About Us

Psychological counselling and equine assisted therapy for individuals and groups looking for support in harnessing wellness.

Harnessing Wellness Office is in the beautiful Yarra Ranges

Harnessing Wellness Psychology is a private psychology practice in the beautiful town of Mount Evelyn, in the Yarra Ranges.

We believe in being a supportive, solution focused, mental health, wellness and therapeutic service. We offer psychology, counselling, tele-health counselling options 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.

View Books

Our Team

The psychologists and counselors working at Harnessing Wellness are registered with the Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and other professional associations.
Naomi Rossthorn

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 Psychologists Association (EAPA), an organisation supporting registered psychologists offering Equine Assisted Psychology.
Angela Brown

Angela Brown

Equine Advisor, Horse Trainer and Counselor

Angela 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).

Learn More

Angela works as an educator for training, riding and horse-keeping, with a focus on horse and rider safety and wellbeing. She is a senior instructor and clinic assessor for Horse Safety Australia and is a member of the board. Areas of special interest and further study include equine health and wellbeing and the impact this has on horses behaviour as well as the relationship to rider and handler safety. The culture, fashions and traditions of the equestrian world and how these relate to both equine welfare and human safety is another area of interest. Angela will be teaching the equine units as part of the Equine Assisted Therapy Australia Diploma in Counselling Equine Assisted Mental Health. She will also be offering individual and group equine assisted therapy sessions with Harnessing Wellness.
Happy

Happy

Senior Therapy Horse

Happy, is our senior Therapy Horse. He has already had a career as a pony club pony and now he enjoys engaging in equine assisted therapy with people on the ground. He is not ridden anymore as he has retired from that activity. He loves a brush and gentle attention.
Bob

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

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

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

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

Our Fees

Harnessing Wellness, is a private psychology practice. We offer both room based and telehealth modes of psychological counselling. The Telehealth mode of therapy is counselling via online video conferencing or telephone at the choice of the client and COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines . In addition, we offer Equine Assisted Psychology as an adjunct therapy.

Appointments with Psychologist

Between 9am - 5pm
$180
  • After 5.30pm & Saturday appointments:  $195
  • Psychological Counselling sessions go for approximately 50 minutes. Medicare rebates are $88.25. Rebates may be higher if you have reached your Medicare threshold.
Book Now

Appointments with Principal Psychologist

Between 9am-5pm
$200
  • 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.
Book Now

Appointments for Equine Assisted Psychology

Saturdays only
$250
  • per 55 minutes
  • Evidenced based psychological interventions outdoors with horses and ponies. Medicare rebates may apply.
Book Now

Equine Therapy Clinical Supervision

$250
  • per 55 minutes

Clinical Supervision

$200
  • per 55 minutes

Harnessing Wellness Pty Ltd, is not a bulk billing service. Our fees are lower than the Australian Psychological Society’s recommended fee rate of $261 for 50 minutes.

More About Fees

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.