Hayley Fisher

Hayley is an Accredited Social Worker and member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) with over 10 years of experience providing counselling across the mental health, disability, trauma, sexual assault, and family violence sectors. Compassionate, insightful, and practical, Hayley is dedicated to supporting individuals and families through life’s most challenging situations.

Hayley specialises in the complex interplay between neurodiversity and the experience of traumatic or hurtful life events. She is deeply committed to providing neuro-affirming and trauma-informed therapeutic counselling that is grounded in evidence-based modalities of practice. Her approach validates and embraces the unique strengths, challenges, and experiences of neurodiverse individuals. Hayley understands how trauma can uniquely manifest and impact those who are neurodiverse, and she tailors her support to account for sensory sensitivities, communication styles, and individual processing needs. Hayley works collaboratively with clients to foster resilience, emotional regulation, and a deeper understanding of their experiences, while empowering them to heal and thrive in their own way. She believes in celebrating neurodiversity and works from the perspective that every person’s brain is unique, with its own way of adapting to life’s challenges.

Hayley provides counselling and consultation across a wide range of issues, frequently working with individuals, families, and communities to navigate complex challenges. Her areas of expertise include:

  • Developmental Trauma: Helping individuals and families understand and heal from the impact of early adverse experiences.

  • Harmful Sexual Behaviours (HSBs) in Young People: Providing therapeutic assessments, tailored recommendations, safety planning and consulting with educators and community services to address behaviours effectively and safely.

  • Behavioural Challenges in Children and Parent/Carer Support: Offering expert evidence-based strategies and tools to help parents and carers manage challenging behaviours in children, leading to a reduction in these behaviours and fostering stronger parent-child attachments.

  • Neurodiversity and Mental Health: Offering neuro-affirming, trauma-informed counselling for neurodiverse individuals who have experienced traumatic or hurtful life events.

  • Sexual Assault, Family Violence, and Complex Trauma: Assisting individuals to process and heal from these experiences in a safe, compassionate environment.

  • Disability and Psychosocial Challenges: Supporting individuals to navigate the intersection of mental health and disability with tailored therapeutic interventions.

Services:

  • Therapeutic Counselling
    Providing counselling for adolescents, parents, carers, and individuals, available in-person, via telehealth, or by phone, to address trauma, neurodiversity, and related challenges.

  • Psychosocial Assessments and Therapeutic Recommendations
    Comprehensive assessments to understand and address psychosocial factors affecting well-being, with tailored recommendations for intervention and support.

  • Therapeutic Formulation and Assessment Reports for Young People Engaging in Harmful Sexual Behaviours (HSBs)
    Evidence-based, trauma-informed assessments and recommendations for young people engaging in harmful sexual behaviours, safety planning and secondary consultation with educators, community professionals, parents and carers.

  • Functional Capacity Assessments for NDIS Participants
    Conducting Functional Capacity Assessments for individuals with psychosocial disabilities to evaluate functional abilities and provide tailored support recommendations that enhance independence and quality of life.

  • Secondary Consultations
    Offering support and consultation with schools, allied health practitioners, and relevant stakeholders to address challenging or concerning behaviors in children and young people, ensuring a coordinated approach to care and intervention.

Qualifications and Training:

  • Accredited Member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)

  • Advanced Clinical Training in Child-Centered Play Therapy (Play Therapy Australia, 2020)

  • Certified Group Facilitator for Circle of Security Parenting International (COSP)

  • Level 1 EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

  • Trauma-Focused CBT and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) Training

  • Level 1 Internal Family Systems (IFS).