Grace MacLeish

About

Grace is an accredited social worker who loves helping people shift from simply surviving to truly thriving. Grace works with a broad range of clients aged 14+ across relationship struggles, domestic violence, anxiety, depression, employment issues, PTSD, trauma, childhood abuse, mental health challenges, parenting challenges, emotional regulation struggles, low mood and low self-esteem. She particularly enjoys working with couples with a focus on building healthy relationships and conflict management,... Grace is an accredited social worker who loves helping people shift from simply surviving to truly thriving. Grace works with a broad range of clients aged 14+ across relationship struggles, domestic violence, anxiety, depression, employment issues, PTSD, trauma, childhood abuse, mental health challenges, parenting challenges, emotional regulation struggles, low mood and low self-esteem. She particularly enjoys working with couples with a focus on building healthy relationships and conflict management, boundary setting, being aware of red flags and unpacking complex relationship dynamics. Grace draws from evidence-based therapies whilst using a foundation of strength-based, trauma-informed and humanistic approaches. In addition to her Bachelor of Social Work, she has done training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution-Focused Counselling and Internal Family Systems Therapy. She has completed level two training in Gottman’s Couples Counselling, level two advanced training in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy and has a certificate in Clinical Art Therapy. She is also qualified to deliver the “Tuning into Teens” parenting program. Grace practices under the ethical framework of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and its Mental Health Best Practice Standards. She has been practising as a social worker since 2016 and has worked in various roles in Cairns, Albury/Wodonga, Darwin and now Townsville including disability support, youth and family counselling/ case work, group work, adult and couples counselling and specialist domestic violence counselling. Growing up, her brother had a life-threatening disability and there was alcoholism, domestic violence and mental health challenges present in her household. Being the 1980s, there was limited to no support available, creating an inner strength and resilience within Grace that she carries to this day. She brings a high level of empathy and understanding to her clients and loves sharing her own experiences to show and reassure people that their current situation is not forever and that you can be the change that you wish to see in your own future. As an accredited social worker, Grace partakes in ongoing professional development and supervision to ensure she is updating her skills and knowledge to deliver best quality services to those she works with. Grace also plans to do further training in somatic therapy to deepen her knowledge about getting more into the body as well as schema therapy to complement her EMDR training. She looks forward to supporting you on your healing journey. Read more

Languages

English

Therapies

Membership of professional associations

• Australian Association of Social Workers

Education and training

Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) with First Class Honours - Central Queensland University (2019) Certificate in Art Therapy - CECAT (2020) Advanced Practicum workshop on the theory & practice of EMDR - Therapist Training (2021) Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing Advanced Practicum Training - Therapist Training (2021) Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Level 2) - The Gottman Institute (2019)