ABOUT ME

Why I Do This Work:

At The Togetherness Project, I support families, carers, and individuals navigating the challenges of mental health, neurodiversity, and eating disorders.

Just a note here…I deeply understand that family can take many forms — family of origin, family of choice, or family of creation. My mission is to provide practical tools, compassionate guidance, and evidence-based strategies that empower families and support networks to foster resilience, understanding, and hope.

How I Work:

I believe that every family and support system is unique, bringing its strengths, values, and challenges. I tailor my approach to meet the needs of your relationships and circumstances, focusing on:

Strengthening communication and relational bonds
Supporting emotional regulation and overall well-being
Equipping carers and support networks with practical strategies to navigate eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, ARFID and OSFED), mental health and neurodiversity

I aim to create a collaborative, non-judgmental space where families and support networks can build stronger connections and experience meaningful growth.

My Experience

I bring professional expertise and lived experience to my work, having held leadership roles in public mental health services and statewide initiatives. My work includes service development and workforce strategy at the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED), a board position with Tandem and participation on State and National committees focused on improving mental health care, carer support, and workforce development.

As a neurodivergent professional (AuADHDer), I bring a deep understanding of the intersection between ADHD, autism, mental health, and family or relational dynamics. As a parent of five children, I have supported (and continue to support…even as marvellous adults) my children through diagnosis and treatment for Anorexia Nervosa, ADHD, Autism and other conditions. Those experiences have not just shaped my views on holistic and inclusive approaches to care; they are deeply embedded in my practice.

Bliss, founder of The Togetherness Project, smiling warmly in her Melbourne office, offering family therapy, neurotherapy, and mental health support for eating disorders, ADHD, and autism.

Qualifications:

Bachelor of Psychological Science

Master of Family Therapy (Ongoing)

Master of Psychological Practice (Ongoing)

Professional memberships:

Association of Australian Family Therapy

Australian and New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders (ANZAED)

I work with a variety of frameworks, including:

Structural Family Therapy and Systems Theory
Relational Approaches
Poly Vagal Theory
Somatic Approaches
Psycho-sensory modalities, including QEEG brain mapping, Neurofeedback and Havening Techniques.
Trauma-informed reflective practice that honours the lived experience and diversity of each family system

My professional development and training is listed below.

- Advanced Training in Eating Disorder Focused Family Therapy, Dr Andrew Wallis
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – Enhanced (CBT-E)
- Collaborative Care Skill Facilitators Workshop (CCSW) Facilitator Training
- Family-Based Treatment for Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa (FBT) Training
- MCCAED Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Training, CEED and Dr Rachel Bryant-Ward
- MCCAED Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (FT-AN)
- Multi-Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (MFT) – Facilitator Training, Ceed & Dr Andrew Wallis
- Temperament-Based Training with Supports (TBT-S) – Facilitator Training, CEED and Dr Laura Hill
- Clinical Supervision Training, Bouverie Centre
- Co-Design in The Real World with Authenticity, The Australian Centre For Social Innovation (TACSI)
- Intentional Peer Support (IPS)
- Single Session Peer Work, Bouverie Centre
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Advanced Training in Eating Disorder Focused Family Therapy, Dr Andrew Wallis
Attachment-Based Family Therapy Training (ABFT)
Collaborative Care Skill Facilitators Workshop (CCSW) Facilitator Training
Family-Based Treatment for Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa (FBT) Training
Motivational Interviewing Training (MI)
Multi-Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (MFT) – Facilitator Training, Ceed & Dr Andrew Wallis
Single Session Family Consultation, Bouverie Centre
Havening Techniques
Somatic Approaches to Trauma

TESTIMONIALS

From a Mum:

"You have been so informative, caring, warm, funny and encouraging. My brain and emotions have been given a big work out. You have opened the way to new ways of thinking, listening, communicating and being and left me in a stronger place. You have given me hope , resilience and new ways for our family to connect. "
From a Mental Health Clinician

" Thank you for everything- absolutely changed my ideas/beliefs (which, fortunately, I always kept to myself ! ). I can now understand better what happened to my Mum. Providing education for the carers is always time well spent. :) Thanks again.
From a Mum and Dad:

"Provided perspective, new learnings and frameworks to help us understand our role as carers better, helped us to relieve the pressure from ourselves; helped to know we are not alone and to hear stories of recovery. We left feeling re-energised and heard."
From a Lived Experience Supervisee:

"Being a highly empathetic person is an asset in the work that I do but can also take it’s toll when listening to many stories of grief, loss and trauma. LE supervision with Bliss has given me practical and valuable tools to ensure that I can protect myself from the impact of the work and therefore continue to do it well with the families that I work with. The lived experience connection is invaluable as Bliss understands first hand the impact of LE work and it therefore feels very safe sharing any pressure points with her ".