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Maria Dolenc
Gestalt Therapist
& Addictions Counsellor

 

 

 

"Attending therapy does not imply illness, rather an intent to live fully alive."

 
 
 

 

Life for me started near Ljubljana, Slovenia. As the seventh of eight children, born into a 3rd generation farming family I developed a preference for nature rather than school. In my early twenties, my husband, myself and our 2 year old son arrived in Australia, intending to stay for two years. That was thirty five years ago. Two years later we had our second son…

Speaking no English and having no family support and believing there was no way to return home, my life became smaller and darker until total black with what I now understand as being a depression. This continued for the next fifteen years before I experienced my nervous breakdown / through. Then my life took a dramatically different direction. It began with participating in twelve steps groups, then exploration into my family of origin moving to complete formal Gestalt Therapy training. It was at this point that I began to comprehend and see the gifts of my earlier depression.

For the next twenty years I applied my direct experience and training working initially with youth in refuges and supporting families in crisis as a family support councillor. The past ten years my focus has been on workshop facilitation, teaching and training along with providing supervision for other therapists and students.

I continue to enjoy nature, living close to the beach and lake where I swim and walk regularly… I believe in living in harmony and balance, which often incorporates playing with my 5 beautiful grandchildren. And oh yes, I very much enjoy a good coffee with my friends…

 
 
 
 
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