About Me

Forever a student of life.

Background

Before I commenced working in mental health and wellbeing, I spent 15 years immersed in television journalism and the performing arts. Working across both industries instigated my ‘study of people’ and deepened my appreciation for the wide spectrum of the human experience. It introduced me to the profound influence our relationships and environment have over our sense of self and the universality of our human needs, yearnings and motivations.

My journey into my own personal self-inquiry originated here and I am forever grateful for the range of painful, sublime and creative spaces I was fortunate enough to explore. Today, I relish working with artists and performers, and remain a passionate advocate for the mental health and wellbeing of creative professionals.

Being a migrant to Australia with my own complex cultural history, means that I have also always been drawn to working with immigrants and asylum seekers. Through my various roles and affiliations with social agencies, grass-roots movements, festivals and arts related projects, I have supported these vulnerable communities in different ways and continue to feel endlessly moved by their bravery and stories of struggle.

Almost 10 years ago, I completed my yoga teacher training in India at the traditional Sivananda yoga school. Since then, I have taught yoga and mindfulness practices in a variety of settings, both locally and overseas, alongside maintaining my own daily practice.

Subsequent to my teacher’s training, I completed a Masters of Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy from the Jansen Newman Institute (JNI) in Sydney.

For 6 years, I have been fortunate enough to work as a psychotherapist both privately and for the Indigo Project, a Sydney-based practice known for its forward-thinking approach to mental health. I have had the privilege of working with hundreds of clients in-person and online. Today, I have also joined the faculty at Australian College of Applied Professions (ACAP) and University of Canberra (UC), lecturing and teaching tertiary-level counselling and psychotherapy subjects on a regular basis.

I am an ongoing member of the Australian Counselling Association, feature on the MEAA database in supporting performers and creatives, and attend regular group and individual supervision.

Please contact me for more information on my services, facilitating classes, retreats, workshops and events.

Bachelor of International Communications

Masters of Psychotherapy & Applied Counselling

Level 1 Practitioner

Internal Family Systems Training

Certificate in Psychedelic Assisted Therapies

Hatha Yoga 200hr Teachers Training

Yin Yoga 50hr Teacher Certificate

Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance registered psychotherapist

Australian Counselling Association Member

Testimonials

“Working with Dafna has been a really powerful experience. She has the ability to make her clients feel heard and cared for which creates a safe environment for opening up and being vulnerable. Over the last year, I feel like I have progressed leaps and bounds in my emotional development and I know that this is a direct result of the work Dafna and I have been doing."

Crystal

"Dafna continues to provide me with a space to heal, process and ponder. She encourages me to sit with seemingly incidental experiences a little bit longer or try a technique to explore what's in my thoughts. This approach has led to many realisations about myself and how I interact with the world. The comfort I feel during our sessions has made some of the more overwhelming parts of my life less dominating and I am truly grateful for her guidance."

Tessa

"I have seen many therapists, but have always struggled to find someone who has the intuitiveness and warmth as Dafna, with whom I immediately felt safe, supported and respected. Our sessions feel like a conversation - she is happy to make observations, to guide and make suggestions. Dafna's ability to draw connections between physical manifestations of stress and the subconscious has helped me to become more body-literate and proactive in responding to my emotional triggers. I highly recommend Dafna to anyone who is looking for a modern, collaborative and highly individualised approach to mental health."

Ilana

"I was hesitant at first to engage a therapist, but it turned into a very positive decision because of Dafna and her exceptional ability to listen, interpret and guide. She has been an amazing resource in equipping me to work through feelings and situations that have otherwise been inaccessible. I strongly recommend Dafna as a very talented therapist, who's skill seems to derive from a genuine interest to empathise and understand."

Desmond

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Byron Bay & Online

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which I work and pay my respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging.