transgender. We paved the way through a school system that was initially ill-equipped and lacked knowledge. We made a difference not only for my child but for those that have followed after. I will continue to advocate for the rights of gender diverse children within the school system.

Organisations that I have worked with include:

• Southern Cross University, Gold Coast

• Kingscliff Tafe

• Social Futures, Northern Rivers Region

• Sathya Sai Primary School, Murwillumbah

• Lindisfarne School, Terranora

• Northern Rivers Social Development Council

• Tweed Valley Early Intervention Service

• The Small School, Murwillumbah