Meet our Team
When you contact us for the first time, we will work with you to find the counsellor who is the best “fit” for your needs – we know how important it is to find just the right person. Feel welcome to have a look at our team, and we can chat further when you call.
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Ruth Speziale
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Keren Calvert
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Genevieve Cribb
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Kim Morris
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Anna Felice
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Helen Fuller
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Anne Hong
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Georgina Hulme
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Jennie Lakos
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Nicola Lock
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Joanne Martens
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Vanessa Ong
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John Parmentier
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Neil Smith
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Emma Surridge
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Larissa Allen
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Alison Gracia
Keren Calvert
Qualification : MA (Psych), Dip Clin Psych, Adv Dip Community Services Work, MACA
Keren is a Registered Psychologist and Registered Counsellor. She has been working at The Cottage as a therapist since 2011.
She is also the Cottage Director (a role she shares with fellow colleague, John Parmentier), and together they are responsible for the running of The Cottage.
Keren is experienced in working with adults across a broad range of presenting issues, including anxiety, depression, grief, self-esteem, and stress management.
Keren works with an integrative approach, incorporating elements of cognitive, emotional and creative therapies.
Genevieve Cribb
Qualification : BSW MHA MAASW(Acc), Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, Victims Services Counsellor
Gen Cribb is an accredited mental health social worker and former Director of the Cottage. She graduated in 1996 and has experience working with several agencies before joining the Cottage in 2003.
Her specialty has always been in trauma; victim/survivors of domestic abuse, childhood abuse and sexual assault. Gen has also been a trainer and supervisor for many years.
Her work now is mostly around supervision and training to support understanding of the experience of abuse and recovery and to equip and support clinicians or other carers in community settings.
Gen has a strong commitment to the Cottage being a refuge for those who most need counselling support and can least afford it. A faith in action organisation.
Anna Felice
Qualification : M Couns, BCHC, PACFA Reg. Clinical 22418, CCAA Clinical No. 92685.
Anna has been in practice since 2010 and has been with The Cottage since 2017.
Anna works primarily with adults recovering from a variety of traumas; physical, emotional and sexual abuse, coercive control, neglect, bullying and with people living in or having grown up with domestic & family violence.
She is experienced with the flow-on effects of these experiences; depression, anxiety, personality disorders and relational struggles to name a few.
Anna’s ongoing professional development complements these areas of work.
Helen Fuller
Qualification : BEd/BSc (Psyc-Hons), BTh
Helen is a Registered Psychologist and is part of our team at Narrabeen.
Helen has a particular interest in working with children and adolescents, and has previously worked for a number of years as a School Counsellor in Western Sydney.
Helen enjoys using creative techniques such as art and play therapy in her work.
Anne Hong
Qualification : Master of Counselling (Morling College), BA., Grad Dip Rel Couns, Ad Dip Couns, MACA
Anne is currently practising counselling as a private practitioner and is a counselling member in the Cottage Counselling Centre.
Anne has a passion for working with those who experience struggles in various life challenging situations and providing a safe place where clients can be truly themselves and restore the purpose of life.
She uses the integrative method and a wide range of modalities in her practice, working with individuals, couples and children. Anne works with a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, grief and loss, cultural adjustment, anger management and relationship difficulties.
She has extensive experience working with diverse ethnicities providing counselling services in English and Korean.
Georgina Hulme
Qualification : Master of Counselling, Grad Dip Couns
Georgina began working at The Cottage in 2018. She holds a Master of Counselling from Morling College, and is a Prepare Enrich trained facilitator.
Georgina is passionate about helping engaged couples work towards building a healthy foundation for their married lives.
Her role at The Cottage is in running the Prepare Enrich Course, preparing couples for marriage.
Jennie Lakos
Jen has been counselling with The Cottage since 2003. During this time she has worn many hats.
She was a Trainer for Advanced Diploma and Graduate Diploma Counselling Courses and up until recently was The Director of The Cottage.
Jen is now concentrating on her Counselling and Supervision work. She provides Pastoral and Clinical Supervision and Counselling/Therapy to individuals and couples.
She works with clients struggling in all areas of mental health including anxiety and depression.
Jen specialises in healing the longterm emotional impact of childhood trauma. She uses different models of counselling with a basis in Emotionally Focussed Therapy
Nicola Lock
Qualification : B.Sc, Grad Dip EFT, MMin, MAPC, AAOS, PACFA Reg Clinical
Nicola was the founding Director of The Cottage and has been working in the counselling field for over 25 years.
She has a broad generalist counselling practice, with a special focus on relationship counselling and sexual addictions.
Nicola is also a Clinical Supervisor and maintains a role as Clinical Consultant to the centre since stepping down from the Director’s position in 2009.
Joanne Martens
Qualification : BA BHSc Ad Dip Couns Grad Dip Rel Couns Grad Dip EFT PACFA
Joanne is a clinical counsellor and therapist and has undertaken extensive training at the Institute of Emotion Focused Therapy.
Joanne works with both individuals and couples, and uses an integrative approach with an emphasis on emotion focused techniques.
She has experience in a broad range of issues, such as grief and loss, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, childhood trauma and domestic violence and abuse.
Joanne joined The Cottage in 2014, and has previously worked with the Salvation Army Counselling Centre and Family Drug Support.
Vanessa Ong
Qualification : M.Couns, B.Ed. PACFA Reg. Clinical 23798. CCAA Clinical 200735
Vanessa works from a trauma-informed lens with a breadth of learning fields and over 20 years’ experience in people professions including teacher, retreats director, workshop facilitator, team leader and counsellor.
Vanessa uses evidence-based interpersonal, somatic, CBT and experiential tools to explore a range of issues including anxiety, shame, trauma and relational difficulties through individual and couple counselling.
John Parmentier
Qualification : Ad Dip Couns, MAPC
John trained as a counsellor with St Mark’s Theological College, joining The Cottage in 2009.
Working with individuals, couples and as a trainer, he loves helping people reach their full potential.
John has developed his specialty in working with men’s issues.
John is Director of The Cottage (a role he shares with Keren Calvert).
Neil Smith
Qualification : Grad Dip Couns, M. Couns
Neil Graduated his Grad Dip in Counselling in 2019 before transitioning into a Masters program, and has joined the Cottage Counselling team to complete his internship which will conclude his Master of Counselling at Excelsia College.
Neil has a compassionate understanding of life experiences, and a passion in connecting and supporting others, alongside building awareness in Mental Health and Wellbeing, to encourage others in taking that next step in seeking support.
Neil has a natural Person-Centered approach to counselling whilst incorporating an integrative, eclectic mix of theories and modalities to suit a client’s individual needs.
He values the importance of providing a safe, non-judgmental space for you to explore you, and your life, to journey alongside you whilst empowering and equipping you to explore, process and work through personal concerns, challenges and mental health issues.
Emma Surridge
Qualification and Affiliations:
- Bachelor Counselling (Coaching) (ACAP)
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1
- Advanced Certificate in Bowen Family Systems Theory (FSI) (currently studying)
- Member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling federations of Australia (PACFA)
- Member of the Australian Association of Family Therapy (AAFT)
Emma’s key focus is to work alongside clients to assist them fulfil their potential in both a personal and professional capacity. Using a variety of coaching and counselling methodologies, Emma draws out client strengths, helps them to construct more positive thinking patterns which in turn opens new pathways forward towards improved life satisfaction.
Emma has a special interest in Bowen Family Systems Theory and is currently studying with the Family Systems Institute in Sydney. Using systems theory, Emma will work alongside families who are experiencing relationship challenges.
British born, Emma spent many years working in the London financial markets. She resided in Hong Kong for 10 years before relocating to rural Western Australia and now lives in Sydney with her husband, two daughters and beloved companion dog, Chablis.
After taking time out of the corporate world to become a full time Mum to two daughters, Emma retrained with a Bachelor of Counselling & Coaching and established My Blue Sky Thinking to pursue her real passion – service to people. Emma brings to each individual client, a warm, open hearted interest in who they are, where they have been and with gentleness and hope, works to guide them towards where they would prefer to be.
Contact Emma if you are interested in taking an action orientated approach to reshaping your life.
Larissa Allen
Qualification : B.A., Dip.Ed., Grad Dip. Pastoral Counselling. ACA Member. (The Cottage Counselling Centre Intern).
Larissa is a counsellor who focusses on providing a safe environment to walk alongside clients experiencing life's difficulties. She understands that the journey towards healing and growth will look different for each client.
Larissa draws upon her experiences as an educator, parent and counsellor as she seeks to support those facing challenges. Larissa complements her person-centred approach with emotion-focussed therapy.
Larissa works with clients, managing mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. Larissa is also passionate about supporting people experiencing grief, utilising her vast understanding of the complexities of losses that can occur across the lifespan.
Alison Gracia
Qualification: M Counselling, PACFA Reg. 12551, CCAA Reg. 201362.
Alison genuinely cares about other people and being able to connect with
them in order to provide a safe space for exploring their own personal
concerns whilst offering empathy and compassion.
Using a person-centred approach together with other modalities such as ACT and Narrative Therapy, Alison has worked with individual clients in the areas
of Grief and Loss, Anxiety and Depression, Suicide Ideation and Domestic
Violence.
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