Viviane Oliveira

Psychotherapist and Equine Assisted Therapist

Viviane is a qualified counsellor and Equine Assisted Therapist. She has  over 20 years of experience in counselling, psychotherapy, case management and community work in the private and non-for-profit sectors in Australia and overseas. In her first 5 years of career Viviane worked as a clinical psychologist in Brazil in private setting as well as for government agencies and drug and alcohol services. In 2010 she traveled the world delivering therapeutic services in a volunteer basis. In that journey Viviane worked with communities in Brazil, Argentina, The Amazon Forest in Ecuador, Mexico, Spain and Uganda. In Australia, Viviane worked in the child protection, drug and alcohol and mental health fields. She also provided extensive support for Aboriginal communities in NSW.
Viviane is passionate about supporting people to live a fulfilling and meaningful life. She is compassionate and empathetic and seeks to provide her clients with a non-judgmental and safe space to address their challenges and concerns.  

Viviane supports children, young people, adults and families to address a broad range of problems including:

• Complex trauma

• Childhood historical abuse and neglect

• Sexual violence

• Family and Domestic violence

• Inter generational trauma

• Parenting

• Relationship Problems

• Grief and loss

• Behavioural problems in Children

• Bullying

• Mental health problems including anxiety, depression, PTSD, ASD and others

• Cultural challenges 

• Physical and intellectual disabilities

• Sexuality and gender challenges..

Counselling Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Psychology from Brazil recognised as a four year degree in Australia

• Graduate Diploma in Narrative Therapy

• Equine Assisted Learning Certification

Methodologies:

• Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning

• Narrative Therapy and Community Work

• Strength Based Approaches

• Positive Psychology

• Art and Play therapy

• Trauma informed approach

Professional Membership:

• Associate Member of The Australian Psychological Society (APS)

Tara

Equine Assistted Therapist and Counsellor

Tara has worked with children, teenagers, and adults in the community and non-profit sectors for the past 10 years. Tara has experience working with children impacted by trauma as well as children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities and complex needs. Tara has worked in the child protection sector specifically around supporting families with issues of family and domestic violence, addiction, poor mental health, and isolation. 

In 2019, Tara completed an internship in the USA with Heartland Farm Sanctuary and witnessed the incredible benefits that people and animals can bring to each other. This experience prompted the desire to learn more about the human-animal bond. Tara has completed Equine Assisted Psychotherapy training with the Equine Psychotherapy Institute. Tara holds a master’s degree in adolescent health and wellbeing and a post-graduate diploma in counselling.

Tara values the uniqueness of each person and animal and draws on a strengths-based and client-centered approach. Tara has a warm and empathic nature and takes great joy in supporting people to understand themselves better and to develop skills that they can transfer into their day to day lives.

Girl Friday

Equine Therapist and Equine Teacher

Girl Friday aka Fun Friday, Friend Friday, or just Friday! She is small in size but big in kindness and love! Girl Friday is a  Shetland Pony who has many years of experience in working with people with additional needs. She is gentle, easy-going, fun, and enjoys everyone's company. 
She loves cuddles and is great at holding a safe space for people to talk about their challenges. She also loves going for walks with clients and loves being pampered by our clients!

Monte

Equine Therapist and Equine Teacher

Monte has 14 years of experience assisting people to live their lives in happier, healthier ways. Monte hails from the rolling farmland and open spaces surrounding Kilcoy. He spent the first 8 years of his life there where he was an enthusiastic participant in mustering, pony club and gymkhanas. He was reportedly an excellent student of these activities in this time. While in Kilcoy, he also brought joy and happiness to a young boy and his family. Monte then moved to Burpengary and continued his work in happiness. There he taught a young girl and her family resilience and confidence. While in Burpengary, Monte occasionally visited the horse beach at Beachmere. Here he discovered a love of sea breezes and the ocean. Monte then decided he would like to assist children, youths and adults on the Sunshine Coast, closer to the ocean and made the move to Woombye.

Diablo

Equine Therapist and Equine Teacher

Please meet Diablo our big and gentle boy! Diablo means  Devil in Spanish but he is far from that! I was told he received this name when he was young and mischievous but with all the work and training he received in the last 13 years, he became a calm,  sweet and respectful horse! He was a riding horse but is really enjoying being a therapy horse. He is the cuddliest member of the team and very attuned to our clients' needs. He loves a scratch behind his ears and along his neck!