Coastal Counselling and Psychotherapy - Marriage and Individual Counselling Newcastle 744 Hunter Street, Newcastle West, New South Wales 2302

"I was in a very dark place when I contacted Naomi. I had seen a clinical psychologist through a mental health care plan but couldn't connect, so decided to see Naomi instead. She made me feel welcome and safe whilst expressing empathy and compassion for my situation. We connected straight away. Naomi drew me out of the darkest place and allowed me to find myself and the joy in my life again. She took the time to check on me between sessions to ensure I was ok. I will be forever grateful for her sessions and highly recommend her services. Your mental health is of the highest importance to you and Naomi! All you have to do is contact her and ask for help. It's a lifechanging moment."

"Raphael has changed who I am as a person, given me a sense of s elf and as a result, transformed how I now experience life.Ive seen many mental health professionals over the past 18yrs, but Raph was the only one to help me resolve the issues and painful emotions at the core of all my problems. .I wish there were more like him in this world. A few months ago, when I first met with Raphael, I had the very damaging core beliefs that I was fundamentally flawed and was completely unlovable. I also no self-worth or boundaries and suffered from flashbacks, night terrors, fear of abandonment and dissociation when it was all too painful. He had his work cut out for him dealing with all the trauma and issues in my life. But in 9 Depth Therapy sessions, Raph’s intuitive and compassionate nature combined with his knowledge and genuine interest in your process/progress, resulted in the most mind-blowing life changing experience I have ever had. My awareness and perception of every aspect of “ME” fundamentally changed. For the first time in my life I can feel things that were always so foreign like ‘self-compassion’ , ‘self-worth” and ‘living authentically’ .Its as if all of a sudden I look around and realise that I’m here. I have reached my destination. A destination I never would have dared to dream or hope for…. but wow…I am here. It is hard to explain, but it is a wonderful feeling and I owe it all to Raph. He is very reassuring and kind. He takes the time to try to understand you as a person. I immediately felt comfortable with him and never felt judged or stupid with anything that I shared. This meant I was able to develop a level of trust in Raph and felt safe enough to explore some painful and shameful experiences from my past. Including the part of my life I had never imagined I would ever be able to tell anyone. It released such a burden and heavy weight I had carried inside of me for 25+ yrs. He helped me finally understand the link between the physical response my body would have and how it was linked to experiences and trauma from my past.This was a very powerful association to understand, and in our sessions he helped to desensitize me and deal with some really painful stuff instead of dissociated as a coping mechanism. I could not believe how subtle the treatment appeared and yet every week I could feel massive & dramatic changes rapidly occurring within myself. Such a fascinating process. His thoughts, feedback and questions about what he observed in each session were always very intuitive. His empathy is such a rare gift and Raph made me feel as though he was on the journey with me. And always highly encouraging for me when I would see his excitement and happiness for me when I would have huge breakthrough in sessions. And by validating my emotions and experiences he help me to see strength in myself, quiet my inner doubt & begin to trust in my own judgement. Immensely powerful. I had noticed benefits even after the first session. I had absolute trust & confidence in Raph’s guidance throughout the process, which at times was quite intense and emotional & I would be quite vulnerable. His gentle encouragement to stay with difficult moments during experiences seemed to somehow come at the exact moment a little push was needed & ultimately led to major breakthroughs and integration of various traumatic experiences throughout my life. I will be forever appreciative YES!!!!Would recommend Raph to everyone."

"Hi Naomi I am pleased to be able to offer my comments From the outset Naomi gave me a warm welcome and helped me feel relaxed and in a safe place to express. Her ability to listen and understand helped me in getting to the emotional heart of my difficulties. Naomi’s encouraging nature and humour mixed with a deep felt care and professional approach was fundamental in understanding my current situation. She facilitated me in making more informed choices about myself and what I wanted from a life that had previously been very hard and confusing for me. It has enabled me to carry on my journey in life with a much greater degree of clarity, happiness, joy and success. It has added bonus in that my young son gets a happy Dad and we are both gleaning the rewards of the enlightening work that Naomi and I have put in. I should also add that it has engendered in me a stronger sense of establishing a proper base in communicating with the important people in my son’s life. Thank you Naomi Best regards Steve"

"I had several counselling appointments with Naomi Schuelein of CCAP after a traumatic first birth experience. Naomi's down to earth and honest approach enabled me to enjoy my second pregnancy and anticipate my second birth with confidence. I highly recommend Naomi to support the mental health of any new mother."