About Vanessa

Vanessa Bushell, Psychologist

(BA/BSc, Hons, Grad Dip.)

I began my psychology degree in 1988 and finished with an arts/science degree, with honours in philosophy and a graduate diploma in psychology. I then completed a 2 year internship in psychology, specialising in couple’s therapy and forensic psychology. During that time I lived in Canberra, had two children and supported myself. Since then I have worked and trained in relationship therapy, worked in forensic psychology and as a project manager in national and state projects with a focus on community development and organisational change.

I established Conscious Solutions in 2005 because I wanted to define my own style of working with people as a psychologist. I was fascinated with consciousness and the unconscious, and I had a strong desire to create meaningful work where I could give a real service to humanity.

My experience in establishing Conscious Solutions has been that my business has grown in strength and depth as I have as a person. What is meaningful to me as a therapist, is to remain present with my clients as they learn to allow themselves to feel into their emotional pain, in order to heal past wounds that are resulting in current suffering. Creating a safe and respectful space while people take a look at their confining emotional patterns, and then guiding them through the maze is what I offer in my service as a psychologist. On a personal level, I  work to increase my own self-awareness and meditation/mindfulness practice  to maintain and expand my ability to guide others.

The essential ingredients cultivated in Conscious Solutions are:

  • To be authentic and flexible, a place where I could work with people who genuinely want to heal themselves.
  • To work in an environment where I could be myself. I wanted to work from a heart space and with a sense of freedom without the structures, limitations and politics of organisations.
  • To bring together my knowledge of psychology and spiritual healing in how I work with people. But at Conscious Solutions I can work with a wide range of approaches depending on what works best for the client.
  • To work with ethics and integrity. At Conscious Solutions, a high standard of ethics and the person centred approach is central to the work.
  • Conscious Solutions is now an established psychological practice that embraces whole person and their life context. I don’t work with ‘people’s problems’ but rather I help people to embrace new solutions that emerge out of their own self discovery and self awareness. I believe in empowering people by helping them draw on their own self knowledge and personal expertise. I am a guide who found a way out sabotaging patterns and limitation!