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Mandala Health - Naturopathy & Counselling Psychotherapy

Mandala Health is a holistic and integrative health-care practice that provides therapeutic services for individuals (adults, adolescents & children); for couples in intimate relationship and family groups. The services include:​
 

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  • Marriage and Intimate Partner Relationship Counselling 

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  • Trauma Therapies - TRTP, (The Richards Trauma Process); EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing), TFT ( Though Field Therapy); Focusing (E. Gendlin), Hypnosis (Rick Collingwood Method), Sandplay Therapy ( Sandplay Therapy Australia - Marg Garvan- Jungian Sandplay / Gestalt - adults, adolescents & children/ individuals & couples).​

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This comprehensive array of therapies caters to the most common spectrum of mind-body -physical and psychological problems (including mental, emotional, relational and spiritual) that most people seek help for at one time or another, in the life-long pursuit of health happiness and wellbeing.

About Me

Your Therapist...

Laura is an experienced holistic and integrative healthcare practitioner who provides therapeutic services in: Naturopathy & Counselling Psychotherapy. She works with individuals- adults and children- and married/couples in intimate relationships, at all age and stage of life; to understand and resolve physical, emotional, spiritual and relational problems; to develop insight, resilience and resources from life situations and crises, and to overcome trauma.

 

Laura's therapeutic approach is guided by classical depth oriented, psychodynamic and analytical principles (i.e. by Carl Jung; Eugene Gendlin) and contemporary trauma-informed practices from neuro-psychological, cognitive and brain sciences  (Levine, van der Kolk, Rothschild, Ogden).  

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Depth oriented psychodynamic counselling approaches helps clients through self-reflection to gain insight and self-awareness, develop deeper authenticity and individuation of the personality. Clients learn to identify, manage & speak comfortably about difficult /painful experiences or feelings - i.e. anger, anxiety, sadness, grief, loneliness, depression, shame and despair. As individuals develop healthier intra-personal dynamics, expectations and beliefs about themselves and the world change; and relationships with others also improve. As people develop agency, resilience & maturity, relationships become more intimate, deeply connected, empathic, mutually balanced, satisfying & rewarding.

Laura Hvala, Naturopathy, Counsellor, Ps

Laura specialises in Trauma Therapy. She is expertly trained in the most contemporary and effective trauma-informed approaches, including: TRTP (The Richards Trauma Process), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing - Shapiro), Active Imagination (Jung); Focusing (Gendlin); Hypnosis  (The Rick Collingwood Method) ; TFT (Thought Field Therapy) & Sandplay therapy. Laura competently and sensitively uses these interventions in the treatment of chronic stress and complex trauma & PTSD (i.e., from life-threatening events, injuries, accidents or abuse) and other sustained trauma-related issues, such as anxiety, depression, fears and phobias.

 

She understands how long term stress & trauma (i.e., carer exhaustion; violence, sexual abuse, emotional abuse/neglect; drug/alcohol misuse; personality disorders & other mental health issues) can impact victims, partners and family members in profound ways. Laura understands how unresolved stress, particularly involving family history and repeat childhood exposure to physical violence and abuse, emotional neglect, drug and alcohol misuse, personality disorders and other mental health issues can systemically and inter-generationally, impact individuals, families and communities in profound ways. Laura recognises the characteristic patterns of traumatised and other difficult personalities, as well as the signs and symptoms of PTSD and chronic complex trauma.

 

As a qualified Sandplay therapist, Laura competently applies this effective symbolic strategy, with adults and children, individually, & with couples. Sandplay immediately and concretely extends perception beyond superficial awareness and provides new visual perspectives about the inner and outer psychological factors influencing the problems at hand.

 

Laura is a qualified and experienced naturopath, nutritionist and herbal medicine practitioner. She extends her expertise beyond functional psychology to complementary alternative medicine (CAM), to specialise in the identification and recovery of complex and systemic affects of chronic stress and trauma. She applies functional biomedical testing with other therapeutic assessments with life-style and dietary advise, nutrition and herbal medicine treatments to support metabolism, bring balance to the central nervous system, restore tissue and organ function after physical illness, injury, infections, resolve inflammation and recover from physical, emotional or psycho-social burnout, exhaustion and trauma.

 

Laura has worked as an academic lecturer providing education and mentoring services to natural health practitioners at Endeavour College of Natural Health. She has taught Counselling Skills; Mental Health Assessment Processes, and Psychological First Aid to trainee practitioners.  She is a trained clinical supervisor and professional mentor for professional counsellors & psychotherapists. As an educational mentor, natural health practitioner and counselling psychotherapist, Laura conveys genuine interest, care and understanding of a broad range of the most common problems and challenges that people encounter in life. She is encouraging and supportive of clients, in their personal experiences of ill-health, through frustration and challenge, on their path toward physical, emotional, social & spiritual health and wellbeing.

Treatment

Specialising in... 
Naturopathy - Nutrition, Herbal Medicine & Functional Medicine 

Counselling Psychotherapy - Trauma Therapies & Sandplay Therapy
Clinical Supervision

Naturopathy

Counselling Psychotherapy

Sandplay Therapy

Naturopathy is a holistic medical system, rooted in ancient wisdom traditions that believe that life, health and disease follow certain natural laws and principles (such as Vitalism & Holism). Understanding and living by these laws is the easiest way to retain health and live well. 

 

Naturopathy uses these natural principles as remedy - in  herbal medicine, nutrition therapy, diet and lifestyle adjustments to support the body's natural healing mechanisms & functions; restoring vitality & health.

Counselling Psychotherapies are a range of practices used to develop individual and relational psychological - emotional, social and spiritual foundations for healthy functioning, connection & wellbeing.

 

These non-pathologising, self-affirming and relationship oriented psychotherapies help individuals process problems such as, anxiety, depression, emotional distress, trauma and relationship concerns. 

Sandplay therapy is an experiential depth psychotherapy where sand, water and small figures are arranged in a tray, to symbolically reflect the clients internal world & psychic dynamics. It is a non-verbal method that facilitates our natural human capacity for self-recognition, emergent insight, self-organisation & dynamic healing. 

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Sandplay is an effective therapy for individuals - children, adolescents adults - couples and family groups.

Naturopathy, herbal medicine, nutritiona
Counselling, psychotherapy, support, Man
Sandplay Therapy, Woodend, Mandala Healt

Relationship Therapy

Trauma & PTSD

Clinical Supervision

Relationship problems are the main reason that people seek help from counselling psychotherapists in Australia. Relationship therapy works with married partners and committed couples to improve communication, connection and love.

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It helps people invest in creative solutions to conflict, and establishes healthy and enduring relationships based on honest communication and trust, and open channels of love and affection, that keep on growing.

Couple Looking at Landscape

Trauma is and enduring emotional 
response to distressing event(s), where an individual's life has been  threatened and their ability to comprehend or cope with the event is overwhelmed.

 

Trauma can result in PTSD - constant, intrusive memories and feelings of pain, fear, anxiety, hopelessness despair, isolation and depression. 

 

Psychotherapy is proven effective for helping individuals process trauma and developing new narratives of inner-strength, hope and connection.

Trauma, trauma therapy, PTSD, anxiety, g

Clinical supervision is an essential component of ongoing professional development and education, and an ethical requirement of the profession, that continues after psychotherapy training is complete.

 

Supervision involves a therapist reflecting on various aspects of their clinical work with a more experienced therapist or mentoring advisor. It can be one of the most significant and influential relationships for a therapist in their career. 

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