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About The Counsellor Hi, my name is Carolyn Barker. I'm a counsellor, specialising in anxiety disorders. Why anxiety disorders? Because the one thing I needed when I was trying to recover, was a sense of being really understood. To me that meant a therapist with
first-hand experience. While I never found one, I think it would have made all the difference. It would have reassured me that recovery was not just a prescribed text book outcome, but something that was possible for me too! I've been involved in raising awareness into anxiety disorders and providing
guidance to sufferers since 1987. The following is an outline of my contribution -
- Co-founder of The Panic Anxiety Disorder Association in South Australia
- Liaison Officer to South Australian government mental health services
- Founding member of the Anxiety Disorders Foundation of Australia
- Former national advocate for people with anxiety disorders
- Assisted in the establishment of Panic Anxiety Disorder Associations in Victoria, Western Australia, Northern Territory
- Assisted in the establishment of the Anxiety Disorders Foundation of Australia in New South Wales and Northern Territory
- Representative during the formation of the Mental Health Coalition of South Australia
I provide counselling by telephone for these reasons -
- I wish it had been available when I had an anxiety disorder
- There is still only a small number of counsellors providing a service by phone
- On a bad day, the thought of struggling through traffic seems overwhelming
- Talking over the phone can feel less threatening
- It's more relaxing in your home environment
- It's easier to fit a phone call into your schedule
- Telephone counselling gives you another option in how you access therapy
- Distance from services is not a factor
- It's more flexible. Appointments are available after office hours if needed
- It's often cheaper than other counselling options.
Put simply: Telephone counselling provided by someone with personal experience is not only convenient, it inspires a belief that you too, can recover!
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