Mark Walker

The problem is the problem, the person is not the problem.

(White & Epston, founders of Narrative therapy).

Mark is a registered psychotherapist with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA), with a creative clinical art therapy and pastoral background. He works from a collaborative position of care, curiosity and empathy, utilising a variety of approaches to facilitate understanding and overcome stuckness.

Mark works with individuals of all ages, couples and families. Mark has 15 years clinical pastoral experience and has worked extensively in the public hospital system, state and private schools in WA, and in a range of government / non-government agencies, including high care facilities, prisons, Relationships Australia and private practice. He has an extensive background in supporting people through significant life-changing experiences including: traumatic events, bereavement, grief and loss, relationship, identity and sexuality issues, and mental health difficulties, in particular anxiety, depression and behavioural problems.

Mark’s therapeutic framework is psychodynamic, client-centred and creative. The basic thinking being that we all experience problems and difficulties in our lives and, at times, need assistance in making meaning of our stuckness. Often our inner world becomes blocked by stress, anxiety and patterned behaviour. The creative unconscious is a wonderful source of freeing these blockages and guiding us toward alternative, more productive storylines: “In my experience, people tend to have their own answers; we sometimes just need help to see them.”

Mark utilises a number of evidence-based methods customised to client’s specific needs. He is a qualified art therapist and Jungian Sandplay practitioner, and utilises a variety of approaches from a psychoanalytic foundation:

• Family systems and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy
• Cognitive-behavioural
• Object relations and attachment theory
• Self-psychology
• Active Imagination and Creative Mind Ordering (clinical art therapy)
• Narrative therapy
• Resilience and mindfulness

With his significant Defence background, Mark has a special interest in veteran mental health and trauma. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is one of the specialist approaches he uses, a research-based method proven effective with those experiencing depression, PTSD and complex trauma.

Mark has an excellent rapport with young people and a passion for creative approaches with children. He is an accredited Aussie Optimism facilitator – the Curtin University evidence-based suite of resilience and social skills courses utilised in the Department of Education, WA health curriculum (PP-Y8).

Mark is also a registered marriage celebrant and certified marriage preparation facilitator utilising Prepare-Enrich.

Outside work, Mark enjoys the great outdoors and is a keen runner, tennis player, cyclist, kayaker, photographer and supporter of most codes of football, cricket, basketball and ice hockey. Mark is also passionate about music.

Mark’s full profile can be found @ https://www.goodtherapy.com.au/mark_walker# – the 10 Questions explains his motivations – and https://www.facebook.com/markwalkerpsych