Darcy Watson-Russell - they/them

Darcy has worked both formally and informally in counselling and peer support with LGBTIQA+ and neurodivergent adults of all ages (18-65+). They love working with a wide range of people, and welcome anyone looking for a place where they will be met with deep listening, curiosity, warmth, and authenticity. Darcy is especially passionate about supporting trans and gender diverse people navigating grief and loss, suicidality, trauma, disability and chronic illness, and autism and other experiences of neurodivergence. 

Darcy approaches therapy as a relationship first, taking the time to build trust and connection from the start. They believe in having open, honest conversations that don’t default to risk assessment, and they’re not afraid to be ‘in it’ alongside you, whatever that might look like for you. They bring a calm, grounded presence to sessions, centring your expertise and self-knowledge, and adapting to your needs on the day.

Darcy’s values and lived experience lead them to use non-pathologising, non-blaming approaches like Narrative Therapy, Intentional Peer Support, and the Alternatives to Suicide model. They use these approaches to create a safe space to explore and get curious about the problems and hard times that show up in your life, break down big ideas we’ve been taught by our societies and cultures, question unjust systems, and connect with your skills, knowledge, values, and hopes. In a session, this might look like having a supportive chat, sharing stories and reflecting, mapping ideas and possibilities, doing a creative exercise, or something else.

Darcy is a disabled, neurodivergent, white queer trans settler on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja (Country). They care deeply about community-building, and social and environmental justice of all kinds. When they're not working, Darcy is probably hanging out with their cats while crafting and watching something silly. They also love cooking and fermenting, music, reading, learning about sea creatures, and being in nature. 

Darcy prefers to avoid using diagnostic labels when describing their lived experience where possible. If you’re unsure about anything they’ve shared here, please feel free to ask!

• Alternate experiences of reality, unusual and unshared beliefs (sometimes called psychosis and delusions).

• Anxiety.

• Disability - Chronic pain and fatigue, discrimination (interpersonal and systemic), internalised ableism, navigating medical systems and diagnosis, self-advocacy.   

• Grief and loss - Bereavement including parental death, suicide bereavement, grief related to disability and chronic illness, climate grief and other existential grief.

• Intrusive thoughts, obsessions and compulsions, and rumination.

• LGBTIQA+ issues - Sexuality, gender, medical and social transition/gender affirmation, discrimination and violence (interpersonal and systemic).

• Mood issues - Depression, anger and irritability, elevated mood experiences.

• Neurodivergence - Sensory processing differences, overwhelm, difficulties with interoception, social differences, difficulty connecting with emotions, burnout and fatigue.

• Self-harm.

• Stress and burnout.

• Suicide – Chronic and acute suicidal distress, caring for others, suicide bereavement.

• Trauma – Complex and chronic trauma.

*Darcy's lived experience includes differences in sensory processing, so you may notice them stimming with a fidget toy or some differences in levels of eye contact. Due to chronic pain, they may change position during the session. They are always happy to discuss this further and work together to make sure that everyone's access needs are met as much as possible.

• Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Sexuality, and Diversity Studies (Honours)

• Dulwich Centre Narrative Therapy Level One Intensive

• Dulwich Centre Narrative Therapy Level Two Intensive

• Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) Conversations Training

• Master of Counselling

Darcy is available on Monday afternoons and evenings, and Friday afternoons and evenings.

We can invoice anyone who is self-managed or plan managed.

Sessions with Darcy can be funded under the following NDIS items:

• Therapeutic Supports - Therapy - Counsellor - Telehealth, Item Number: 15_043_0128_1_3_TH

• Community Participation Activities, Item Number: 09_011_0125_6_3

The pricing regardless of which item number you access is $90 for 30mins, $140 for 50mins, $200 for 80mins

These can be booked online, or you can email us directly at info@therapyshmerapy.com.au to book these.