PROFILE - MICHAEL MARTIN

 

Michael  Martin is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with 40 years experience. He has worked across a diverse range of settings, in respect to a wide variety of presenting issues. Michael places particular importance on establishing a warm and trusting professional relationship and a ‘safe’ place in which to work with clients.

Much of Michael’s experience has been with people who have had adverse childhood experiences, particularly emotional, physical and sexual abuse, which have impacted upon their adult lives.  He is skilled in drawing out the impacts of such trauma on personal functioning and relationships, helping clients to manage their emotions, and develop new ways of being both within themselves and with others.   

He also maintains his skills and interest across the full range of range of psychological and emotional challenges that cause distress and disrupt client’s enjoyment of life.   

Michael draws on a range of evidence-based approaches to counselling.  Trauma-informed Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Narrative Approaches are key tools. Mindfulness and meditation practice is often encouraged.  His approach is ‘person centred’, treating each client as a unique individual, in charge of their own care.

He is available to assist adult clients experiencing.

• Complex trauma

• Depression and suicidal thoughts

• Anxiety and panic

• Difficulty managing anger, including those who have engaged in violent behaviour

• Workplace conflict and bullying

• Workplace injury and involvement in the Worker’s Compensation system

• Psychological injury developed in the course of service with the armed forces

• Trauma responses linked to road traffic accidents

• Adjustment issues linked to life transitions

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