The Team
Who We Are
Dayna Taberner
Founder & Director
Dayna Taberner is a trauma-informed therapist and Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, and director of Mental Health Counselling Geelong. Dayna has over 18 years’ experience in clinical mental health and a Master of Mental Health Sciences.
Her primary focus is trauma-informed therapy with a strong EMDR focus. Dayna supports people aged 12 and over who are living with the impacts of trauma, including feeling on edge, shut down, overwhelmed, stuck in patterns that don’t make sense, or finding that the past keeps showing up in the present.
She also supports people experiencing anxiety, depression, neurodivergence, eating disorders, gender diversity-related concerns, and relationship or family difficulties. Dayna also provides clinical supervision for allied health professionals.
Sessions are paced and collaborative, with a strong focus on safety, consent, and choice. EMDR is offered in a way that is carefully titrated and tailored to you, with grounding, stabilisation, and practical strategies alongside deeper processing when (and if) you’re ready. Dayna draws on EMDR, ACT and CBT-based approaches (including CBT-E where appropriate), based on your goals and what feels most supportive.
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"People often come to me when their inner world feels confusing or overwhelming. Together, we make sense of those internal experiences so you can understand yourself more clearly, trust your decisions, and feel steadier in your day-to-day life." - Dayna.
If you’d like to book an appointment, click the button below.
Natalie Smith
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
Natalie is an accredited mental health social worker who has been practicing since the early 2000s.
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​Natalie works with teens (12+) and adults.
After several years working across diverse areas of social work, such as family services, family violence, trauma, homelessness and postnatal depression, Natalie chose to specialise in mental health, bringing a strong commitment to trauma-informed and client-centred care.
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Natalie works within a trauma-informed and strengths-based framework and has extensive experience supporting individuals who have experienced a wide range of traumatic life events.
She also supports clients experiencing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), stress-related difficulties, and neurodevelopmental presentations including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Following a comprehensive initial assessment, Natalie works collaboratively with each client to develop an individualised, client-centred treatment plan that reflects their goals, strengths, and lived experience. She draws on an integrative range of evidence-based therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and hypnotherapy.
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Natalie takes a holistic approach to therapy, recognising the interconnectedness of emotional, psychological, and physical wellbeing. She is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and non-judgemental space where clients feel heard, supported, and empowered to move at their own pace throughout their therapeutic journey.
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​Natalie values creating a space where clients feel genuinely understood rather than assessed.
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If you'd like to book an appointment, click the button below.
