About Us
Psychological counselling and equine assisted therapy for individuals and groups looking for support in harnessing wellness.The Harnessing Wellness Office is in the beautiful Yarra Ranges
Harnessing Wellness Psychology is a private psychology practice located in the picturesque town of Mount Evelyn, within the Yarra Ranges.
We are committed to providing a supportive, solution-focused service for mental health, wellness, and therapy. We offer psychology, counselling, tele-health counselling, clinical supervision and equine-assisted therapy.
About Naomi
Hello and welcome to Harnessing Wellness. I am Naomi, Senior Psychologist and Clinical Supervisor at Harnessing Wellness Psychology. I believe my work as psychologist is a privilege. Building rapport with clients is the basis of the therapeutic process and without it harnessing wellness may be difficult. I enjoy working with people and seeing how the strategies we have discussed can assist them.
Since 2010, I have been working with horses in equine assisted psychology. The therapy horses and ponies I work with have become part of my journey and learning and continue to support offering equine assisted therapy to many people.
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, for young people I wrote children’s books based on the real life therapy horses and ponies, Trigger, Happy, Bailey, Bob and Ted and their unique characters. The herd tell their story of mental health and how through their journey through talking about anxiety, depression and their struggles, the herd and self-care strategies emerge for all now and into the future.
‘Hoofprints for Setting up an Equine Assisted Therapy Clinic’ is ‘how to guide’ for equine assisted therapy, based on my learning and professional practice, over the last ten years. It has been a pleasure to bring this and the other books to life, I do hope you enjoy them. Furthermore I have advanced my studies to become a Clinical Supervisor with the AHPRA and love being about share my knowledge to support, mentor and supervise equine assisted therapists, psychology, social work, counselling professionals and students.
Our Team
Naomi Rossthorn
Psychologist
Naomi is a registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia; a member of the General Division of Psychological Practise; Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.; Crisis Intervention and Management Australasia (CIMA); and the International Association of Workplace Bullying and Harassment. The Co-founder and Director of the Equine Assisted Practitioners Association (EAPA), an organisation supporting practitioners offering Equine Assisted Therapy
Angela Brown
Equine Advisor, Horse Trainer and Counsellor
Angela is the horse trainer at Harnessing Wellness. She works with the therapy horses and ponies to ensure they are competent in groundwork, lead work, and can manage the role of being a therapy pony. Angela works with Horse Safety Australia and has completed university qualifications in Environmental Science, Social Science and International Development. Other study completed includes a Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment, Certificate 4 in Counselling. Angela has specialised in further studies in Hoofcare, Barefoot Trimming, Equine biomechanics and equine bodywork (Masterton Method).
Hayley Roe
Linguist, Provisional Psychologist and Counsellor
Hayley is currently furthering her post graduate studies to become a registered psychologist. She offers equine assisted therapy for young people and is available for counselling on Thursday’s. Coupling her knowledge of linguistics and psychology she can work with young people with learning difficulties to build self esteem, resilience and offer different ways of understanding how the brain works.
Bob
Therapy Pony
Bob, has been involved in equine assisted therapy since 2018. He is a cheeky pony, and engages well when learning different ground skills. He has a variety of moods, depending on whether food is present and his manners are generally good. He is a work in progress and very loved.
Bailey
Therapy Pony
Bailey is a wise soul, who is very gentle and doesn’t mind a brush. He’s been with Harnessing Wellness since 2019. He is a lovely addition to both individual and group sessions, quite the equine teacher.
Ted
Therapy Pony in Training
Ted is a therapy pony and in training. He is currently learning his ground manners and how to interact with people safely as he is young horse. He has a lot of learning to do but is doing beautifully and enjoys a good scratch and brush. You can follow his journey on Instagram
Our Horses who became stars
In the dark, the horses look upward to the stars. Horses try to be the best horse they can be because they know that one day all horses become a star.
Trigger
Therapy Horse
Trigger was integral in helping start harnessing wellness and learning about equines, training, health and welfare. He came to Harnessing Wellness in 2014. That is when Naomi and Trigger’s journey began and a greater understanding of horses as sentient being, equine welfare and training horses for therapy started and continues. Trigger has been a great teacher, companion and he will always be remembered fondly with love. Rest In Peace. 01.03.2010-21.01.2021
Happy
Senior Therapy Horse
Happy, was our senior Therapy Horse and passed away a few months off 30 years old. He was a gentle pony, with an awesome temperament and lovely soul. He had a career as a pony club pony before engaging in equine assisted therapy with people on the ground. He loved a brush and gentle attention. He will be forever loved by me, my family and many others. He now koins Trigger both racing around together probably eating too much lucerne. Rest in Peace.
Our Fees
Appointments with Principal Psychologist
Between 9am-5pm- After 5.30 pm & Saturday appointments: $220
- Psychological Counselling sessions go for approximately 50 minutes. Medicare rebates are $88.25. Rebates may be higher if you have reached your Medicare threshold.
Appointments for Equine Assisted Psychology
Saturdays only- per 55 minutes
- Evidenced based psychological interventions outdoors with horses and ponies. Medicare rebates may apply.
Equine Assisted Therapists Clinical Supervision
- per 55 minutes
Clinical Supervision
- per 55 minutes
Harnessing Wellness is not a bulk billing service, fees are to be paid at the appointment. The Australian Psychological Society’s recommended fee rate of $311 for 50 minutes.
Why Choose Harnessing Wellness
We take a person-centred approach.
We listen to your concerns, challenges and the current issues making your life harder.
We are trained in evidenced based psychological interventions.
Our focus is working with people to increase their awareness of practical psychological solutions and find ways to improve mental wellness.
We draw on positive solution focused psychology, clinical psychological interventions and utilise the health and wellness framework.
The wellness framework includes exploring physical, social, emotional, intellectual areas of people’s lives as each area can impact the other.
We enjoy discussing practical psychological solutions to assist you.
Harnessing your mental wellness, with practical psychological solutions and a problem-solving approach to assist sorting out life’s various challenges.
We are a trauma informed service.
Trauma is a word used to describe something that occurs to us that overwhelms our nervous system. At the time of the traumatic incident, we do our best but are not able to defend ourselves how we would have liked to. Our practitioners have done further studies in working with people who have experienced development trauma, natural disasters, work place vicarious trauma, medical trauma and life issues.
We are a solution focused mental health service.
Therapy is a process of discussing issues, building emotional resilience and exploring alternative ways to live. We are qualified and registered psychologists and mental health professionals. We welcome and work with children aged eight and over, adolescents, and adults.
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Harnessing Wellness Psychology, Naomi Rossthorn and associates acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First People and the Traditional Custodians of the lands across Australia. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.