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One-on-One Counselling/ Life coaching sessions

Helping young people achieve their goals

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B.A.Sci(Psych); Grad.Dip.App.Psych; Cert Developmental, Learning & Behavioural Disorders- Children and Adolescents 

Young Person & Family Counsellor/Life Coach, Author & Columnist

Natalie Rinehart

My approach is through a combination of solution-focused, cognitive-behavioural and narrative therapies alongside life coaching. In other words, it’s not just about exploring feelings but how to interpret them and manage them. Its very much about setting goals for where each individual is at and where they would like to get to. Clients get to drive where we go with me as the navigator and upskiller. My style is more informal with multiple activities outside of normal counselling including whiteboarding, ball throwing, basketball, dog hugs, stretching, pool table, anything that keeps people connected whilst we do the mind work. 

I have extensive work and personal experience with the fabulous neurodivergent mind. Clients  diagnosed with Autism (including Pathological Demand Avoidance profile), ADHD, Dyslexia and other conditions very much benefit from my style. Those facing anxiety and/or depression challenges also get to explore their personal experience whilst being taught multiple management techniques.

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Key topics explored may include:​

  • ADHD management

  • Anger management

  • Anxiety

  • Autism management

  • Assertiveness training/communication

  • Body image

  • Boundary setting

  • Bullying

  • Career and education exploration

  • Coping skills

  • Depression

  • Diagnoses education

  • Executive functioning

  • Family conflict

  • Family and parent support

  • Grief and loss

  • Goal setting

  • Lifestyle management

  • Making and maintaining friendships

  • Mainstreaming at school or work (neurodivergent)

  • Motivation

  • Pathological demand avoidance management

  • Problem solving

  • Rejection sensitivity

  • Self-esteem

  • Sexuality and gender identity

  • Stress management

  • Study skills

  • Time management

  • Trauma

Learn multiple management techniques

Helping people achieve their goals

Support That Makes a Difference

One-on-one client sessions

Counselling/Life coaching sessions held with Natalie and the client to identify life areas that are presenting as difficult.

 

We map out their world, their strengths and challenges so we can work on the key issues and learn the skills to overcome them. 

Education and Support Videos Library

We are building a Library of Education and Support videos for Parents, Community, Educators and other Mental Health Providers. 

First video loaded for 2025- ADHD: Parent and Community Education

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I support all young people needing to explore and understand their sexuality or gender as they experience it. 

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My Story

I've come full circle in my career where I originally started in counselling, then moved to research and data science and now back to counselling. Counselling is my soul food. I love working with client's energy, their passion and setting them up with skills and understanding for a happy and productive life.

 

I'm really excited about this new chapter of setting up Launch Collective with fellow mental health providers alongside seeing my clients.  

 

Some of my career highlights related to counselling/life coaching and raising resilience include: 

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  • Bachelor of Applied Science (Psychology)- this was a double degree with education units included as well. (1995-1998)

  • Graduate Diploma of Applied Psychology (1999)

  • Masters in Counselling classes.

  • Certificate of Developmental, Learning and Behavioural Disorders- Children and Adolescents (2023)

  • Pathological Demand Avoidance for Professionals Training (2023)

  • Counsellor at Children’s Protection Society and Strengthening Families with families and young people.

  • SMART (Skills, Mentoring And Resilience Training) project design, implementation and evaluation. The project aimed to raise resilience in 10-17yo through school workshops and a mentoring program for ‘at risk’ kids. I wrote two books for the Australian Drug Foundation which were used by schools and community groups here in Australia and internationally. 'Skills and Resilience Training: The SMART Manual' & 'Mentoring: The SMART Manual'. 

  • Wrote and published two books on romantic relationships and did the radio/TV circuit. 'The Mechanics of Women: A Do-it-Yourself Manual for Men' & 'The Organics of Relationships: A Do-it-Yourself Manual for Women'. 

  • Wrote a number of articles for Cleo Magazine

  • Multiple casual teaching roles or lectures at TAFE and Universities

  • Ongoing mental health column in the Warrandyte Diary newspaper.

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Testimonials

"I am a health professional and was completely thrown when my daughter received her ADHD diagnosis. The paediatrician recommended Natalie to support my daughter which has been a game changer. Natalie is warm and engaging and my daughter was happy to attend one on one sessions after initially being reluctant. Kai, the therapy dog helps too.

 

Natalie has extensive knowledge about neurodiversity and educates and supports her clients to understand their diagnosis and empower them in a challenging world. She provides practical strategies which were particularly helpful for my daughter’s anxiety and learning.

 

I highly recommend Natalie’s support for your neurodiverse child and to help your family adjust to a new way of seeing your child and helping them." Parent 

"Natalie has helped my daughter understand where her anxiety is coming from and has shown her different techniques to manage it. Since seeing Natalie, she has become more confident in stepping out of her comfort zone and dealing with the situations that make her anxious." Parent 

"Natalie is wonderful with teens, she makes them feel at ease the minute they walk in the door, and is incredibly understanding and supportive of many issues they are facing in the world today. After 6 years of trying different therapists for 2 of my children we are finally getting positive results. Thanks to her we now have hope for a brighter future." Parent 

"My teenage son has worked with a number of professionals in the past, but no one has connected with him as quickly or as easily as Natalie has.  She has been able to engage him on issues he finds difficult, and has been creative in inspiring him to work toward goals. We would recommend Natalie to anyone." Parent

"Before Natalie my daughter was barely able to make it through a school day and had not completed a full week due to severe anxiety and panic attacks.  To see her smiling after the very first session gave me a sense of hope and I knew we had found our saving grace. Nat is not your average counsellor and her non clinical approach resonates with the young of today, gaining their trust and helping them with their issues.  My daughter calls her the cool awesome counsellor." Parent

"Natalie made an instant and lasting connection with our teen son. He's always keen to go to his sessions. She has been an encouraging, colourful and positive presence for him, and for us as a whole family. Her space is welcoming and the dog therapy is a bonus. She is always adaptable to his sometimes challenging needs and moods. I feel very lucky we found Natalie!" Parent

“Watching our son struggling with anxiety, school refusal and withdrawing from everything that he loved was breaking our hearts. Luckily, we found Natalie. Natalie gave our son a safe and non-judgemental place to work through all the things going on in his life. She has a special way of engaging with her clients in a relaxed informal environment. Our son was able to work through issues and set attainable goals that gave him a real sense of accomplishment. Cuddles from a gentle dog named Kai always helped too. We would highly recommend Natalie.” Parent

“Both my children have used Natalie's services. We would not go anywhere else after meeting Natalie! She instils positivity into my children that I have never seen before when using other therapists and she points them towards building a solid future and making them the best they can be. Natalie is assisting with organisational skills, building healthy relationships with peers, help with anxiety and coping skills in general.

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The follow-up email to parents after each session is extremely thorough so there is great communication. Natalie puts lots of effort into her work, she genuinely cares about her clients and she is very easy to talk to. Her aura is "positivity" and "let's get to it and reach our goals!" Parent

"You were exactly the tonic my daughter needed. She was resistant to speaking with anyone at the time we first contacted you, and although I managed to get her to commit to two sessions, I was not expecting you to be able to secure her commitment for more. Yet, here we are six months later with a transformed child. Thank you." Parent

FAQs

Contact Us

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Mental Health Resources

Mental Health Column

I write a monthly mental health column for the Warrandyte Diary with a special focus on young people and their families. Articles are listed below and you can download at Warrandyte Diary's Back Issues

Jun-22    The Screen Wars: How to stop it tearing your family apart 
Jul-22    Back to school: That should cheer the kids up, right? 
Aug-22    Breaking the cycle of poor self-esteem 
Sep-22    The win-win: Encouraging assertive language 
Oct-22    Social anxiety in young people and how to help 
Nov-22    Young people leading the way in exploring identity 
Dec-22    Perfectionism: Why some of our kids are driving themselves too hard 
Feb-23    Executive Functioning: What is it, and what happens when it’s not functioning?
Mar-23    Hope- the greatest motivator 
Apr-23    Grief: A natural part of the human experience 
May-23    Self-Harm: Why do people we love want to hurt themselves?
Jun-23    What happens in the love-hate relationship we have with our bodies
Jul-23    Developing independence in our young people 
Aug-23    Romance, sex and our young people: Part 1 
Sep-23    Romance, sex and our young people: Part 2
Oct-23    Romance, sex and our young people: Part 3 
Nov-23    Romance, sex and our young people: Part 4
Dec-23    Summer goals for our young people and ourselves 
Feb-24    Setting boundaries and expectations in families
Mar-24    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Part 1 
Apr-24    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Part 2 
May-24    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Part 3
Jun-24    Communicating and supporting your young person: Part 1
Jul-24    Communicating and supporting your young person: Part 2
Aug-24    Fun and Young
Sep-24    Depression
Oct-24    Getting your young person through VCE
Nov-24    None- was recovering from surgery
Dec-24    Social Media and its Challenges
Feb-25    Mindfulness 
Mar-25    Understanding Autism: Part 1
Apr-25    Understanding Autism: Part 2
May-25    Understanding Autism: Part 3
Jun-25    Understanding Autism: Part 4
Jul-25    Job Seeking and Working with young people. 
Sep-25    People and Purpose
Oct-25    Rejection sensitivity
Nov-25    Masking
Feb-26    Control
Mar-26    What is Fight, Flight and Freeze? 
Apr-26    Why we need a new model of mental health and wellbeing for our young people
May-26    Understanding PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance): Part 1
Jun-26    Understanding PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance): Part 2
Jul-26    Understanding PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance): Part 3

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