Business Details
Trusted Mental Health Therapists in Healesville
Yarra Valley Counselling, based in Healesville, is the private practice of psychotherapist and author Joanna Joustra. With over 30 years of experience, we combine mindfulness, metacognition, and traditional psychotherapy to support meaningful change. Our approach prioritises self-understanding, helping clients navigate stress, relationship challenges, and life transitions. We offer tailored individual and couples therapy, ADHD coaching, and neuroscience-informed courses. Our mission empowers clients to rewire unhelpful thought patterns and cultivate intentional living.As a Level 4 member of the Australian Counselling Association, we uphold rigorous professional standards. Our work extends to professional supervision for therapists, focusing on ethical practice and self-care. We provide a safe space for exploring relational difficulties, anxiety, grief, and low self-esteem. The Noticing Way course offers practical tools to reduce mental reactivity. We maintain a client-centred focus with flexible face-to-face and telehealth options.
Services
Counselling
Couples Therapy
ADHD Coaching
The Noticing Way Course
Professional Supervision
Highlights and features
- 30+ years of clinical experience in mindfulness-based therapy
- Personalised approach combining neuroscience and psychotherapy
- Specialised ADHD coaching for improved focus and relationships
- Professional supervision for therapists' ethical practice
- Practical tools for breaking overthinking cycles
Associations and certifications
- Australian Counselling Association
- Australian College of Supervisors
What people say
Reconnected and flourish
Practical tools
Compassionate approach
Transformative insights
Effective strategies
Services
Counselling
Personalised psychotherapy addressing depression, anxiety, and life transitions. Using mindfulness and metacognitive techniques, we help clients develop self-awareness and emotional resilience. Sessions focus on breaking unhelpful thought patterns and building practical coping strategies for lasting change.
Couples Therapy
Specialised support for improving communication and intimacy. We help couples navigate conflicts, rebuild trust, and develop shared relationship skills. Sessions create safe spaces for expressing needs and rediscovering connection through evidence-based therapeutic frameworks.
ADHD Coaching
Tailored coaching for ADHD management focusing on organisation, emotional regulation, and relationship skills. Combines practical strategies with mindfulness techniques to improve focus and daily functioning for individuals and couples navigating neurodiverse relationships.
The Noticing Way
Six-week neuroscience-based program teaching mindful awareness techniques. Helps participants reduce overthinking, manage stress, and develop intentional responses to life challenges. Combines group learning with practical exercises for personal and professional application.
Professional Supervision
Ethical and practice supervision for counsellors and allied health professionals. Covers case management, self-care strategies, and business skills for private practice. Focuses on maintaining professional standards while supporting therapist well-being and client outcomes.
People
Joanna Joustra
Clinical Counsellor / Psychotherapist
Experienced psychotherapist with 30+ years in mindfulness-based therapy. Author and ACA Level 4 member specialising in anxiety, relationship counselling, and ADHD coaching. Combines neuroscience with practical strategies for lasting change.
Questions
What counselling approaches do you use?
We combine mindfulness, metacognition, and traditional psychotherapy techniques tailored to individual needs. Our methods are grounded in neuroscience and practical life strategies.
Do you offer online sessions?
Yes, we provide telehealth counselling and course options alongside face-to-face appointments at our Healesville practice.
How can ADHD coaching help me?
Our coaching focuses on practical strategies for improved focus, emotional regulation, and relationship management tailored to neurodiverse individuals and couples.
What qualifications do your therapists hold?
Our lead therapist holds a BA in Applied Social Science (Counselling) and is a Level 4 member of the Australian Counselling Association.
Are sessions covered by private health insurance?
Check with your provider - many health funds cover sessions with registered counsellors. We recommend confirming your specific policy details.
How do I book an appointment?
Use our online booking system for immediate access to available slots, or call 0402 938 401 during business hours for assistance.
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Reviews (7)
Kylie Bava
Dec 22, 2021
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I'm am so grateful my husband and I chose marriage counselling especially finding Jo on our search. Jo is so welcoming, calming, kind hearted and warming it made my husband and myself both feel comfortable. It also made us be able to be honest and truthful to get the right guidance and tools to help rebuild and strengthen our relationship. My husband and I are now stronger and much more connected than we ever have been before. Thank you so much Jo! I highly recommend Jo to anyone seeking out marriage counselling and also individual counselling. Jo is a great listener and really helps with any issues
Jon Italiano
Dec 20, 2021
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Jo is one of the best counsellors I have ever had the pleasure to work with. Not only are our conversations deeply insightful but they open up a world of possibilities, where before I met Jo, I could only see 1 limited path. Jo hasn't changed my views or mindset, she gives me the tools to explore, grow and become the person I truly wish to be.
Michael Ross
Oct 25, 2021
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Wonderful experience with Jo, we have come out of this experience in a far better place with great tools to prevent issues in the future. If I could do 6 stars I would!
Janet Fletcher
Oct 16, 2021
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Jo was so kind and welcoming everytime we saw her. She made us feel so calm and rewarded after each visit. Councilling can feel so daunting and a little scary at first but Jo handled all our concerns so well. We recommend Jo highly for all the speed bumps, big or small. Thankyou Jo.
Michelle Field
Jul 12, 2021
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Paul and I started seeing jo to better our relationship together, we felt as though we had a great relationship though knew with the right tools in our heads we could be a fantastic couple who could do anything in life and counselling could provide those tools for us. We walked into the first session and within an hour had felt so calm and relaxed that our trust in jo and her techniques to help us as a couple had proved itself without doubt that we chose then and there to continue to see jo for further sessions. Either it be a one on one session or a couple session, an hour session or a 2 hour
Amy McCarthy
May 18, 2021
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Jo is helping me to change my life, and is the first therapist I have seen that has been able to do so. She is understanding, knowledgeable and incredibly kind hearted. Her facilities are so calming and beautifully presented. I'm very fortunate annd grateful for her help.
Candice Smith
May 14, 2021
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As soon as you walk in you start to feel calmer and less anxious. Jo is incredible and has helped me overcome some challenging personal issues as well as helped strengthen my relationship with my husband and my family. Never before have I connected so quickly with someone in this field and every time I leave there is a sense of hope as well as tangible measures and activities that I can practice at home. I highly recommend seeing Jo, she's one of the kindest, enthusiastic, supportive, positive, considerate people I've ever met and I have no doubt that others will benefit from talking to her as
