Michelle Hall is the Director of Pathways Health and Research Centre and is our lead facilitator for the FRIENDS group programs and Mental Health First Aid Courses. Michelle has supported children and their families for the past 20 years across small and large school settings in her capacity as a teacher, curriculum coordinator and school administrator.
Michelle provides support to parents and young children seeking to address issues related to anxiety. She believes passionately in the power of positive thinking and the value of learning new skills that enable more productive behaviours. Michelle uses a combination of Cognitive Behaviour, Solution Focused and Interpersonal Therapy during Individual and Group sessions.
Michelle insists on creating a welcoming and safe environment for clients and their families at our clinic. Sessions focus on building an individual’s capacity to be the best possible version of themselves they can be and strengthening support networks where possible. Through positive skill building, reflective questioning and challenging of cognitive errors, and the collaborative development of and implementation of action plans, Michelle supports clients to identify a positive way forward.
Michelle’s combines her counselling skills and extensive career as an educator to support children and their families with practical strategies to manage anxiety and behavioural based problems including school refusal, phobic avoidance of social and academic engagement.
Michelle is also an accredited Mental Health First Aid facilitator and enjoys delivering this course at Pathways and in workplaces. She believes improved mental health literacy for all will make a significant difference for those struggling with mental health concerns.
Testimonials:
“Thank you Michelle for making a difference for our whole family. I learned so much just watching how you interacted with *Tom. He was always so happy to see you, like a weight was lifted of his shoulders. Thank you also for just listening when I needed to get all my frustrations out and being honest when I needed direction.”
Parent of client – name changed (aged 8).
“When we first started seeing Michelle, our son was almost four years old. He had massive separation anxiety and he was scared around all kids and adults if he didn’t have us very close to him.
We started seeing a change right at the beginning, during our first session. Michelle was the first person who was able to get really close to our son without making him cry and engage him in some play. From then on, every session we had was a little triumph. Michelle slowly put some space between him and us and gradually increased it to a point where he was alone with her for almost an hour at a time. Yes, there were tears, but Michelle knows how to handle an anxious child very well so the crying never lasted for more than a few minutes.
Now, after only three months we started seeing Michelle, our son is at kindy five days a week and he is happy. The transition was so smooth. He wasn’t happy to see his mum go away during the first two weeks, but he never had a melt down and his teachers told us he was only upset for five minutes or so.
This is all because of Michelle, who we feel very fortunate to meet and start consulting with. She is a very experienced, hands on and solution oriented person who knows how to communicate with kids very well.”
Parent of client (aged 4) November, 2017.
QUALIFICATIONS
Master of Counselling
Monash University
Queensland College of Teachers (QCT)
Australian Counselling Association (ACA)
Phone : (07) 3391 6866
Email : reception@pathwayshrc.com.au