Justine Wake
MMH, PACFA, AThR
The letters after my name stand for Masters of Mental Health, clinical member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia and Registered Art Therapist. For more information about these associations, see the resources page. If you click here, you will be re-directed to the ANZACATA website 'about creative arts therapies' page which is worth a read if you are interested in this. You can also read the FAQ on my website for further information.
I have been a practicing Counsellor for 24 years and a masters level trained Art Psychotherapist for 13 years. My experience has been primarily with individuals working on complex issues over time, sometimes this type of work is referred to as psychotherapy and I primarily refer to myself as a psychotherapist. As well as working with adults I have extensive experience working with young people and children, in schools, in NGOs, in the CYMHS system and in private practice. My areas of interest as a psychotherapist are: adverse childhood experiences, transcultural practice, relationship work and complex trauma. From 2013-2021, I worked in a state school setting as part of a specialist creative arts therapies team using trauma informed practices to support children at risk. I have presented in Qld, interstate and internationally regarding art therapy and the importance of trauma informed practices.
In my supervision practice I work with mental health professionals from many backgrounds. I am a registered supervisor with ANZACATA and my PACFA supervisor creditation is being processed. I have NGO experience working as a counselling supervisor for many years. In addition to my experience, I have undertaken supervision training in Qld and interstate, with my most recent refresher training completed in 2023.
PLEASE NOTE: At this point in time psychotherapists, counsellors and creative arts therapists are not medicare recognised practitioners unless they are also qualified as a psychologist, social worker or occupational therapist. If you are seeking an art therapist who is also medicare eligible, there are one or two practising in Brisbane and you can find them on the ANZACATA website.
For private health rebates, I have a provider number with Medibank, ahm and with BUPA as some of their extras packages cover for counselling services. The Doctors Health Fund also recognises counselling. I am not currently a registered NDIS provider therefore I primarily work with families who are self-managed under this system.
*Please talk to your health fund about the importance of including counselling, psychotherapy and creative arts therapies in their extras packages.
Session information:
My sessions are 50-60 minutes long (for some children and young people, 50 minutes will be more suited to their needs) and the type of therapy you are most comfortable with is something we can talk about in our first session together- this is sometimes called an 'intake' session. If you are bringing a child or young person to see me, I will ask that we have a session together first, so I can get an overview of your concerns. Each individual circumstance is different of course and we can discuss how to begin things when you call. Once a plan for working together is established, I will ask that you fill in a counselling contract. This may sound a bit formal but it is simply to make sure that we both formally agree to a few basic things. You can find a link to a copy of the contract on this page.
My current private practice days are Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 11 Morgan Terrace Bardon, 4065. Skype or Zoom sessions are generally only offered for Clinical Supervision, however under certain circumstances telehealth options will be provided.
Fees as of 1.1.2024
Art therapy and counselling: $175 per session
Clinical Supervision: $175 per session
Extended sessions up to 90 minutes: $220
Couples therapy/family therapy (90 minutes): $220
Discipline specific reports, including NDIS provider reports: $150
All fees are inclusive of GST.
Quotes can be provided for school visits, phone consultations with other health professionals, specialised report writing and workshops for your organisation/service
Please let me know if finances are your main reason for not seeking therapy for yourself and we can discuss this together. Contact
I think we all have the capacity to be creative and thoughtful regarding the challenges we face in our lives and this can be a powerful resource to use in the therapeutic process. My 22 years experience as a therapist has taught me that people of all ages can use creativity to understand themselves and their situation. This is particularly the case in times of existential crisis.
Being creative is not the same as being artistic.
Being creative is something we all do, all the time in a variety of ways.
Fixing an old car, making a herb garden, renovating a bedroom, painting, cooking, parenting, writing, drawing, building, colouring-in, playing with symbols, story-telling; these are all examples of activities that require creativity. This unique capacity we have as humans can be most useful when we are struggling in our lives. In my psychotherapy practice, I support people to use their existing creativity to find a different way of seeing and understanding themselves.