Deanna is a Counsellor / Art Therapist with over 20 years experience working with children, young people and adults with complex needs – experienced in the areas of intergenerational trauma, abuse, drug & alcohol addiction, and mental health challenges. With a humanistic, client-centred approach Deanna walks alongside her clients with deep compassion and empathy, supporting a path to greater self-awareness and healing.
Deanna specialises in working with individuals impacted by adverse childhood experiences and attachment trauma.
Deanna is a passionate humanitarian and social activist, deeply committed to the protection and growth of the mind, heart and soul of all of society. From early in her career Deanna has worked with vulnerable and disadvantaged groups within the western system, including youth and adults affected by poverty, systemic racism, generational trauma, abuse and mental health challenges.
She is acutely aware of the systemic limitations and inadequacies of care in Australia and has committed the bulk of her career to reform and upgrade the impact of these systems and services, developing policies and programs (face to face and online) relating to family violence, adolescent homelessness, developmental trauma and child-focused practice.
Alongside her work, Deanna has explored non-traditional healing methodologies, Ayurvedic medicine, Art Therapy and attachment trauma work.
She has completed studies in Developmental Trauma (Childhood Trauma) at Australian Childhood Foundation and Transpersonal Art Therapy at IKON Institute and regularly participates in healing rituals and sacred circle work.
In 2019 she visioned the Healing Ground Collective to offer accessible learning programs central to healing and transformation and to promote and support the work of therapists and practitioners.
With Principal Partner, Prue Blackmore, Deanna is the Director of the Healing Ground Collective, working to provide innovative tools for transformation.
Deanna’s qualifications:
- Graduate Certificate of Developmental Trauma
- Diploma of Counselling
- Diploma of Transpersonal Art Therapy
- TAE50216 Diploma in Training Design and Development
- TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training
Prue has worked in the field of psychiatry and mental health for over 30 years now and brings an eclectic and wide variety of techniques that facilitate clearing of the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual realms of the psyche and the problems that arise therein.
Working with all facets of existence from conception to dying and death Prue has developed powerful and effective tools that allow clients to get to the source of their current issue and move them out of the field to restore balance to themselves and the worlds they are creating and co-creating with others.
Weaving many years of experience and training in psychiatry, cognitive behavioural therapy, principles of transactional analysis, energetic processes and healing from shamanic practice, shadow work, and deep immersion into the realms of the psyche in transpersonal paradigms – in the service of her clients.
This work moves deeply entrenched patterns of thinking and behaviour, emotional overload in the face of crisis and existential issues of meaning and issues of hopelessness and despair that can arise in the face of this – out of the daily aspects of daily life – her work is deep and efficacious.