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As a mature woman, Lyn Porter brings her personal life and other career and work experiences to complement her formal training and practice as a counsellor.
Ongoing Experience
Gawler Professional Counselling Services
In 2003 Lyn and two of her colleagues launched a much needed professional counselling service, initially from a room in a medical practice in Gawler. Since then the service has expanded its clientele beyond Gawler into the surrounding country areas of the Barossa Valley, Mid North and Adelaide Plains, and further south into Elizabeth and Salisbury. The service has also moved to new, convenient premises at 12 Adelaide Road, near the heart of Gawler.
Initially the main issues dealt with were depression, anxiety, grief and loss, but this has since expanded to include domestic issues, relationships, parenting, stress, healing the past, time management, and work and employment.
Due to life changes and retirement of the other partners, Lyn continues the successful service as the only remaining member of the original group.
The service welcomes both male and female clients of a range of ages as well as couples and small family groups. Waiting times are minimal.
Listening Heart Counselling Services - women's and couple's issues & general counselling
Lyn began trading as Listening Heart Counselling Services in January 2003. She has taken on a private client base that she counsels from premises in Rose Park in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide.
Employee Assistance Programs - work related issues
A number of major national companies engage Listening Heart on an ad hoc basis to counsel members of their Adelaide based staff who need support with issues that affect their personal and emotional well-being within the work place.
Previous Experience
Broker for National Carers Counselling Program - carer's issues
From late 2003 to 2020, Lyn was an approved broker for this Commonwealth Government initiative, via the Carers Association of South Australia.
Project Officer, Victim Support Service - Domestic Violence Safety Packages
Lyn worked on the "Staying Home Staying Safe Program", operated by the Victim Support Service, based in Adelaide, from December 2011 to September 2012.
Counsellor, Community Services, UCW Adelaide - Kuitpo Community alcohol & other drug rehabilitation program
Lyn has worked part time at this location, operated by Uniting Care Wesley (UCW) Adelaide, from December 2010 to December 2011. Kuitpo Community is a residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation centre which uses a Therapeutic Community model to assist people towards recovery, by addressing issues around trauma and underlying mental health issues, and to provide an understanding of issues associated with substance abuse.
Lifeline - crisis & personal issues
Lyn originally underwent Lifeline's 18 weeks training course for telephone counsellors (TCs) in 1998. She joined the ranks of accredited TCs and manned the phones for almost three years until late 2000. Through the Lifeline service, Lyn supported callers in crisis and with personal issues. She became a small group facilitator and contributed to the training of new telephone counsellors.
She was subsequently engaged as a counselling supervisor with the Lifeline & Domestic Violence Helplines From August 2008 to December 2010, operated by Uniting Care Wesley, Adelaide, Family Services.
Counsellor, Family Services, UCW Adelaide - family & couples issues
From August 2008 to June 2009 and from December 2011 to June 2011 Lyn worked part time as a counsellor with the Family & Relationships Counselling team at Uniting Care Wesley, Adelaide. This service offers family relationships counselling for men, women and children, particularly those who have experienced violence and abuse. She provided counselling on an individual/partner/family basis and included supporting children.
Dale Street Women's Health Centre - women's issues
Lyn was employed on a contract as a Community Health Worker in 2001/2. She counselled women face-to-face and on the telephone, through Dale Street's Phoneline service. The personal counselling service offered was short to medium term, within a feminist framework.
Women's Community Centre - women's issues - www.wccsa.asn.au
Lyn began counselling at the Women's Community Centre, Stepney in 2001 and continued until mid 2006 when the pressure of her other work made it inpractical for her to continue. Through this agency, she offered a range of personal and general counselling services to women in Adelaide and elsewhere in South Australia who were able to visit the centre. Lyn worked within a feminist framework and covered issues such as relationships, domestic violence, childhood abuse & trauma, grief and loss, depression and anxiety, low self esteem, "empty nest syndrome", developmental challenges, stress and work, sexuality, eating disorders, parenting, healing the past and more. Her clients ranged in age from 20 to over 60 years, and included women with physical disabilities and mental illnesses.
Since 2001, Lyn co-facilitated several "Becoming Free" courses with a counselling supervisor from the Domestic Violence Helpline Service. These courses were primarily support groups with a community education component. She also designed and facilitated "Tapping into your potential" personal development courses.
Praxim LifeCare Counselling & Consulting
From mid 2004 to mid 2006 Lyn was a staff associate with this respected counselling consultancy which was based in Adelaide's southern suburbs and provided counselling, mentoring, vocational and training assistance to both private individuals and organisations. In this role she was involved in organisational consulting, personal, relationship and career counselling, life coaching and training.
Approved Broker with Respond - Child abuse
From 2007, Lyn was an approved broker with Respond which provided a specialised counselling service to people who experienced childhood sexual abuse. It closed its services when the State government discontinued funding in March, 2008. Lyn consulted with clients at a medical clinic in Gawler.
PSP Caseworker with Anglicare Salisbury - employment issues
Lyn was engaged from 2006 to 2008 as a Personal Support Program caseworker to work 'one to one' with disadvantaged jobseekers referred by Centrelink, initially to address their non-vocational barriers, and later when ready, assist them to source appropriate training and work over a period of up to two years. Duties include counselling, advocacy, referrals and related services to support clients as well as a range of computer skills to administer this DEEWR program. In 2007 with a colleague from Anglicare's Family Support team she co-facilitated a creative writing group for PSP clients to equip them with a journaling skill/technique they might choose to use to address their non-vocational barriers such as depression.
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