School of Psychology

The Godfrey Barrett-Lennard Counsellor Training Centre

80 Railway St, Cottesloe

Ph 9385 5835
Fax 9385 5217

Open to the Public - You can contact us yourself, or come on the recommendation of a health professional.
To make an appointment - call Wendy on 9385 5835 or email caladenia.counsel@murdoch.edu.au

More and more people are recognising the value of professional counselling to help deal with challenges and difficulties faced in life.  At times getting assistance can make the difference between feeling like you are ‘not coping’ and a sense of wellbeing and purpose.  Caladenia House is an initiative of the Murdoch University Postgraduate Counselling Programs and reflects the University’s mission “To extend knowledge, stimulate learning and promote understanding for the benefit of the community” says Dr. Corinne Reid, Chair of the Counselling Programs.

Caladenia House is the home of The Godfrey Barrett-Lennard Counsellor Training Centre which provides an opportunity for post-graduate trainees to develop the art and skills of effective counseling whilst providing community access to low-cost counseling for both adults and children. The Supervising staff are a team of professional psychotherapists with a range of expertise from Art Psychotherapy to Neuropsychology.  “Our aim is to create a lively Centre in which adults and children work together with our trainees and professional counsellors to promote individual wellbeing and fulfilling relationships”, says Corinne. “In recognition of the importance that relationships play in our lives, we offer couple, family and group counseling as well as individual counselling.  We also pay particular attention to the needs of children and young people in our programme, and have worked hard to make Caladenia House a place where young people feel welcomed. Our priority is to provide a warm and supportive environment in which each client can think over their concerns and re-connect with their personal strengths and life direction. It is this emphasis on a supportive therapeutic relationship and personalised attention, that define the philosophy of Dr. Godfrey Barrett-Lennard after whom the Centre was named. Dr. Barrett-Lennard’s long career has been dedicated to the promotion of a person-centred approach to Counselling. Godfrey has been a Visiting Fellow in Psychology at Murdoch University since the mid-1980’s, following his career overseas, and has long argued for the need for programs that train professional Counsellors in this way.