“ The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. ”— Carl Rogers
Meet Centre Director - Louise Shalders
EARLY PARENTING CONSULTANT
Louise Shalders has worked in the family health sector for more than 30 years. After training as a paediatric nurse, midwife, maternal & child health nurse and perinatal & infant mental health clinician, Louise is now in her final year of Naturopathy at Southern School of Natural Therapies VIC.
For many years, Louise has worked with families in their own homes. She witnessed the challenges of parents trying valiantly to navigate our healthcare system with an unwell child, or as an unwell parent; manage their own anxiety or depression whilst trying to raise their family; face the isolation of feeling that they are alone in their struggles and that "everyone else seems to have it together but me”; face the sometimes subtle, and often, not so subtle devastation of birth trauma or family violence; or struggle with the triggers of their own negative experience of being parented, whilst now trying to parent their own family with positivity and hope.….
Louise started to dream.
She envisaged a facility where parents could feel listened to, nurtured and safe. A place where they could park on site with ease, be welcomed with warmth, be surrounded by the tranquility of nature, be nurtured by ’the village’ and learn to gently develop as a parent alongside their developing child.
And so The Centre for Perinatal Health & Parenting was born…
MEET THE TEAM
ADMINISTRATION
Annette Millar
Our lovely receptionist, Annette is a Ballarat local through and through, having been born and bred and then raised a family, all in Ballarat. Annette is a highly motivated receptionist, who is very caring and thoughtful in her approach to young families.
Being a mother herself, gives Annette a solid understanding of the highs and lows of the parenting journey, and this shows in her empathetic approach to our families at The Centre. Families are greeted with a welcoming face, a supportive ear, and a warm heart on arrival.
In her downtime Annette can be found reading, getting out for a walk, watching movies, and volunteering in our local community.
Jo Robertson
Jo is another of our very talented and caring receptionists.
Jo loves meeting new people, and being of assistance to our families as they arrive. She is a very thoughtful and friendly presence at The Centre.
Jo, originally from Melbourne, has lived in Ballarat for 15 years, and spent the last 2 years working as a receptionist in a local allied health practice.
Jo has 2 lovely married daughters, and 2 very active grandchildren, which gives her a realistic and lived experience of both the importance of family and the benefits of nurturing and guiding our next generation.
Liv Shalders
Liv attends to all the background administration and HR requirements at The Centre, and often helps out in reception when needed. Liv is Ballarat born and bred, and loves being a part of such a dynamic team that is providing such important and highly regarded services for Ballarat families.
Liv completed a Bachelor of Music performance at COLLARTS, Melbourne in 2020.
When Liv is not working she, enjoys nothing more than singing at local gigs – she also plays a mean guitar and keyboard.
EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Kenneth Spedding
Kenneth completed his Bachelor of Psychological Science with Distinction and Graduate Diploma of Psychology at Deakin University. This followed with a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) at Australian Catholic University.
Kenneth is currently practicing as an Educational & Developmental Psychologist.
Kenneth predominantly uses a client centred approach, to create an empathic, accepting and reflective environment. He believes that everyone has the capacity to overcome their challenges and grow if provided the right environment to do so. He incorporates elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) in sessions.
Kenneth has a deep passion for Martial Arts and has had the joy of learning several different forms over the years.
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Emma Rodgers
Emma is a General Psychologist who is undertaking her Clinical Endorsement following the completion of her Clinical Master in 2022. Emma has a special interest in perinatal, infant and child mental health, with a keen focus on attachment, trauma and brain development.
Emma’s practice is client-centred, attachment-based and trauma-informed, using a range of techniques, such as Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness and talk-based therapy to holistically support individual needs.
When working with children, Emma utilises play to soften the experience of therapy and to support confidence. Emma loves working with parents also to help them understand their child’s internal world.
Emma has come from a career background of assessing and treating complex trauma, with children and young people living in out-of-home care, family violence or in difficult family situations. Emma’s aim is to create a warm, compassionate and safe environment for her clients to optimise the therapeutic process.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Petrena Laverick
Petrena is a Registered Occupational Therapist and is a current member of Occupational Therapy Australia.
Petrena works with a family-centred, strengths-based approach, to enable independence through participation in everyday activities, with the goal to enhance the client’s engagement in meaningful occupations.
She has worked with children ranging from kindergarten through to high school, and has also worked with adults.
Petrena has experience completing both child and adult assessments related to functional independence, sensory processing, visual motor integration (hand-eye coordination), gross and fine motor skills, and home modifications.
Being fluent in several ‘languages’, including Super Mario, Minecraft, the MCU and Pokemon, Petrena enjoys building a rapport with children, by exploring the child’s interests and making their sessions engaging and fun.
PLAY THERAPIST
Kim Wood
Incredibly, Kim started her career as a research scientist!
Years later, when she had her family and became a stay-at-home mum, Kim recognised how much she enjoyed the many intricacies of child play. This motivated Kim to train as a Child Play Therapist and Kim soon completed her Master in Play Therapy.
Play is a very natural and vital part of a child’s life, and how they express themselves, especially if don’t have the vocabulary to do this effectively. Play is an integral part of how children develop many of their life skills and plays an important role in brain development.
Child-centred play therapy is a systematic and evidence-based approach to counselling children. This form of play therapy has been in use for over 60 years and has a long history of efficacy in therapeutic work with children. It is well supported by extensive research. Kim now offers Play Therapy at The Centre for Perinatal Health & Parenting, where her clients experience the many vital learnings of play. The benefits optimise mental and emotional wellbeing, along with the child’s overall health and development.
Kim also works with the child’s family to educate and guide the family’s relationships and communication with each other, and support the work the therapist does
ART THERAPIST
Trish Lannen
For many years Trish worked in education as a Primary School teacher, in both the classroom and as an art specialist. Trish was a Deputy Principal, firstly in Tasmania, and then in schools around Ballarat, before completing a Masters in Creative Arts Therapy at the MIECAT Institute in Fitzroy.
Trish loves working with children, always seeking to celebrate them, empower them and assist them to be all that they can be.
Trish is registered with the Australian, New Zealand and Asia Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA).
Trish has also taught art to adults, and teaching art has given her many opportunities to witness the transformative possibilities of art-making.
Trish believes that creative expression provides opportunities for self-exploration, building capacity, deepening understandings of self and others, acceptance and healing.
Gabrielle Lillie
Gabrielle is an a fully qualified and accredited Art therapist with a passion for helping others feel better about themselves. Her aim is to provide a safe and supportive environment, where the client can feel free to fully express themselves, utilising a range of art materials.
Gabrielle also has 10 years experience in adolescent and adult Art education. It was during this time that Gabrielle acknowledged the importance of expression through creative forms. This experience also helped Gabrielle understand the emotional growth of children and adolescents, alike.
Gabrielle has three beautiful young children, who keep Gabrielle and her partner very busy, This not only gives Gabrielle full exposure to the varying developmental stages of childhood, but gives her a thorough understanding of the challenges being a parent can bring.
Along with individual appointments, throughout the year Gabrielle will also be taking group workshops such as:
Creative wellness - open for all ages
Self-love workshop for teens
Vision board workshop - for all ages
Perinatal healing through art
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Eliza Fletcher
Eliza completed her Diploma of Beauty Therapy in 2010 with Elly Lukas and continued her education by completing her Diploma of Remedial Massage at Federation University in 2012.
She brings over 10 years experience working within the day spa and allied health industry.
From a young age Eliza has always had a keen interest in the “healing power of touch” and believes massage therapy goes beyond the positive physical effects within the body.
After experiencing pregnancy herself in recent years, Eliza was inspired to expand her knowledge, to include the pregnancy and postnatal massage qualifications with Pregnancy Massage Australia.
When not working, Eliza enjoys spending time with her husband and young children. You can often find her on a weekend enjoying some gardening, cooking, reading a book or working on a crochet project.
YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Jen Oakey
Jen grew up in a beautiful Cotswold country village in South west England and moved to Australia in 2013. Jen was drawn to yoga and has practiced for almost 18 years. She has experienced many different styles, from calm slow hatha and yin through to more dynamic styles like vinyasa.
However, it wasn’t until her first son was born, following a difficult pregnancy and birth that Jen found her true calling and wanted to learn more about the great benefits of pre and postnatal vinyasa yoga and share it with other women.
Jen has more recently completed formal training with Infant Massage Information Service (IMIS) to become a fully qualified infant massage instructor. The benefits of infant massage are well documented as ‘highly beneficial both physically and emotionally’, and above all encourages an optimal bond and connection between parent and child.
Jen uses Indian, Swedish and reflexology stroke techniques when providing infant massage instruction to parents and enjoys facilitating infant massage courses to families both individually or in group format.
When Jen is not spending time with her two young sons, she enjoys swimming, horse riding, spending time in her veggie garden, being in nature, and cooking.
EQUINE THERAPIST
Linda Warrener
Linda has done extensive training at the Equine Psychotherapy Institute to become qualified in ‘Equine Assisted Learning’ and the Advanced Intensive of ‘Understanding and Working with Trauma”. She has completed a Diploma of ‘Community and Welfare Work’ from Federation University, and is currently studying with The Institute of Applied Psychology (IAP) - Counsellor in training.
Linda has worked and been involved in the mental health industry for over 10 years and feels a strong connection with people, supporting them in their journey to improve their well-being.
Linda has always been passionate about animals, people, personal growth and development. Animals have consistently been a natural companion and close to her heart, and she is now delighted to share this beautiful horse experience and the unique comfort that horses offer, to everyone.
ADULT & CHILD COUNSELLOR
Bridget Harvey
Bridget brings a range of diverse experiences and qualifications to the role of Adult & Child Counsellor. With a background as a professional artist and tutor in fine arts, design and animation, her creativity and keen eye for expression shine through in therapy.
A Master’s in Art Therapy and Counselling Training from La Trobe University, along with registration with the Australian Counselling Association and ANZACATA, equips Bridget with a psychodynamic and integrative approach to therapy.
Bridget draws from various techniques, including trauma and attachment-informed methods, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness, and Positive/Strengths-based approaches.
Currently working as an in-patient mental health facility therapist, and previously in cancer care, aged care, and outreach work with a range of adult and child presentations, Bridget brings a wealth of experience to her practice.
Fascinated by neuroscience and neuroplasticity, Bridget believes in the brain’s capacity to rewire old pathways, offering hope for reworking chronic pain and anxiety. She is dedicated to post-traumatic growth and understanding how trauma is stored in the body.
In her sessions, Bridget prioritizes a safe, non-judgmental, and playful space for adults and children. Tailoring strategies to individual goals and interests, using narrative, art, movement, percussion, play, and somatic processing. Her therapeutic sessions offer guidance and compassion to individuals seeking growth, balance and healing.
In her spare time, Bridget enjoys experiencing as much of life as she can; trying new food, travel, scuba diving, art-making, choir, netball, yoga, expressive dance events and more. She also loves games night with the family and is going to make a come-back soon in the Sunday night Mario Kart tournament!
CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST
Rachel Kane
Rachel is a Clinical Nutritionist with a Bachelor of Health Science, a life-long learner and a passion for supporting clients to improve their health.
Rachel spent decades in a corporate job but her most cherished role is being a mother to her three beautiful children, who inspired her to pursue a career in holistic health!
Whether Rachel is reading books (picture a tall pile of to-be-read books), delving into new research, or attending courses, she enjoys keeping up with the latest evidence to deliver the best possible results to her clients.
Whilst life can get busy, it’s important to make time for your well-being, and Rachel looks forward to tennis or coffee dates with friends, walking her gorgeous dog, getting lost in a good book, and family holidays, but sometimes a simple cup of tea outside in the sun is just perfect too!
If you're ever looking for a friendly chat about nutrition, research, or nutrition in general, feel free to reach out. Rachel would love to work together with you, and your family on your health & wellness soon.
Absolute privacy for consultancy with your healthcare practitioner
CHAT WITH US
We know this unique family-friendly, relaxed approach to meeting your family’s health and wellness needs is long overdue... so, we are just a little bit excited to offer it all and look forward to welcoming you and your beautiful family soon.