ABOUT US
Anna Louise & Associates offers a safe place for children, adolescents and their families to heal from the impacts of trauma and abuse.
Our philosophy is embodied in the research and literature of child trauma, neurobiology, resilience and recovery.
We believe that safety is a basic human right of all children. We therefore operate from a child protection framework where children's safety is always paramount.
International research in the area of neurobiology and neuroplasticity is providing exciting developments in the area of trauma recovery, particularly for children who have experienced trauma in their early years of life (0-5years).
The brain is damaged by trauma. The good news is that it also has the capacity to heal itself. At Anna Louise & Associates we strive to provide an opportunity for the brain to begin its recovery through education, therapy, sensory intervention and family support. If given an opportunity, the human brain can make new connections, learn from loving and safe experiences and literally rebuild itself from the inside out.
Anna Louise & Associates provides a counselling space specifically dedicated to children. The counselling space is called "The Cubby House" so children and families do not feel labelled or stigmatised by accessing therapeutic services to recover from trauma.
We also provide a range of professional services including child protection policy; child protection risk management strategies, training and professional development workshops, professional supervision for individuals and teams; witness coaching for professionals who have been subpoenaed to give evidence in a Court or Tribunal in relation to child protection matters and/or family law matters.
About Anna
Anna Maxwell (founder of Anna Louise & Associates and 'The Cubby House') has been working with children, families and professionals impacted by trauma and abuse since 1995. Anna's passion for working with children led to her being awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship which allowed her to successfully complete study and training with some of the most well-known child and family therapists in America and England.
Anna has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) from the University of Queensland. She has also completed a 2 year post-graduate qualification in Paediatric Social Work from the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Sydney.
Anna is an accredited member of the Australian Social Workers Association (AASW). She is also an accredited mental health specialist with the AASW.
In 1997, Anna's specialist therapeutic work with children was reported in a story told by 'A Current Affair' (ACA). Anna's work is best described by Oscar. A little 4 year-old-boy who fell from a 6 storey building, onto concrete and miraculously survived, without serious head injuries. Oscar did however sustain multiple fractures, broken bones and internal injuries that required months in hospital.
After the accident, Oscar could not close his eyes for fear of the sensation of falling; he found it difficult to fall asleep; experienced terrible nightmares; started to have tantrums that would last for hours and was unable to talk about his experience without the associated terror he felt at the time of the accident.
After Oscar had been seeing Anna once a week for 4 months, he was able to talk to ACA about his experiences without the fear of re-living the accident. "Anna takes the pain away" he says. Upon exploring what little Oscar meant, his mother told the story that during the middle of the night, when the physical pain of Oscar's injuries wake him, he talks about wanting to see Anna, because 'she takes the pain in my heart away'.
Children who experience trauma have a profound capacity to heal and recover. Sometimes they just need a little help to tap into their resilience. Parents also need support and assistance to care for children when they exhibit trauma symptoms. Parents describe feeling powerless when they witness their children re-living trauma. Anna works with both child and parent to help the entire family to heal and once again feel hope and joy.
Anna's interest in working with trauma grew and extended across to the child protection field with particular interest in sexual abuse and its trauma related problems for children. This work led Anna into the forensic field of child protection, having written many social assessment reports and provide expert evidence for Family Court, Children's Court and the Children's tribunal both in New South Wales and Queensland.
Anna's work now encompasses the world of complex trauma in children. Beyond therapy, Anna has written and delivered training packages; developed child protection policy and procedures; provided professional supervision for professionals working with children and families who experience complex trauma and written numerous papers on the impact of trauma on children.
ASSOCIATES
About Sarah
Sarah MacInnes, (founder of Seed Therapy Services), works closely with Anna Louise & Associates to ensure optimal outcomes for each child. Sarah has extensive experience in the assessment and treatment of neurological and behavioural issues including Autism Spectrum disorders, motor and coordination difficulties, sensory processing disorders and learning difficulties.
Sarah is an Occupational Therapist that specialises in paediatrics. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) degree and a Masters of Health Sciences (Paediatrics) from the University of Sydney. In 2011 Sarah travelled to the United States to complete an intensive mentorship program at the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation.
Sarah focuses on building an understanding of the whole child and family and looks at treating the underlying issues for each child to ensure sustained results of treatment. Sarah's treatment is child directed but therapist guided to optimise outcomes of each session in a fabulous and fun atmosphere.
For more information about Sarah MacInnes please see http://seedtherapy.com.au
About Jodie
Jodie Housman, (Founder of Housman Psychology), is a committed associate of Anna Louise & Associates. Jodie is passionate about child psychology and has enjoyed working with children, adolescents and families in a clinical, counselling and forensic capacity since 2000. Her practice is based in Queensland.
Jodie has a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) (Honours), is fully registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and is an Associate Member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS). Currently, Jodie is studying for her Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Griffith University, Queensland.
Jodie has a special interest in working with parents who have a child with a disability (e.g.: autism) by establishing effective parenting practices to minimize behavioural difficulties. She also specialises in assisting children adjust to separation and divorce by focusing on relationship enhancement, co-parenting strategies, ways to minimise inter-parental conflict and emotional support to both child and parents.
Jodie, like all associates, has a strong child protection framework and provides counselling to children and families recovering from trauma and abuse.
For more information about Housman Psychology please see http://housmanpsychology.com