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Chemical Conversations

Chemical Conversations

Chemical Conversations: Understanding antidepressants and their interactions. An insight into their effects, drug interactions and how to support clients wanting to come off them safely!

$35.00

Description

Key Information

Interactive Webinar on antidepressants, 

28 July 2026 Tuesday @6.30pm – 9.30pm QLD time – $25 earlybird or $35 GST incl 

Course Summary

Chemical Conversation An engaging exploration of how each antidepressants affects the brain and body, interacts with other medications, and what counsellors need to know to support clients safely and effectively.
  • An accessible introduction to the neurochemistry and pharmacology of antidepressants
  • Exploring how antidepressants interact with the brain, body, and other medications
  • Discover what most doctors don’t know about tapering, dosing and the side effects.
  • Understanding antidepressant withdrawal effects and how they may present in clients
  • The importance of gradual tapering and medical supervision when reducing or discontinuing antidepressants
  • Understanding the “chemical conversations” that occur when medications are introduced, adjusted, or withdrawn
  • Practical strategies for counsellors to support clients throughout the withdrawal process
  • Collaborating effectively with prescribing healthcare professionals to promote client safety and wellbeing
  • Applying this knowledge to enhance holistic, informed, and client-centred care in counselling practice

 

Course Content

Antidepressants play a significant role in the treatment of mental health conditions, but their effects extend beyond simply improving mood. This webinar explores how antidepressants work within the brain and body, the benefits and potential side effects they can produce, and the ways they interact with other medications. Participants will gain insight into the science behind these pharmaceutical interactions, why they occur, and how they can influence treatment outcomes.

Designed for counsellors and other mental health professionals, this session will also examine the challenges clients may face when considering reducing or discontinuing antidepressant medication. 


Staff

Brenda Sutherland

B.Soc Sc (Psych) TAE, IICT, AHHCA
More
brenda2021-640x640.jpg

Brenda Sutherland

Julie Santall

Dip. Holistic Counselling, AOD
Counselling, IICT
More
Julie Santall Photo copy

Julie Santall

Brenda Sutherland

B.Soc Sc (Psych) TAE, IICT, AHHCA
More
brenda2021-640x640.jpg

Brenda Sutherland

Julie Santall

Dip. Holistic Counselling, AOD
Counselling, IICT
More
Julie Santall Photo copy

Julie Santall

Julie Santall began her career 35 years ago as a critical care emergency nurse in the UK and later specialised in Advanced Trauma Life support.  She served on the Faculty of Brighton University (UK) to train nurses and doctors in the management of major trauma. In 2003 she was sponsored by the Alfred Hospital Trauma Centre in Melbourne and moved to Australia with her daughter.

In a career spanning over 20 years in Australia, Julie has worked as a Drug and Alcohol Nurse in several Melbourne Emergency Departments, working with patients frequently presenting with a dual diagnosis of mental health and drug and alcohol issues compounded by transient and chaotic lifestyles.

Julie has worked in a case management role with the Homeless Persons Program (now Bolton Clarke), as the overdose prevention nurse in Frankston, as a drug and alcohol counsellor with the Frankston and Mornington Alcohol and Drug Service. More recently, Julie has worked as a counsellor for the Medication Support and Recovery service at Access Health. In this time, she has worked with many clients presenting in crisis to the emergency Departments and out in the community in a case management role.

Julie is currently in private practise working with a wide range of clients with high trauma, addictions, NDIS funded, clients wanting to taper off antidepressants safely with knowledge and many more.

Course details

Dates:
  • 28 July Tuesday @ 6.30pm – 9.30pm QLD/VIC/NSW time
Venue
  • Online: via Zoom Rooms – interactive webinar
  Cost
  • Earlybird $25 GST incl per weekend or $35 GST incl full price
  • Includes live webinar
  • Includes keynote presentation slides as workbook
 

Individual Mentoring

  • For students who would like more support in facilitating crisis counselling with Julie Santall

 

The Awakening Group acknowledges the homelands of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and pays respect to Country and culture. The Awakening Group acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First People and Traditional Custodians. We pay respect to Elders past, present, and future and are committed to making a positive contribution to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

© 2017 Aspire Training & Consulting and The Awakening Group. The Awakening Group would like to thank all the contributors of this program. This program has  been adapted from Aspire Learning resources.

 

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Brenda Sutherland

B.Soc.Sc (Psych), Cert IV in TAE, PACT I, AHHCA, IICT

Brenda founded The Awakening Group P/L  in 1993. Her clear vision was to empower each individual to live their true potential. Since then The Awakening Group has grown from counselling, to counsellor training to offer online webinars and programs for organizations and businesses bringing teams together, effectively communicating to deliver results across the board.

Brenda B.Soc.Sc.(Psych) is a Holistic Counsellor, Trainer and Consultant with her practice grounded in over 30 years experience. She is the founder and Director of The Awakening Group accredited training programs and workshops conducted throughout Australia.

Over the past 20 years Brenda has taught at universities, lectured at conferences, appeared on TV and radio, written for magazines and conducted seminars throughout Australia and NZ. She has facilitated many workshops for private, corporate and governmental organizations on personal growth and professional development.

Brenda is a dynamic counsellor and educator who employs her intuition and professional knowledge to gently guide every individual in living their truth.

Throughout her career Brenda has combined her personal commitment to her own self growth and extensive, yet unique, professional training including Psychology, EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprogramming, Art Therapy, Tantra, Eco-psychology, Soul Centred therapy, Kinesiology, Family & Organizational Constellation with world renowned facilitators (Dr Gunthard Weber, Dr Albrecht Mahr, Dr Guni Baxa, Dr Ursula Franke, Jakob Schneider, Dr Jane Peterson, Ed Lynch, Stephan Hausner etc).   Further Brenda has trained with Bessel van de Kolk (one of the worlds leading trauma experts), as well as Pat Odgen; body centred psychotherapy. She has also trained in The Work of Byron Katie and is a Effectiveness (Communication) Training instructor.

Brenda combines the latest neuroscience, attachment styles, arousal regulation, memory reconstruction techniques to return clients to a peaceful sense of self .

Furthermore Brenda is a PACT Level 1 Couples counsellor having trained with Dr Stan Tatkin, the Founder of the Psychobiological Approach for Couple Therapy.

You have the power within to transform and live your hearts desire. Brenda creates an opportunity to take you and your experience in relationships, life, sexuality, career and love a step further in authenticity to be the person you dreamed yourself to be. Discover and live new possibilities within yourself, relationships, career, sexually, health, with money and life.

Individual sessions, couple counselling and workshops are available (also via Zoom online) to support you in moving into the freedom of being. Issues of anxiety, fear, stress, anger, grief, sexuality, illness, relationships and much more are addressed with each session personally tailored to transform issues standing in the way of being the more of you.

Here’s what one client said:

“Thank you for today. I feel Amazing!!!”

Brenda has written for:

She has been quoted in:

and appeared on Channel 9’s Alternatives pilot program facilitating “Unmasking The Wild Woman” with guest Catriona Rowntree (Getaway presenter)

Book an appointment

Julie Santall

Dip. Hol. Counselling, Critical Care & General Nurse Div 1, Advanced Trauma Life Support, AOD Counselling, IICT

Julie began her career 35 years ago as a critical care emergency nurse in the UK and later specialised in Advanced Trauma Life support.  She served on the Faculty of Brighton University (UK) to train nurses and doctors in the management of major trauma. In 2003 she was sponsored by the Alfred Hospital Trauma Centre in Melbourne and moved to Australia with her daughter.

In a career spanning over 20 years in Australia, Julie has worked as a Drug and Alcohol Nurse in several Melbourne Emergency Departments, working with patients frequently presenting with a dual diagnosis of mental health and drug and alcohol issues compounded by transient and chaotic lifestyles.

Julie has worked in a case management role with the Homeless Persons Program (now Bolton Clarke), as the overdose prevention nurse in Frankston, as a drug and alcohol counsellor with the Frankston and Mornington Alcohol and Drug Service. More recently, Julie has worked as a counsellor for the Medication Support and Recovery service at Access Health. In this time, she has worked with many clients presenting in crisis to the emergency Departments and out in the community in a case management role.

Julie is currently in private practise working with a wide range of clients with high trauma, addictions, NDIS funded and many more. She brings all her skills and experience together in teaching Crisis Counselling and how to support yourself as a Counsellor when working with clients in crisis, to support them in the best possible way.