Leah Badenhorst
Leah is a warm and empathic counsellor, passionately dedicated to supporting her clients on their journey towards positive mental health, enriching relationships, and fulfilling lives. Guided by a trauma-informed approach, Leah always considers the unique backgrounds, experiences, and worldviews of each individual she works with. She firmly believes that everyone is capable of living meaningful lives when provided with the right tools and support, and she guides her clients with compassion, care, understanding, and unconditional positive regard throughout their healing journeys.
Having travelled solo through over 60 countries, including living abroad in four, Leah has gained a profound understanding of the human condition and the unique impact of culture and life experiences on one’s sense of self, relationships, core beliefs, and value systems. This worldly perspective informs her empathetic and supportive approach, fostering rich and deep connections with her clients.
Leah’s extensive career spans multiple areas within the mental health sector, having worked broadly in both community mental health and allied health. She has worked clinically with eating disorders, adolescent mental health, substance use disorders, and mood disorders, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her practice. She has delivered psychoeducation as a group therapist in both inpatient and outpatient settings, worked with individuals experiencing acute mental health crises, and supported families through challenging times. Additionally, Leah has served as the allied health manager of two mental health hospitals, working within a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, doctors, psychologists, and nurses. Prior to her career as a clinician, Leah worked extensively with young children across multiple domains, gaining a strong understanding of children’s developmental needs, milestones, and capacities. This has helped inform her clinical work at both parenting and family systems levels.
Leah holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a post-graduate degree in counselling, where she was honoured as dux of her cohort. She is trained in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), person-centred therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and is registered with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). She completed specialised training in Emotionally Focused Therapy with Dr Rebecca Jorgensen, Ms Caroline Moffat, and Dr Rowan Burckhardt. She decided to specialise in relationships after decades of working with individuals as it became clear the importance of healthy relationships for fulfilling and meaningful life.
Leah is passionate about walking alongside her clients on their journey to self-discovery and healing, offering a compassionate and supportive space for growth and transformation. Her calm, centred, and warm approach enables her to work at the right pace for each individual, providing a safe space for learning, self-compassion and relational growth.