Beginning therapy can take courage. Whether you are navigating anxiety, relationship challenges, life transitions, or the lasting effects of stress or trauma, reaching out for support can feel vulnerable.
About
My approach is grounded in creating a steady, respectful and collaborative space. You do not need to be “fixed.” Instead, we work together to understand patterns that may once have been protective, and gently reshape them in ways that support greater clarity, regulation and choice.
I am an accredited clinical counsellor and psychotherapist based in Far North Queensland, offering trauma-informed psychotherapy in Cairns, Kuranda and online.
My experience includes many years in frontline crisis support and education as a teacher and school guidance counsellor. My work integrates evidence-based counselling with somatic and nervous system–informed approaches, recognising that progress involves not only insight, but embodied regulation and adaptive processing.
Qualifications & Professional Memberships
Tristan A. Henderson, M.Guid.Couns., B.Ed., B.A.Lit., Cl.Hyp.
Master of Guidance and Counselling
Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Arts (Literature)
Certificate of Clinical Hypnotherapy
Certified Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) Practitioner
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) - Advanced
Somatic-Informed Therapy
Research-Based Emotional Freedom Technique (RBEFT)
Member, Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP)
Member, Australian Counselling Association (ACA) — Level 4
Registered Member, Queensland College of Teachers
I adhere to professional ethical standards and engage in regular supervision to ensure safe, responsible and evidence-based care.
Therapeutic Philosophy
Many of the patterns that bring people to therapy were once adaptive responses to stress or adversity. I work from a non-pathologising perspective, recognising the intelligence of the nervous system and the resilience inherent in each person.
Therapy becomes a process of expanding choice — gently, thoughtfully and at a pace that supports lasting wellbeing.
My understanding of trauma is not only academic. I have lived experience of significant trauma and of serious illness that affected my capacity to function. Recovery required more than intellectual insight. It involved gradual nervous system repair, careful pacing, and a holistic approach that integrated mind and body.
That experience informs my work in a grounded and measured way. It reinforces my belief that the body can hold the imprint of stress and that, with the right support, it can also relearn safety and stability.
Healing does not need to be dramatic to be real. It can be steady, structured, and deeply restorative.
Modalities Within an Integrated Framework
Depending on your goals and history, therapy may draw on:
Integrative counselling and psychotherapy
EMDR for reprocessing unresolved memory networks
Clinical hypnotherapy (RTT®) for belief-level restructuring
Nervous system regulation strategies - Somatics, EFT, Havening
These approaches are not competing methods, but complementary tools within a coherent trauma-informed framework.
Research indicates that both EMDR and clinical hypnotherapy can be delivered effectively via secure telehealth, making online sessions a viable and structured option where in-person attendance is not possible.
Practice Context
In Cairns, I practise within the Shine Strong Psychology environment, a collaborative and trauma-informed setting centrally located near Cairns Central Shopping Centre. I also offer sessions in Kuranda and online for those seeking flexibility or a quieter location.
If you are thinking about therapy, you do not need to have everything articulated before we begin —only a willingness to take the next step.
Invitation
If you are considering moving forward, the next step is to make contact via the Contact page.
From there, you may request a phone call to explore whether we are a suitable fit and which approach may be most appropriate for your circumstances.
The call is a brief, focused conversation designed to answer initial questions and clarify direction. It is not a therapy session, but an opportunity to ensure alignment before beginning.
You may also choose to proceed directly to booking a full session if you prefer.
You do not need to have everything clearly defined before reaching out.