Holistic counselling & somatic psychotherapy
"The feeling of safety is the treatment"
Dr Stephen Porges
Welcome - I’m Nina Isabella, a counsellor and somatic psychotherapist offering compassionate, trauma-informed care for women and gender-diverse people in Melbourne and the Macedon Ranges. My holistic approach blends mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and somatic practices to support healing, self-understanding, and meaningful change.
Together, we’ll create a safe, respectful space to explore your experiences, reconnect with your values, and cultivate wellbeing from the inside out.
My counselling and psychotherapy practice is grounded in compassion, curiosity, and respect for your unique story. I bring together evidence-based person-centred counselling and somatic (body-oriented) therapies - including mindfulness, breathwork, somatic movement, and therapeutic yoga.
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Over the past 25 years, I’ve supported hundreds of women and gender-diverse people through transformative life experiences - from birth to identity shifts, trauma recovery, and personal growth. I have witnessed the healing power that unfolds when people feel truly safe, seen, and supported with unconditional positive regard.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a compassion-oriented form of psychotherapy that integrates mindfulness and acceptance practices to support meaningful, values-based living. ACT helps people change their relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions, rather than struggling against them, so they can move toward what truly matters — even in the presence of pain or distress.
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I have extended my training into Trauma-Focused ACT and ACT for ADHD and Neurodivergence, allowing me to tailor this approach to a wide range of experiences and nervous system patterns. The goal of ACT is to cultivate psychological flexibility — the ability to stay present, open, and engaged in life, even when challenges arise.
ACT is built around six interconnected processes that support psychological flexibility - the ability to stay present, open, and engaged in life, even when things feel difficult:
Acceptance - gently making space for difficult thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations rather than fighting or avoiding them.
Cognitive Defusion - learning to step back from unhelpful thoughts so they have less power over your choices and behaviour.
Present-Moment Awareness - cultivating mindful awareness of what is happening right now, with openness and curiosity.
Self-as-Context - developing a steady sense of self — the observing part of you that can notice thoughts and feelings without being defined by them.
Values - clarifying what truly matters to you — the qualities and directions you want your life to reflect.
Committed Action - taking meaningful steps, guided by your values, even when challenges or discomfort arise.
Through ACT, clients build resilience, self-compassion, and the capacity to live a more connected and intentional life.
My work is grounded in a trauma-informed approach and supported by training in Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (TF-ACT). I understand trauma as something the nervous system carries — not something that defines who you are.
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Experiences of trauma can shape how we respond to stress, relationships, and even our own thoughts and emotions. Together, we gently explore these patterns with compassion and curiosity, creating space for greater understanding, regulation, and choice.
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Using principles from TF-ACT, I support you to build a different relationship with difficult thoughts, memories, and feelings — so they hold less power over your life. Rather than trying to “fix” or push away what feels painful, we work toward strengthening your inner resources, reconnecting with your values, and moving forward in ways that feel meaningful and aligned.
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In our work together, I prioritise:
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A sense of safety and emotional steadiness
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Choice, collaboration, and respect for your pace
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Care that honours your physical, emotional, spiritual, and cultural wellbeing
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A strengths-based, whole-person approach
Healing is not about erasing the past — it is about gently supporting your nervous system, deepening self-trust, and helping you reconnect with yourself in a way that feels grounded and empowering.
I have undertaken training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for ADHD — a compassionate, neurodiversity-affirming psychotherapy that recognises ADHD as a difference in brain wiring, not a personal flaw.
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ADHD is not simply about attention. It can influence emotional regulation, overwhelm, procrastination, motivation, self-esteem, and the way you relate to yourself over time. Many adults — particularly women — have grown up feeling misunderstood or “too much” or “not enough,” carrying layers of self-doubt alongside their creativity, sensitivity, and strengths.
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ACT for ADHD supports you to work with your unique nervous system and brain, rather than trying to change them or compel conformity from them. Instead of focusing on fixing or suppressing traits, we cultivate psychological flexibility - building skills to navigate difficult thoughts and emotions with greater steadiness and self-compassion.
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In our work together, we may focus on:
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Reducing shame and self-criticism
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Strengthening emotional regulation
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Developing realistic, supportive structures
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Clarifying personal values and priorities
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Taking meaningful, sustainable action
This approach honours your unique neurological makeup while supporting growth, resilience, and self-trust. It can be particularly helpful when ADHD intersects with anxiety, burnout, trauma history, or midlife transitions.
My practice honours the full spectrum of human diversity. Whether we’re working together across ability, age, spirituality, ethnicity, language, gender identity, sexual orientation, or neurodivergence - my approach is inclusive, respectful, and affirming.
Every session is shaped by your needs, at your pace, and within a space where your lived experience is deeply valued.
Somatic Psychotherapies
Mindfulness & Breathwork
With over two decades of experience teaching mindfulness and breathwork, I support clients to manage:
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Physical pain
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Difficult emotions and thoughts
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Cultivating positive emotional states
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Mindful engagement in everyday life
Mindful breathing is a gentle yet powerful way to stabilise the nervous system and regulate emotions.
Somatic Movement
Somatic movement invites you to reconnect with your body and reclaim your agency. These practices promote safety, awareness, and autonomy through gentle, informed exploration.
Clients often find that developing body awareness enhances their ability to respond adaptively to internal and external change.
Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Yoga
Therapeutic yoga in a trauma-informed context goes beyond posture-based practice. It focuses on:
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Mindful breathing and embodied awareness
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Enhancing vagal tone and nervous system regulation
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Nurturing connection, self-compassion, and stability
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Supporting emotional and physical wellbeing beyond the session itself
Wellbeing is more than the absence of distress - it’s the ability to live in alignment with your values and feel connected to yourself and others.
A holistic approach to wellbeing considers:
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Emotional resilience
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Physical health
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Relationships and community
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Work-life balance
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Sense of identity and purpose
When was the last time you took a moment to reflect on your whole being?
With 25 years of experience and a profound commitment to holistic, inclusive, and trauma-aware therapy, I offer a safe, respectful space where you can heal, grow, and reconnect. Whether you’re navigating motherhood, menopause, identity transitions, chronic health challenges, or seeking a deeper sense of meaning — I’m here to walk alongside you with compassion and curiosity.
If you’re ready to begin your journey toward healing and reconnection, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you. Whether you’re seeking support for trauma recovery, emotional wellbeing, identity transitions, or simply a deeper sense of balance, counselling can help you move toward the life you want to live.
Sessions are available in person in Melbourne and the Macedon Ranges, or online via telehealth.
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Book a free discovery call to explore how we can work together - and take the next step toward living with presence, purpose, and self-compassion.
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