
Annabel Igoe
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AASW)
Contact: annabel@opendialogue.com.au
My name is Annabel (she/her) and I’m an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (BSW, MSW), psychotherapist and yoga teacher of Irish descent who lives and practices on Gadigal land, Sydney. I bring over ten years of professional experience working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and circumstances.
I’m proud to offer a comfortable healing space for anyone experiencing challenges with managing their mental health, mood/emotions, relationships, grief, memories, drug/alcohol use, finding direction or belonging in life and more. I endeavour to gently guide people to find and move towards whatever intentions they might have for their life in any realm including identity, mental, emotional, social, career, and/or spiritual.
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I have a Masters degree in counselling and draw from my education in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), internal family systems therapy (IFS), narrative therapy and polyvagal theory/nervous system-informed therapy. My work is also inspired by 17 years of personal yoga and meditation practice. I believe that somatic (body-based) practices are a powerful and important component of healing.
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I have worked in culturally and linguistically diverse communities both in Australia and in South Asia. I specialise in working with people experiencing the impacts of trauma and/or navigating the complexities of an unpredictable world. I also enjoy working with people interested in well-rounded personal development. I work from a healing-focussed, client-centred perspective, honouring at all times the wisdom people have about their own lives and what is of value to them. I’m committed to ongoing learning and evolving as a therapist and as a human.
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Some things that I consider important in therapy are:
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having a safe, private, non-threatening space where change happens at your own pace;
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feeling heard and understood by the therapist;
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understanding how the body and mind responds to stress and learning to apply that wisdom in daily life;
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approaching thoughts, feelings and behaviours with curiosity and compassion;
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setting flexible and realistic goals, while making time to dream big too;
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creating space to deeply reflect and look for knowledge within yourself;
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gently opening up to new ways of being in the world.​
EXPERIENCE
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Private psychotherapy practice
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Counsellor/caseworker with Speak Out Dual Diagnosis team at Weave Youth and Community Services, Waterloo
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Social Work Officer at Nepal School of Social Work, Kathmandu, Nepal
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Caseworker with Australian Red Cross’ Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme
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Yoga and meditation teacher
AREAS OF INTEREST
Inviting people to create a space for themselves to reflect, learn, explore, grow and heal. My areas of specialisation include LGBTQIA+, identity, relationships, grief and loss, career and workplace, post-traumatic healing and growth, depression and anxiety, spirituality, personal development, addiction, self harm and suicidal ideation, teens and young adults.
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QUALIFICATIONS
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Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW)
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Bachelor in Social Work (UNSW, 2012)
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Master in Social Work Counselling (UNSW, 2018)
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Accredited Yoga Teacher (200 hours, Power Living Australia, 2010)
Referral Types
incl. psychological support services (PSS)
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Adolescents
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Adult Mental Health
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General Counselling
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LGBTQIA+
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National Disability Insurance Scheme
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Self Development
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Suicide Prevention Scheme
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Trauma Recovery
