How I Found My Way to Counselling — And Why It Feels Like Home

Being a therapist was something I thought about in school, but never had the plan to achieve. Instead, I chose a degree in communications. I chose this path because I was good at English in high school, and it felt like the "right" thing to do. It was a way to use my writing skills and honestly, I’d watched too much Mad Men. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t love it. While studying, I tutored school-aged kids on the side. I told myself it was just a part-time job to pay the bills, but secretly, it scratched an itch I didn’t yet have the language for—I liked helping. I liked listening. I liked being there for someone.

Still, after uni, I followed the expected route: I landed a corporate job. I wore the clothes, showed up to the meetings, and sat at the desk… but something in me felt restless. Over time, I realised I was missing something: real connection. Meaning. The chance to support people in a way that felt personal.

Eventually, I left that world behind and returned to tutoring full time. This time, it was different. I wasn’t just teaching anymore—I was becoming a safe space. Students would open up to me, confide in me, share their worries and frustrations and heartbreaks. I began to realise that what I loved most wasn’t just helping with essays or maths problems—it was helping kids and teens feel seen, heard, and understood.

That was the spark. That realisation changed my path for good.

I enrolled in a Graduate Diploma and then a Master’s in Counselling. On my very first day at placement, I knew I had made the right choice. It felt like something clicked into place, like I’d finally found what I was meant to be doing. And now, I get to do this work every day—offering support, compassion, and space for people to show up just as they are.

What I’ve Learned Along the Way

Working with children and teenagers has taught me so much. The biggest thing? They are just people. Often underestimated, often dismissed, but incredibly wise, thoughtful, resilient, and complex.

And we, as counsellors, are just people too.

There’s no magic formula or perfect technique. We don’t sit on a pedestal—we sit beside. The healing work happens in the human moments: in listening without judgment, in holding space for someone’s truth, in showing up with care even when words fall short. That’s what makes this work so powerful. It’s not about fixing. It’s about being.

I feel incredibly lucky that my life gets to include work that is this meaningful. I didn’t take a straight path here, but I’m so, so grateful for the detours. Those side steps led me here, to somewhere real.

If you’re looking for someone who gets it—someone who sees the whole person, not just the problem—I’d love to meet you. You don’t have to do it all alone.