About | Grace Counselling

Carolyn Grace of Grace Counselling and Education is a registered professional Counsellor, Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor and Trainer with over 30 years experience working with children, young people and families.

My journey...

With a dedicated focus on working with children and young people, as well as supporting carers, educators, supervisees, and counsellors, my career as a Counsellor, Supervisor, and Trainer has involved providing service excellence across various organisations and schools.

Most of my work has been in and with schools, assisting students with the experiences of mental health issues, trauma, life and school challenges, grief, and change.

Previous roles have seen me working as a Family Counsellor, Trauma Counsellor and School Counsellor.

I have worked in both Independent and Catholic schools as a School/College Counsellor, as well as for not-for profit organisations providing specialist counselling to students in Department for Education Schools in SA.

Working for 5 years at the Survivors of Torture, Trauma, Assistance and Rehabilitation Service (STTARS) as a Child and Youth Counselling Team Counsellor and Team Leader, and 7 years at the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF) as a Senior Consultant, providing specialist trauma counselling to children and young people and clinical supervision has developed my skills in this space.

As part of my work with ACF, I have also had the privilege of providing trauma-responsive practice in education training and consultation to schools across Australia and as a presenter at international and national conferences.

For 14 years I was one of the Camp Leaders and Therapeutic group leaders for AnglicareSA's Star Bear program - a camp program supporting children and young people who have experienced the death of a family member.

I am currently a Clinical Consultant (Camp Counsellor) for Kookaburra Kids, a specialist camp and day program for children and young people who are supporting a parent/caregiver experiencing mental illness.

It has been an honour to provide the best care and evidence-based interventions for children young people and their families.

Counselling Services

Working from a trauma-informed, neuro-bio-psychosocial, recovery-focused, and hope and strength-based approach, I provide clinical assessment and counselling to assist my clients in making meaning of their stories, finding healing and hope, and developing resilience and effective coping skills.

I utilise a number of different approaches, but always seek to work from a client-centred, child-focused and trauma-informed framework.

Modalities include Trauma counselling and sensory-based interventions, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Theory, Mindfulness, Grief Work, Play-based Therapy, Sand Play Therapy and Interactive Drawing Techniques.

I have undertaken training in Narrative Therapy, Sand Play Therapy and Interactive Drawing Therapy as well Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Levels 1 and 2, and a Certificate in Synergetic Play Therapy.

I am also a group facilitator for the following programs: (see below)

- Rhythm2Recovery

- Tuning into Kids

- Bringing Up Great Kids

Clinical Supervision

Holding membership with the ACA College of Supervisors (COS9047), I provide individual clinical supervision for Counselling Practitioners and Counselling students, as well as Chaplains and Pastoral Support Workers in schools.

Supervision Philosophy and Approach

Supervision is a respectful professional relationship in which the Supervisee and Supervisor embark on a journey of reflection, learning and growth, in an environment of trust and respect. I focus on developing strong therapeutic and supervisory relationships based on understanding, acceptance, collaboration, and review.

My goal is to enable the supervisees to become competent therapists, to build their professional identity, develop their skills, explore ethical issues and challenges, and to reflect on their clinical practice.

" Clinical Supervision is a supportive and respectful professional relationship between the supervisor and supervisee, in which a safe, trusted space is created in order for the the supervisee to reflect on and to develop and grow in their practice"

(Grace, 2017)

Group Programs

Grace Counselling and Education is pleased to offer the following group programs to children, young people, parents and caregivers, school and community groups.

Rhythm2 Recovery

The Rhythm to Recovery program uses rhythm, music, voice and movement for social and emotional development

10 week group program - for up to 6 -8 children or young people
8 week group program for parents/caregivers only or a parent/giver and a child (over the age of 8)
Individual program developed as part of personal/family counselling sessions

Bringing Up Great Kids

The Bringing Up Great Kids program is for parents and caregivers supporting them to support their children and young people.

See the Parents and Caregiver Support tab for further information