Blog,
Therapy Insights
and Reflections
Articles on Gestalt therapy, mental health and living more fully. Written by Chauncey Sjostedt, PACFA certified Gestalt Therapist and counsellor in Surry Hills, Sydney. Chauncey is a proud queer woman and member of the LGBTQ+ community. Her writing reflects the values she brings to her clinical work: honesty, curiosity and a commitment to saying things that are genuinely useful rather than merely reassuring.
Latest posts
Reflections on therapy, mental health and the work of living with greater honesty and freedom. These articles are written for people who are curious about therapy, who are currently in therapy and want to think more deeply about it, or who are navigating the areas of life this practice focuses on: anxiety, grief, trauma, identity, relationships, LGBTQ+ experience and personal growth.
Gestalt Therapy
What Is Gestalt Therapy? A Complete Guide
A plain-language guide to what Gestalt therapy is, how it works and what makes it different from other approaches.
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Birth Trauma
Understanding Birth Trauma: Signs, Impact and Healing
What birth trauma is, how it shows up, and why it deserves to be taken seriously as a distinct experience with its own path toward healing.
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LGBTQ+ Mental Health
LGBTQ+ Mental Health: Why Affirming Therapy Matters
Why the distinction between affirming and merely tolerant therapy matters, and what genuine affirmation looks like in practice.
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Burnout
Burnout Is Not Just Being Tired: When to Seek Help
How burnout is different from ordinary tiredness, what it is actually telling you, and when it makes sense to seek support.
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Somatic Therapy
What Somatic Therapy Actually Looks Like in Practice
A practical account of what happens in a somatic therapy session and why including the body changes what is possible in therapy.
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Grief
Grief Doesn't Follow Stages: A Different Approach
Why the five-stage model of grief can be unhelpful, and what a more honest and less prescriptive approach to grief looks like.
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Gender Identity
Gender Identity: What Affirming Therapy Looks Like
What it means to work with a genuinely gender-affirming therapist, and why the difference between affirming and merely tolerant practice matters.
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Starting Therapy
How to Know If Therapy Is Right for You
A thoughtful guide for anyone wondering whether therapy is the right next step and what to expect when you begin.
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