Description

Participants must be enrolled in the Certificate in Holistic Counselling before enrolling in Part II.

The Diploma of Holistic Counselling course began in 2008 due to demand from students wanting to deepen their learnings gained from the Certificate of Holistic Counselling course.

For all health practitioners, therapists, counsellors, caring professionals, or persons whose hearts desire is to discover the truth in who we are and support others to do the same. Deepen your own personal practice through honesty, responsibility and compassion. For all health practitioners and therapists, caring professionals, or persons interested in enlightening their experience of life.

This is a unique opportunity to create in-dependence (self mastery). From this position true healing happens both personally and as a professional. Our holistic approach ensures transformation emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually thus manifesting your vision of life naturally.

The Advanced Certification course is aimed at transforming practitioner’s personal patterns and experience of Self, enabling deeper insights, understanding and experience of the true nature of healing and Self. This enables practitioners to truly facilitate clients personal transformation from the depth of knowing and experiencing the divinity of themself.

Course Content

The Diploma of Holistic Counselling Year II includes 10 modules over 12 months, 4 study groups, 1 private consultations, course workbooks, online classrooms, 100 hour community volunteer placement, online classroom resources, 30 hour Effectiveness Training program, pair projects, mentoring webinars & certificates given on successful completion.

Staff

• Brenda Sutherland

  
• Rosie Stave

  
• Tammy Reid

  
• Aunty Jenny Thompson

  
• Fiona Burns

  
• Julie Santall

  

Brenda Sutherland

Brenda Sutherland

B.Soc Sc (Psych) TAE, IICT, AHHCA

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)

 

[ecs-list-events cat="brenda" limit="8"]

 

Rosie Stave

Rosie Stave

CERTIFIED FACILITIATOR OF THE WORK OF BYRON KATIE

Since her first introduction to The Work in 1995, Rosie has been passionate about this tool for freedom. She lived and worked with Katie for 2 years setting up the Center For The Work in Barstow, California. Rosie was the primary facilitator at The Center For The Work when Katie was unavailable. Since her return to Australia in 1998, she has been offering workshops, retreats, private sessions and evenings of The Work throughout Australia and New Zealand. She is a certified facilitator of The Work and brings a depth of wisdom and truth, honesty and compassion, love and laughter to this life changing work.

Tammy Reid

Tammy Reid is a registered Counsellor MACA, Level 2 with the Australian Counselling Association, a Registered Teacher and Certified Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie. In 2016, she began to share this Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR) process, known as The Work of Byron Katie. With over two decades of experience doing The Work, Tammy facilitates this process for you to explore your innermost thoughts and beliefs, to question and unravel the layers of conditioning that shape reality. Her dedication to this method has touched the lives of many, offering a pathway to personal growth and self-awareness.

Now, her sessions incorporate all the tools she has gathered along her journey, and she continues to remain the student, collecting wisdom from everyone she encounters on her path. Her interest is unconditional love and learning how to live it. In her private practice in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, Tammy works with children, teens, adults, couples, teachers, psychologists, therapists, those in crisis, those who have suffered trauma and anyone who would like to explore the limiting beliefs holding them back from living the life they imagined.

Tammy has a Masters in Counselling and works as a School Counsellor two days a week supporting students in both the Primary and Secondary years.

Following university, Tammy travelled and worked overseas for 3 years. From Sales Manager to Westpac Bank Manager to General Manager in her 20s, Tammy left corporate life and qualified as a teacher in her 30s. Her teaching career spanned over two decades working in primary and secondary settings for public and private schools including Autism Queensland. For over 25 years Tammy has worked with children and adults with ASD. Always learning, Tammy became a Yoga Teacher (B.S.Y.A.), Zen Thai Shiatsu Massage Therapist, and Certified Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie along the way, and in 2025 completed her Masters in Counselling.

An Educational Specialist for over 25 years, Tammy works with children, teens, adults, couples, teachers, psychologists, therapists, those in crisis, those who have suffered trauma and anyone who would like to explore the limiting beliefs holding them back from living the life they imagined.

Tammy’s private practice is in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, Qld, Australia and shealso offers sessions online worldwide with clients in New Zealand, UK and the USA. Tammy also facilitates training programs and workshops. She has trained Lifeline Counsellors, facilitated programs in schools and is currently working as a School Counsellor two days a week.

Tammy’s diverse life experience informs her listening and ability to understand the viewpoints of others.

An open mind is an open heart. Experience is the teacher.Tammy has written for:

• Youthwise Magazine SPRING 2020
• Counselling Australian Magazine MAY 2025 (Digital Edition 1.4

Aunty Jenny Thompson

Aunty Jenny Thompson (Rev. Lucille Jennifer Thompson)

BCW, BHS, CMACA

 

Jenny Thompson is an Aboriginal/ African American woman; her traditional Aboriginal links are with the Wakka Wakka people belonging to the Kabi Kabi language group of the South Burnett area.

Jenny is a mother of three children and ten grandchildren and Great Grandmother of two. She is an ordained Deacon of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane and has a Bachelor Degree in Community Welfare and a Bachelor Degree in Health Science (Mental Health). Jenny has her own counselling and therapy practice. Jenny is a Spiritual Healer and a medical intuitive and uses these methods in her practice. Her counselling and therapy practice covers, grief and loss, anger management, mental health, emotional release and play therapy. Jenny conducts many workshops and seminars in Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training & Cultural and Spiritual methods of healing and connection. She has been doing this work for over thirty five years.

Jenny works from her home as a home residence business. Jenny is a founding member of the Internal Reconciliation Program, “Gin Murun Gari” (women of the people), the young women’s program “Gdawujun Bia ba Gunjun (young sister come home) & the circles of healing program “Junjarina Wuruwathin” (power if the healing spirits). Jenny also runs Healing weekends for individuals or groups around “Holistic Cultural & Spiritual Healing Therapies”

Jenny worked for the Mater Child and Youth Mental Health Service as the Indigenous Consultant for over thirteen years. Jenny provides Secondary Clinical & Cultural Support. She developed an Indigenous Model of Care for the service, as well as a Cultural Awareness Training Package. Jenny developed the Indigenous Job Description for the Outreach and Community Development Program and provides a Community Program in Mental Health and Well Being.

Jenny is a founding member of the Indigenous school Hymba Yumba Community Hub and was involved in this project since 2008. Jenny was a Company Member and Director of Searchlight Inc. In this role she was Deputy Chair. Jenny also worked at the Hymba Yumba Community Hub as Counsellor and Cultural Adviser where she coordinated the Wellness Centre for the school.

Jenny is also on the board of EPIC Employment as a Director and has been in this position for the past ten years. EPIC is a community based, not-for-profit organisation that extends care, kindness and quality services to all people, especially those who are disadvantaged.

 

 

Worked in:

• State Education for 20 years as, Teacher Aide, Parent Liaison, Tutor, Homework coordinator, QATSICC chairperson, School Counsellor, Indigenous Education Adviser, Indigenous PCAP rep. (North West Region)
• Deacon In-charge Anglican Church Cherbourg, eight years.
• Honorary Deacon St Philip’s Anglican Church Annerley five years
• Cherbourg/Murgon Youth and Community Combined Action (YACCA) for 4 years, as Coordinator
• Cherbourg Community Health for 5 years as Cultural Health Worker (Mental Health)
• Chairperson Wunjuada Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre Cherbourg. (4 years)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Implementation Team as Project Officer (six month secondment)
• Trainer for Directions Australia delivering Social and Emotional Wellbeing Certificate Course to Community organisations. (Mental Health non-clinical)
• Taught Interpersonal and Counselling Skills and Community Service Program in Indigenous Welfare Course, years one and two (Kangaroo Point TAFE)
• Provided Indigenous Counselling service to Women’s Detention Centre (voluntary), and Youth Detention Centre (contracted)
• Developed an Indigenous Mental Health Model of Care for the Mater District Child and Youth Mental Health

 

Professional Qualification:

• Diploma/Bachelor Degree in Community Welfare
• Diploma/Bachelor Degree in Health Science (Mental Health)
• International Trainer in Suicide Intervention
• Registered with the Australian Counsellors Association
• Justice of Peace
• An Accredited Trainer and Assessor

 

 

Fiona Burns

B. Design, Cert IV in Com. Services

Fiona has worked in the disability and mental health sector for nearly a decade, starting out as a Support Worker and working in various roles, supporting individuals with a range of needs.

 

She specialises in working with individuals who have a history or homelessness, addiction and complex trauma. Fiona works extensively in collaboration with the Health and Justice systems, working alongside stakeholders including a range of Allied Health Professionals to state appointed Guardians.

 

Since 2023, Fiona has been applying her extensive expertise in navigating support systems to the role of Support Coordination under NDIS, with her focus lying in supporting individuals with a mental health diagnosis.

 

Fiona finds her sweet spot in navigating complexity. Challenges energise her, and the collaborative process, from engaging with diverse perspectives to learning new things along the way, brings her immense satisfaction.

 

Fiona holds a Bachelor of Design with honours and a Certificate IV in Community Services.

 

Beyond the professional sphere, Fiona is undertaking a Diploma in Holistic Counselling, and loves being part of a path that fills her with hope and inspiration for mental health support.

 

Julie Santall

Julie began her career 35 years ago as an 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 yrs 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 and more recently 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.

Dates

• Brisbane course starts September 2025
• Melbourne course starts September 2025
• There are 3 units: The Work of Byron Katie Part II, Family Constellations (weekend and online day), The Authentic Communicator and Weaving the New Dreaming, online that are credited to the 2026 program. CLICK HERE for details.
• The next module is The Authentic Communicator starting 23 September to enrol go to: https://awakening.com.au/course/effective-communication-training-online/

Cost

• $3180 GST incl., full course cost (non-refundable deposit of $350 is required and then paid over 6 months). Includes Weaving the New Dreaming program and 3 other new modules. (Please note this is the last year we can keep at this price)
• $3080 earlybird price if paid in full before 1 September (depending on payment already made for Certificate)
• A $350 non-refundable deposit secures your place for the full cost. Please note payments are subject to The Awakening Group terms and conditions.
• The cost includes classes, study groups, workbooks, little Loving What is booklet, online library access, Effectiveness Training workbook, certificates, two individual sessions, mentoring etc.
• 5 extra individual sessions are required with a number of the trainers at approx $100 – $135
• Course texts below cost approximately: $180 – $200 although a limited number are available to borrow from library

Venue

• Online: Combination of online and face to face classes
• Melbourne The Living Centre, East Melbourne
• Brisbane Bardon Counselling and Natural Therapy Centre, 151 Boundary Rd, Bardon

 Introductory Course Webinar

Learning Activities

• Case studies, 100 hour placement or project, end of course review, relationship community pair project, 8 module learning activities (after completion of Certificate)

 Accreditation

• International Institute of Complementary Therapists (IICT) – membership & insurance as “Advanced Practitioner Holistic Counselling Certification” in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Gibraltar. www.iict.com.au
• Australian Counselling Association (ACA) professional development credits for The Work of Byron Katie, Family Constellations, Effective Communication, The Authentic Communicator, and Year 1 Certification. www.theaca.net.au
• International Association of Therapists (IAOTH) – membership worldwide, www.iaoth.com
• Australian Holistic Healers and Counsellors Association: AHHCA accredited – membership & insurance available see www.ahhca.org under the title “Advanced Practitioner Holistic Counselling Certification”
• A 10 week component with this program is accredited with Effectiveness Training accredited with ETIA Ltd as part of Gordon Training International www.etia.org
• The course is over 800 hours training over 18 months – 2 years.
• Currently in the process of getting this program ASQA accredited

 Student Testimony