Hi, I’m Jess.

I’m the counsellor behind Kindred. I’m warm, curious and honest - fairly direct when I need to be - and I believe good counselling should feel like a real conversation with someone who can sit alongside you in the messier parts of being human.

While my work is informed by professional knowledge, I also draw deeply from lived experience. I know that life and relationships rarely unfold neatly, and that growth isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about understanding yourself more honestly, taking responsibility for what is yours and finding a way forward that feels possible.

I created Kindred to be a place where people feel safe, seen and understood, while also being supported to look beneath the surface and make changes that last.

What Shapes My Work

I know what it is to sit on the other side of the counselling room - to arrive without neat words, to feel exposed and to hope the person in front of you can understand without judging, rushing or trying to fix you.

My own life experiences have shaped the way I work and strengthened my belief that people don’t need someone else to have all the answers. They need space to be fully human, make sense of what has happened and understand themselves with greater honesty and compassion.

I’m deeply curious about what sits beneath the way we think, feel and relate to one another. I feel genuinely privileged to be trusted with the parts of people’s lives that are often difficult to share, and to help them discover that something different may still be possible.

My Approach

At the core of my work is a person-centred approach. This means I don’t see myself as the expert on your life, and I don’t believe in fitting people into a single framework or telling them who they should become.

My approach is integrative and shaped around the person or couple in front of me. I draw from an understanding of attachment, relationship patterns, the nervous system and the different ways we learn to protect ourselves. I’m interested in both where a pattern may have come from and how it is affecting your life now.

For me, insight and practical change belong together. We can explore the deeper experiences and beliefs underneath what is happening, while also developing ways to communicate, respond and care for yourself differently in everyday life. The work is collaborative, honest and always guided by what feels most meaningful to you.

A Little About Me

Outside the counselling room, I’m a mum, partner, friend and dog owner. I love being near the coast, travelling, running when my knees cooperate, and spending time with the people who make life feel fuller.

I’m naturally curious, deeply relational and a big believer that humour has a place alongside the serious parts of life. I don’t have everything figured out - and I don’t expect the people I work with to either.

Like most people, I’ve lived through change, loss, complicated relationships and seasons of having to find my feet again. Those experiences don’t make me the expert on anyone else’s life, but they do shape the humanity, openness and respect I bring into the room.

Working Together

I work with individuals and couples from my practice in East Geelong, as well as online. You don’t need to have everything clearly understood before making contact; we can begin with what is happening now and work out the direction together.

If you’d like to learn more about the different ways we can work together, you can explore the services below or view my current appointment availability.