Creative arts therapy & counselling
Creative arts and dance movement therapy for children, teens, adults, and older adults — in person in Melbourne or online across Victoria.
About
Some things are hard to say out loud. Creative arts and movement give you another way in — through gesture, image, or play — so healing doesn't have to depend on having the right words.
I'm a Certified Practicing Counsellor and creative arts therapist with a Master of Creative Arts Therapy (specialising in Dance Movement Therapy) from the University of Melbourne. My background spans early childhood settings, aged care, and community wellbeing programs, which means I've supported people at almost every stage of life — from three-year-olds working through big feelings to older adults processing change and loss.
My approach is warm, playful where it can be, and always paced by you. Therapy here isn't about performing insight — it's a place to actually feel what you're feeling, with someone steady beside you.
Who I work with
Children working through big feelings, transitions, or behaviour that's hard to name — through play and movement, not just words.
Teens and young adults navigating anxiety, identity, or the pressures of school and study.
Adults carrying grief, trauma, or anxiety that feels too tangled for talk therapy alone.
Older adults processing change, loss, or isolation, including in aged care settings.
How we'll work together
Every session is shaped around what you need that day. Nothing here is fixed.
Sessions using movement and body-based awareness to process what words can't always reach — especially useful for children, and for anyone who feels stuck in their head.
Play, image-making, and talk-based counselling, blended in whatever combination suits you — or your child — on a given day. Nothing here is fixed.
Sessions available in-person in Melbourne or via telehealth across Victoria · individual and family rates available on enquiry
The question everyone asks first
No artistic or movement skill, experience, or background is required. You will never be asked to make something good, finish something, dance "well," or show anyone else what you've made. The art or movement isn't about the final product — it's a tool for reaching feelings that are sometimes hard to access through words alone. A scribble, a small sway, a page of color with no clear shape: all of it is valid material. Some sessions may not involve any art or movement at all. If the idea feels intimidating, that feeling itself is welcome material to bring into the room.
Getting started
Send a message or book a free 15-minute consult. No pressure, no commitment.
We'll talk briefly about what's bringing you to therapy and answer any questions, so you can decide if it feels like a good fit.
We'll go at your pace — talking, creating, or both. There's no right way to begin.
Questions
Not at all. This is the most common concern, and the honest answer is no — no artistic or movement skill or background is required. The value is in the process, not the result.
It depends on you and your age. Some sessions involve movement, play, or art materials. Others are entirely talk-based. For children, sessions are usually play and movement-led. We'll follow whatever feels most useful that day.
I provide receipts you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement. Reach out and I'm happy to walk through what your plan may cover.
All ages — young children, teens, adults, and older adults. I hold a current Working with Children Check and have experience across early childhood, school-aged, and aged care settings.
Yes — telehealth sessions are available for clients located anywhere in the state.
This varies by person. Some clients come for a few months around a specific issue; others stay longer-term. We'll check in regularly about what's working.
Yes. Confidentiality is a cornerstone of our work together, with the standard legal exceptions outlined in our intake paperwork.
Ready when you are
Reaching out is often the hardest part — you've already done something brave just by getting this far. A free 15-minute consult is a low-pressure way to see if we're a good fit.
Or reach out directly · kalyanivatsalawork@gmail.com · 0430 039 829