Somatic Psychotherapist and Counsellor
Virtualized somatic psychotherapy for people anywhere in Australia
I’m a somatic psychotherapist and counsellor offering virtualized somatic psychotherapy from Brisbane, Australia via telehealth. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
I know it can be overwhelming to find a therapist who feels right for you. Here is a little about me to give you a sense of who I am and what it might be like to work with me. I trust that your intuition will lead you to the right fit!
When people ask me to share about myself, I almost always begin by saying I was born and raised in New York City. I’ve realized that my identity as a New Yorker, reared by generations of New Yorkers who were reared by Sicilian and Jewish immigrants, explains much about how I am in the world, something that became more obvious to me when I moved to the Bay Area. My background influences my therapeutic style. I can be direct, earnest, and bold, while maintaining warmth and sincerity. I love being a therapist because it allows me to harness my greatest strengths and it evokes my whole self—my creativity, my love of human connection, and my investigative mind.
Other than being a psychotherapist, here are some other things that light me up. I love being outside, being barefoot, and going for walks. I love storytelling, both sharing and being shared with. I am a creative—I enjoy many art forms including music (listening, writing, performing, making mixtapes), visual art (painting, drawing, photography, jewelry-making), and writing (poetry, prose). I love traveling, going on and planning road trips, and seeing this world's many incredible crevices. I love food—all aspects of it, including sourcing delicious ingredients, learning about and experiencing dishes from different regions, practicing inventive cooking, feeding people I love, and, of course, eating. I love my little orange cat and spending time with my friends and family.
MA Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Somatic Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies
BA Psychology with Philosophy and Visual Art minor studies, SUNY Purchase College
Certified Practising member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), registration number 28764
I am committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for people of every ethnicity, race, religion, immigration status, size, gender, sexuality, ability, age, and socioeconomic status. I understand how important it can be for your therapist to be aware of how social placement, marginalization, and proximity to privilege impact your wellbeing, whether or not these experiences are the focus of your therapy. My aim is to allow all of you to be at ease, so that a felt sense of safety can emerge and allow for your wholeness and integration.
My approach to psychotherapy is largely psychodynamic and relational. This means that my understanding and practice of psychotherapy reaches beyond the realm of problem-solving and cognitive override. Whereby other therapeutic styles may solely focus on the building of coping skills and changing one’s thinking and behavior, the psychodynamic and relational models I’m informed by orient us toward the relationship as the site of healing. We are hurt within relationships, and fortunately we are healed within them too. I also draw insight from the Internal Family Systems and Hakomi frameworks for intervention curation and nurturing the therapeutic relationship.
Because of my training’s focus on a somatic approach to therapy, my style is informed by the body and its role in emotional wellbeing. All emotion begins as sensation in the body, from which we derive meaning and affect. I use body awareness techniques to help you develop a sense of your own emotional body. This awareness, sometimes called interoception, is usually the foundation of emotional vulnerability, healing, and managing your nervous system and stress’s impact on the body. I believe that good therapy should offer you corrective experiences, not just interpretations and explanations. To quote Frieda Fromm-Reichmann, the client “needs an experience, not an explanation.” Using psychoeducation, body-oriented exercises designed to regulate your nervous system, and a variety of psychotherapeutic tools for deep inquiry, we will co-create a space for your psychological wellness.
I work with adults and couples of various ages and life stages. While I regularly support people navigating anxiety, depression, anger, grief, and general life stress, many benefit from my additional expertise with the following concerns:
All fees are in AUD
I have an allotment of sliding scale spaces in my practice for those for whom somatic therapy would be inaccessible. If you are experiencing financial hardship and would like one of these spaces, please inquire about my sliding scale availability. Depending on your need, I slide down to $80 for individuals and $100 for couples.
I am not on any insurance panels, however, I would be happy to provide you with a superbill that you can submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. If your insurance company covers out-of-network providers, I encourage you to ask them if they would reimburse you for any part of the cost of psychotherapy with a Certified Practising member of PACFA.
I currently have a variety of afternoon and evening openings throughout the week. All sessions are remote, held on a safe and confidential video-chat platform.
If you have any questions or would like to see if we would be a good fit, please contact me to schedule a free 30-minute consultation. You can also directly email me at therapy@jessicacarlisi.com. If you are filling out the form below, please add my email to your safe senders list, or check your spam folder in the week following your submission.