About Me

I’m Ashley Karstunen, a Registered Clinical Counsellor and trauma‑informed depth therapist. I support people who feel overwhelmed, stuck, emotionally burdened, or disconnected from themselves, and who are seeking meaningful and lasting change rather than quick fixes.

My work is grounded in the understanding that healing happens when the whole person is involved—mind, body, emotions, and inner experience. I integrate Clinical Counselling, Depth and Parts based Process Oriented psychotherapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), Somatic Nervous‑System Regulation and Repair based therapy, Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), Mindfulness, Meditation, and Meaning‑centred Therapy to support clients in working with stress, trauma, and life transitions at a pace that feels safe and respectful.

Since 2017, I’ve worked across a wide range of mental health and community settings, including non‑government organisations supporting people with lifelong mental health conditions, suicide prevention programs within NSW Health, Carer Gateway, Cancer Council NSW, and most recently within the Victorian university system, supporting students’ mental health and wellbeing. Alongside this professional work, I’ve remained actively engaged in community care, particularly within LGBTQ+ communities, and have facilitated mindfulness‑ and contemplative‑based groups in community settings.

This breadth of experience informs a practice that is both clinically grounded and deeply relational. I understand that distress doesn’t exist in isolation—it’s shaped by personal history, trauma, relationships, identity, social systems, and the ways we’ve learned to survive.

My Approach

My approach is trauma‑informed, collaborative, and rooted in nervous‑system awareness. I focus on creating a therapeutic space that feels steady, attuned, and non‑judgemental, where change unfolds rather than being forced.

Depending on your needs, our work may involve learning practical tools to manage anxiety and overwhelm, building emotional regulation and resilience, gently processing unresolved experiences, or exploring deeper patterns and inner challenges that continue to shape your life. Throughout this process, the goal is integration—supporting experiences that once felt overwhelming or fragmented to become more understandable, workable, and less burdensome.

Outside the Therapy Room

Outside of my clinical work, I’m a lifelong learner with a strong contemplative practice. I enjoy creative writing, reading across psychology, philosophy, and literature, spending time in nature, meditation, yoga, gaming, and good coffee. I also train in Goju‑ryu Karate, Yoshinkan Aikido, and Kodokan Judo—disciplines that continue to shape how I understand embodiment, presence, and the integration of practice into daily life.

Special thanks to Vintage Aura Photography for the photographs, and to FleetFoot Pro for the logo