About HeadQuarters
WE ARE ABOUT PREVENTION
At HeadQuarters Counselling Services (HQCS) we believe every person has the ability to recognise and be in control of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. To think smart, feel smart, live smart.
We support our clients to gain this perspective. This helps them strengthen their emotional health and, in turn, exert power over their mental health before it becomes a major problem.
We focus is on helping our clients deal and manage their feelings (positive or negative). Once this skill is mastered our clients often find they develop healthier relationships with themselves and others in every sector of their lives.
When your emotional health is check, life’s setbacks are often easier to manage. After working with the HQCS team our clients are more aware and skilled in managing their feelings and find it easier to identify and understand the root course of any difficulty and develop a plan to move forward.
MEET THE TEAM
VEE VINCI
Counsellor
Vee Vinci is a registered Counsellor, Relationship and Family Therapist and Founder of HeadQuarters Counselling Services.
Vee has nearly a decade of experience working in private practice treating people of all walks of life, at various stages of life, to gain control of their mental health. In 2018 she founded HeadQuarters Counselling Services to apply her pragmatic approach which focuses on supporting and empowering clients to implement realistic change.
Vee has extensive experience working with a range of personal challenges including stress management, interpersonal functioning and relationship issues, conflict resolution, anger management and grief recovery.
Honesty, simplicity, humour and a commitment to ensuring all clients feel comfortable and validated underpin Vee’s methodology to therapy. Skilled in a range of modalities, Vee is an expert in tailoring her treatment to the needs of each individual in her care.
Vee’s direct, yet comforting style, builds a strong rapport with clients leading to positive therapy outcomes. She has the unique ability to break down the overwhelm and equip her clients with a toolbox of skills and knowledge to drive them to take ownership of their circumstances, propelling them forward to live their best lives.
As host of the Think Smart, Feel Smart, Live Smart podcast Vee discusses topics that are relevant to world happenings and social trends. It aims to assist people to understand and become more certain about themselves in uncertain times. Vee’s capacity to inject humour and pizzazz into often tough subjects keeps her listeners coming back for more each week.
Facilitating powerful emotional programs to create real transformation, in real time, with real people is Vee’s passion.
MERRILYN HUGHES
Counsellor
Merrilyn Hughes is our most experienced team member having spent more than 16 years working in the mental health space as counsellor, facilitator, clinical supervisor and mentor.
After running her own practice for 9 years, Merrilyn has now joined the HeadQuarters Team to continue her passion for working with children, teens and young adults while also enjoying the pleasures of semi-retirement.
Merrilyn is exceptionally skilled in supporting clients to better understand and express themselves so that they can make better decisions and live fulfilling and balanced lives. Her approach is based on the premise that when you know and understand the root cause of your feelings, thoughts, and behaviours you gain clarity. With clarity comes empowerment and the resilience to handle all that life brings.
Merrilyn’s natural ability to connect with clients and seek out clarity sees exceptional outcomes. Clients walk away with the tools and knowledge to make positive changes that promote improved self-confidence, mood and self-esteem. Often clients also see improvements in their ability to regulate their emotions and communicate.
In addition to working with youth, Merrilyn is highly experienced in working with couples, families and those on the spectrum. Furthermore, she knows how to support those facing life challenges including grief and loss, addiction and parenting.
Genuine, consistent and adept at tailoring her treatment to the needs of each and every client within her care, Merrilyn is a valued and respected counsellor within the HeadQuarters Team.
CHELSEA MORGAN
Counsellor
Rapid Transformational Therapist
Chelsea Morgan is a fully qualified and registered Counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association. She is also a fully qualified Teacher with the Department of Education in Western Australia and has found her perfect balance by mixing the two.
Chelsea has also become fully qualified as a Rapid Transformational Therapist (RTT) and now offers packages to help with weight loss, smoking addiction, phobias and many more.
Chelsea has widespread experience working with a range of therapies and modalities in varied areas. During her study, she majored in children, addiction, grief and loss and family therapy making her highly skilled and knowledgeable in these areas.
She has worked as a Mentor at the BUMP program through the Raise Foundation and for the Barwon Child Youth and Family Services, both in Victoria. She has also spent time working with underprivileged and disadvantaged youth in Darwin.
Most recently Chelsea designed, wrote and delivered a program as part of the school curriculum at a remote Pilbara District High School. The program was taught from Kindy to Year 12, in one hour sessions over a 12-month period. Each lesson was designed around Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and was taught in a “child-friendly”, casual and creative manner. This program was highly successful and received excellent feedback from all involved.
Educating young people that emotional reactions are a choice, and that they can empower themselves to make the right decisions, is something that Chelsea is extremely passionate about and why she is fast becoming an expert in her chosen field.
Whilst Chelsea has extensive knowledge with children and teens one of her passions is working with relationships and couples and she has worked extensively in this field over a period of time.
Chelsea and Vee have had a history of ongoing teamwork and spent time together facilitating intense emotional group Workshops over a number of years. She has many years’ experience working as part of a team for various counselling organisations throughout Perth and Melbourne.
Her ability to connect with clients of any age, background and cultural persuasion make her an asset to the HeadQuarters Team.
Erika Shaw
Sexologist
When addressing concerns and seeking guidance on sexual health and wellness, we call on the expertise of Sexologist, Erika Shaw.
Erika is our consultant of choice when it comes to all things sexuality. She has over 7 years of experience in helping individuals and couples overcome sexual challenges and achieves greater intimacy and satisfaction in their relationships.
A qualified counsellor who also holds degrees in Philosophy, Art, and Sexology; Erika draws on her unique skill set to assist clients in navigating a wide range of challenges including self-understanding, sexuality, and interpersonal conflict.
Erika's ultimate goal is to support her clients in achieving greater self-awareness and self-acceptance and to help them create the life, mindset, and relationships they desire.
In addition to her clinical work, Erika is also a passionate speaker and educator. She is skilled at delivering age-appropriate Sexual Health and Education programs that empower young people with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their sexual health and their bodies.
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Erika’s ability to promote positive outcomes for her clients is one of her greatest strengths as a Sexologist and Therapist. A critical thinker with an open mind and an empathetic heart, Erika is trusted and respected for her grounded approach that creates a safe and supportive environment where clients feel comfortable discussing sensitive topics and exploring their emotions and experiences.