Our Associates
Providing specialist services for our clients
Christene Nissen
Christene is the founder and director of Christene Nissen and Associates which offers counselling services in the South Burnett and Central Queensland regions. Christene has a heart for country towns and was interviewed recently regarding the importance of mental health services in rural areas READ ARTICLE.
Before establishing this service, Christene spent 18 years forming and running Dreamtime Youth Support Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth. Her experience spans across face-to-face counselling, writing and facilitating group programs, staff management and public relations.
Christene has a passion for travel and spent time in Africa and Canada learning about the different cultures and exploring the mental health issues that impact society. With a love of education, Christene focuses on developing group education sessions that are vibrant and stimulating. Christene also has an interest in cancer care, and has developed her skills in this area in order to provide specialised counselling support to clients and their families as they work through their cancer experiences.
Her counselling approach is innovative and responsive in order to meet her client’s needs. She uses Solutions Focussed therapy and Motivational Interviewing (MI) as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This is applied in a warm, welcoming environment which is led by the client’s needs and comfort levels. Christene has a Bachelor of Human Services - Counselling/Psychology as well as a Diploma of Family Welfare Studies, both attained through the University of Southern Queensland (USQ).
Christene's 'ACA Profile http://www.theaca.net.au/counsellor/christene-nissen
Associates
In some counselling situations the best outcome for you the client is achieved by seeing a counsellor who specialises in a particular topic. This may be for things such as men’s health or gambling. It could also be that you live in a rural location or have a disability and would like to use a telecounselling service. In these cases your sessions will be arranged with one of the specialist counselling services associated with Christene Nissen and Associates. If you would like to know more about this, contact us to discuss your needs
Trevor Ballin
SUPPORT WORKER
We are thrilled to have Trevor Ballin as part of the Christene Nissen & Associates team. Trevor supports Christene Nissen with her clinical work in the North and South Burnett regions.
He comes with extensive experience in alcohol and other drugs, community work, youth work, community housing, child protection, juvenile justice, and mental health. Additionally, Trevor has worked as a peer support worker for the Queensland Police Service, the SES, and an open cut mining organisation. It is in these roles, as well as a role with a training centre, that Trevor gained experience in critical incident management and crisis response.
A recipient of an Australia Day Award for Senior Citizen of the Shire, Trevor is passionately community minded, and as such is also a qualified Justice of the Peace.
Lynn Woods
COUNSELLOR (TELEHEALTH)
It's wonderful to have Lynn Woods on the Christene Nissen and associates team working as a Counsellor for our telehealth service. She brings with her a wealth of experience, having worked as a counsellor for over 17 years.
During this time Lynn worked as a school Counsellor (kindy – year 12), as well as in private practice. She is passionate about supporting children and adolescents to navigate issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, anger, self-harm, and drugs.
Lynn is also passionate about working with individuals, couples, and families to work through issues relating to relationships, grief and loss, trauma, domestic violence, and addiction.
As well as her Masters of Counselling, obtained through the University of the Sunshine Coast, Lynn is registered with the Australian Counselling Association as both a Counsellor and Supervisor. She also holds a Queensland Teachers Registration, and a Blue Card for working with children.
Counselling Techniques
Mindfulness Therapies
“If you let cloudy water settle, it will become clear. If you let your upset mind settle, your course will also become clear”. From Buddha’s Little Instruction Book (Kornfield: Bantum Books, 1994). I use mindfulness in most of my counselling sessions. It was originally developed to assist with mood regulation and relapse prevention in depression. It has been found to have considerable health benefits. Meditation Therapy and its peaceful philosophy promote tranquillity while rejuvenating the body, mind and spirit. Bowen Therapy is offered by Belinda Litzow at South Burnett Bowen Therapy at the Kingaroy clinic. This compliments mindfulness in the areas of wellbeing, relation & body balance. I also offer the innovative Laughing Therapy to raise spirits. This is ideal group therapy.
Narratives Therapies
I use art and writing therapies in a therapeutic context for self-harm, palliative care, children/adults with cancer and trauma and abused clients. This style of therapy can help a person to reduce perceived shame and thus find a voice. To assist with this, I apply skills developed through art and sculpture training at the University of Southern Queensland.