Pippa Matthews

Pippa has worked as a psychotherapist and counsellor for over 35 years. Prior to working in private practice she worked in a variety of government agencies including sexual assault services, rape crisis services, victims of crime support services, and women's health services. She worked in private practice for 11 years in Sydney and has been working in private practice for 10 years in Canberra.

Pippa is a Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Clinical Counsellor with The Psychotherapy & Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and The Australian & New Zealand Association of Psychotherapy (ANZAP). Pippa is also a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Australia (YA).

Individual therapy appointments for adults are offered face-to-face or online. Pippa's approach is underscored by inclusivity. She works with a sharply focused trauma-informed lens, a neuro-diversity affirming lens, and she champions the health and well-being of the LGBTQI+ community.

Pippa has specialised in working with people whose histories include complex trauma, attachment trauma, developmental trauma and the longer-term effects in adulthood of trauma — PTSD, childhood sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, childhood physical abuse, family violence, coercive control in relationships, and adult rape.

Pippa is a certified Trauma Informed Stabilisation Treatment (TIST) Therapist (training with Janina Fisher, USA), a Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Practitioner (training with the SP Institute in the USA), an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist (training with the IFS Institute in the USA), and a Self-Psychologist (training with ANZAP in Sydney, Australia). All these trainings support Pippa's deep understanding of the unmet developmental needs resulting from trauma in childhood and which offer effective ways of managing and transforming related survival resources in adulthood.

Pippa's trainings have supported her development of a comprehensive appreciation for the lasting impact of trauma on the body, together with a range of interventions for addressing the same. With the understanding of the somatic imprint of trauma, Pippa pursued certification as a Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) Facilitator, training with David Emerson and Dr Bessel van der Kolk in Boston, USA.

Pippa understands that taking the step to reach out for support can be challenging. Holding this in mind, she endeavours to create a warm and relaxed environment to set the tone for therapy sessions and build trust. This journey is a collaborative one in which Pippa works with her clients to identify their needs and goals, and discuss possible ways of working together to achieve desired outcomes.