welcome to sapphire creek psychotherapy
Hi there. I'm Kate. Nice to meet you!
We met awkwardly
I invited you to walk
You left me dancing
No, this beautiful haiku is not my dating site profile...
It is my philosophy and approach to the therapeutic work of teaching and of healing.
I believe this work always begins with a leap of trust, a step into the unknown. It is invitational, and the potential for transformation for all of the individuals involved is endless.
I am a musician and educator. I started teaching music at the age of 14 and haven’t looked back. I’ve taught choirs of 3 year olds and 83 year olds, rock bands, classical pianists, rappers… I’ve been privileged to see so many souls awakened by the healing power of music.
I’ve spent the past 28 years working in a range of educational settings, from elite private schools to dirt-poor local high schools punching above their weight in communities that seem to have it all stacked against them, to alternative programs for young people who have had contact with juvenile justice, to university. I have been a classroom teacher, a university lecturer and school executive.
My greatest passion has always been working with young people who really struggle to fit into mainstream education. For the past eight years I have been working intensively in alternative educational settings (public and private) with such young people. They have all been impacted by trauma in one form or another. They may be anxious or angry, restless or depressed. They may have a long history of negative incidents at school, and they are likely to have been suspended more than once. Or, they may refuse to even go to school at all. Their parents and carers are at the end of their tether, exhausted and desperate for support and understanding.
This work has led me on a deep dive into research at the cutting edge of neuropsychology, such as trauma informed practices, positive psychology and polyvagal theory. I have developed an approach that combines these areas of research. Through this, I have created a safe and therapeutic space for young people to understand their feelings and reactions, manage their stress responses, and learn to self-regulate, thrive and grow in confidence and connection.
I have seen many young people transformed from angry and scared young men and women, into confident and connected humans.
I can offer a program for young people and their parents and carers that will give them
We met awkwardly
I invited you to walk
You left me dancing
No, this beautiful haiku is not my dating site profile...
It is my philosophy and approach to the therapeutic work of teaching and of healing.
I believe this work always begins with a leap of trust, a step into the unknown. It is invitational, and the potential for transformation for all of the individuals involved is endless.
I am a musician and educator. I started teaching music at the age of 14 and haven’t looked back. I’ve taught choirs of 3 year olds and 83 year olds, rock bands, classical pianists, rappers… I’ve been privileged to see so many souls awakened by the healing power of music.
I’ve spent the past 28 years working in a range of educational settings, from elite private schools to dirt-poor local high schools punching above their weight in communities that seem to have it all stacked against them, to alternative programs for young people who have had contact with juvenile justice, to university. I have been a classroom teacher, a university lecturer and school executive.
My greatest passion has always been working with young people who really struggle to fit into mainstream education. For the past eight years I have been working intensively in alternative educational settings (public and private) with such young people. They have all been impacted by trauma in one form or another. They may be anxious or angry, restless or depressed. They may have a long history of negative incidents at school, and they are likely to have been suspended more than once. Or, they may refuse to even go to school at all. Their parents and carers are at the end of their tether, exhausted and desperate for support and understanding.
This work has led me on a deep dive into research at the cutting edge of neuropsychology, such as trauma informed practices, positive psychology and polyvagal theory. I have developed an approach that combines these areas of research. Through this, I have created a safe and therapeutic space for young people to understand their feelings and reactions, manage their stress responses, and learn to self-regulate, thrive and grow in confidence and connection.
I have seen many young people transformed from angry and scared young men and women, into confident and connected humans.
I can offer a program for young people and their parents and carers that will give them
- vital information about how our nervous systems impact on our behaviours, and how we can learn to harness the power of neuroception to keep ourselves safe.
- a big toolkit of strategies for grounding and self-regulation.
- freedom to connect with self and others
