Coby believes that wellness and wellbeing are a right for all and is passionate about supporting people in their healing through the self-transformative practices of evidence-based psychological therapies; trauma-informed somatic modalities and complementary therapy. Coby has a deep interest in supporting people in building an intimate relationship between their physical body and their psychological wellbeing to help facilitate positive behaviour change.

Coby’s person-centered, strength-based, and trauma-informed approach draws on the notion of supporting the client emotionally, cognitively, and physically so that with time, the client has choices, skills, and strategies to become empowered in their own healing process.

Dawson is recognised for his contribution to the development of domestic violence-informed practice in Western Australia, particularly in the areas of perpetrator intervention, men’s behaviour change programs, workforce development and integrated service responses.

Dawson began his specialist domestic violence practice in 1989 when he was appointed inaugural Manager of the Relationships Australia WA Domestic Violence Intervention Program, where he established one of Western Australia’s first Men’s Behaviour Change Programs and associated women’s support services. He also contributed to the development of some of the state’s early domestic violence screening, risk assessment and intervention frameworks.

Throughout his career Dawson has delivered training and professional development to a wide range of practitioners and organisations including psychologists, counsellors, social workers, Family Court Judicial Officers, child protection staff, legal professionals, health practitioners and specialist FDV services. His training combines practical intervention skills with a strong focus on coercive control, accountability-based practice, risk assessment, systems thinking and reflective practice.

Dawson is an accredited Safe and Together Institute trainer and currently provides specialist FDV training, consultation and clinical supervision to organisations across Australia. His training style is known for being engaging, thought-provoking and grounded in extensive frontline practice and sector leadership experience.

Louise has also delivered numerous training workshops in that time and established and led a professional development and clinical supervision framework for 250 plus staff across 11 metropolitan and regional sites.  This work included the development of clinical observations and case note audits.  Having held senior positions in the community services sector and with State and Federal Government in the fields of family and domestic violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and family law, Louise has contributed to best practice development and the training of the Judiciary and allied professionals.  Louise was key advisor for the ‘Freedom From Fear’ mass media and community education campaign encouraging DV perpetrators to seek help. While living in Canberra Louise supported the development of 65 Family Relationship Centres. Louise has supported and managed various social justice networks (State & National) and later was appointed National Manager Family Services for a peak industry representative body supporting 70 welfare agencies located across Australia. Louise is the author of three Government publications related to domestic violence screening and assessment, collaborative partnerships, and best practice for working with domestic violence.

Louise is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Phoenix Support and Advocacy Service an organisation that provides services for adult survivors of historical child sexual abuse and those impacted by a disclosure. Louise’s background includes earlier work as a clinician in the field of family therapy and working with those experiencing various forms of interpersonal violence as highlighted above.  Louise was a founding member and Convenor of the Domestic Violence Action Groups of WA and has also been a member of many State and National committees established to address a range of social justice challenges in the community. Louise also managed a WA leadership program.

Qualifications: Master of Arts in Human Services, Grad Dip in Counselling, Cert IV in Workplace Training and Assessment, Certificate in Public Sector Management, Certificate in Understanding Childhood Trauma, and 2-year accreditation process in the Shanker Method™ of Self-Regulation with Canadian neuroscientist Dr Stuart Shanker.