I’m Cindy Melksham, a trauma-informed counsellor and coach with a Masters of Counselling and professional registration with PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia). I have a background in psychology, group facilitation, and wellbeing work across community, corporate and education settings. I support teens and adults experiencing performance anxiety, social anxiety, and challenges with confidence and self-expression.

My work is grounded in evidence-based counselling and contemporary neuroscience, with a strong focus on nervous-system regulation, trauma release, and emotional resilience. I work with people who feel overwhelmed, self-conscious, or anxious in situations that involve being seen, heard, or evaluated, such as public speaking, presentations, social interactions, creative or sporting performance, and workplace pressure.

My professional approach is informed by lived experience. Growing up with a lifelong stutter gave me first-hand insight into the fear of judgement, avoidance, and performance-based anxiety. Through intensive confidence-building and exposure-based work, including public speaking, I learned how deeply the nervous system shapes our capacity to show up and express ourselves. This experience continues to inform my warm, intuitive yet practical, and deeply empathic counselling style.

I previously worked as a coach and course instructor with the McGuire Programme, supporting individuals who stutter to build confidence, communication skills, and emotional regulation. I also bring over 11 years of group facilitation experience, delivering therapeutic and wellbeing programs focused on anxiety management, confidence building, and self-expression.

I hold a Masters of Counselling, Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology major) and Psychology Honours degree, as well as a Diploma of Life Coaching. I am a PACFA-registered counsellor, working in accordance with professional ethical standards and ongoing professional development requirements. My therapeutic work draws primarily on EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness-based approaches, delivered through a trauma-informed, body-aware lens. I place particular emphasis on helping clients regulate their nervous system, process unresolved emotional stress, and reduce anxiety responses that interfere with confidence and performance.

In counselling, I offer a calm, collaborative space where clients can develop emotional regulation skills, reduce anxiety, and build confidence from the inside out. I have a strong interest in somatic and brain-based therapies and continue to engage in ongoing professional development to support safe, effective trauma release and long-term change.