I’m glad you're here.

I'm Dr Mitchell Coates. My journey into counselling has taken me through education, research, university teaching, guidance counselling and psychotherapy. During this time, one thing has remained constant: an interest in how people make sense of themselves, their experiences and the world around them, particularly when the systems around them don't quite know how to meet their needs.

My professional experience has given me a strong understanding of emotional development, resilience, trauma, neurodivergence, grief and loss, addiction, domestic and family violence, and significant life transitions. Whilst my understanding in these areas is both academic and professional, a considerable amount also comes through lived experience. What exactly does that mean?

Coming to understand my own history through the lens of complex trauma and C-PTSD has changed the way I understand distress, relationships, identity and recovery. For many years, experiences that were difficult to make sense of could easily be interpreted as personal shortcomings. Developing a trauma-informed understanding of those experiences offered a different perspective: sometimes what looks like a problem within a person makes much more sense when we understand what that person has lived through. That perspective has become an important part of how I approach counselling.

I don't believe you need to arrive at therapy with everything figured out, or present a polished version of yourself in order to be understood. Therapy can be a place to slow things down, make sense of what is happening and work out what you actually want your life to look like. My role isn't to tell you who you should become. You are the expert in your own life. My role is to bring professional knowledge, curiosity and perspective alongside your experience, and to support you in working towards meaningful change at a pace that feels right for you.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Master of Education (Guidance & Counselling) with Distinction

• Master of Teaching (Primary)

• Bachelor of Creative Arts & Culture (Behavioural Science/Visual Arts)

Research & Therapeutic Foundations

My academic background has given me a strong foundation in understanding people within the broader contexts of their lives.

My PhD focused on autism and inclusion in Queensland schools, exploring the systemic barriers neurodivergent students face and the need for stronger, evidence-informed teacher training. This work strengthened my understanding of neurodivergence, inclusion and the ways institutional environments can shape a person's experience of themselves and their possibilities.

My Master of Education in Guidance & Counselling included research into developmental psychopathology, examining how early-life risk factors can influence emotional and behavioural development, alongside the protective role of resilience. Earlier research through my Master of Teaching examined the mental health of teacher trainees, particularly the financial and emotional pressures associated with unpaid professional placements.

My undergraduate training in behavioural science continues to influence the way I understand people within the context of their relationships, environments and experiences. This perspective sits alongside a person-centred approach to counselling, where your individual experience remains central.