Creating a space for exploration, discovery and true personal growth

Building awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses is an integral part of any therapy. All of us have vulnerabilities, or qualities we may perceive as weaknesses. We also have goals that can be challenging to achieve. Rising Strong Counselling and Training Services offers a range of specialist support for individuals, couples, and families.

Melissa Middleton, M.Couns. is Rising Strong's director, therapist, and trainer, with almost two decades of experience in a multitude of settings both national and international. Her approach utilises CBT, person-centred and strength-based therapies, along with experiential learning, to help people learn and grow. She also offers Adventure Therapy – a mode of psychotherapy combining adventure-based outdoor activities to achieve therapeutic outcomes. This therapy is a feature of Melissa’s specialty workshop series, offered throughout the year. 

Melissa offers a host of 'forward-thinking' and best practice services, designed to build on the strength-based aspects of people as well as organisations. Her primary focus is on relationship counselling for couples, where she uses the Gottman's method. She specialises in anger management, anxiety, communication skills, conflict resolution, depression, grief and loss, individual and couples counselling.

About

Melissa Middleton

Rising Strong’s origins lie in my own deeply personal experiences of grief. I lost both my sister and my Mum at a very young age and became intimately familiar with the complex emotions that come with grief and loss. Over the years I struggled to find support services that aligned with my age or my values. I became increasingly frustrated which reinforced my suffering. These experiences fuelled a desire within me to help others with similar experiences.

Services

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At Rising Strong Counselling and Training Services, there is a recognition everyone learns and grows differently and that embracing the process is essential. Sessions combine a range of counselling techniques and training methods to ensure every client has a solution uniquely tailored to their needs.

A strength-based approach creates a space for discovery, and a focus on skills development. This also allows resilience to build naturally and true personal development to occur.

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Below is a list of specialty areas, but please keep in mind each individual's needs are unique. If you're unsure about how your needs might best be met, please contact us to discuss it further. We would love to help you find a solution. 

"Mel is an amazing counsellor and life coach. She is caring, compassionate and understanding. She explored all aspects of our issue to assist in developing a plan to help us deal with the situation and allow us to find a way forward. She explained important concepts clearly and simply to give us a good understanding as to what was happening and made it easier to deal with the situation..."

Mark

Testimonials

"Mel is an awesome counsellor. Helped me work through my issues and get my life back on track. Highly recommended. Melissa is a very nurturing and caring professional who provides wonderful positive guidance and insight through calm and reassuring communication. She is particularly great when counselling on relationships."

Tammy

“We contacted Rising Strong Counselling in a time of crisis in our relationship. We met with Mel who provided us with the tools to navigate our way through. She listened with empathy and in a completely non-judgemental manner. Her caring demeanour enabled us to open up about childhood trauma that had remained buried for decades, in a safe, warm and receptive environment. We found her totally relatable, down to earth and compassionate in her approach.”

Elsie and Ian