About me

Hello, I’m Soraya

A qualified Arts Psychotherapist and founder of Real Connections Art Therapy, based on the Mornington Peninsula. I completed my Bachelor of Arts Psychotherapy at the IKON Institute of Australia, and I’m a registered member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and a Certified Practising Member of PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia).

I offer creative experiential therapies as an alternative and complementary approach to traditional talk-based counselling. My practice is built on compassion, curiosity, and connection — providing a safe and nurturing environment where individuals can explore their inner world and make sense of their experiences at their own pace.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of supporting children, adolescents, and adults from many walks of life — including those navigating anxiety, trauma, PTSD, depression, grief, relationship challenges, and life transitions. I’ve also facilitated women’s circles, therapeutic groups, and community workshops, as well as provided support in hospital, aged care, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation settings, and with NDIS participants.

I’m particularly passionate about working with children and teens, creating engaging group programs that foster emotional development, confidence, and self-awareness through expressive and sensory-based therapeutic approaches. I also enjoy supporting individuals of all abilities to use creative experiential processes as a way to express, regulate, and reconnect with themselves in the present moment.

As a therapist, I offer a gentle, trauma-informed, and person-centred approach. I see therapy as a collaborative journey — one where I walk alongside you, offering guidance, empathy, and professional support as you explore what feels meaningful and begin to restore balance and wellbeing.

I continue to grow in my own professional and personal development through ongoing supervision, training, and reflective practice, ensuring that the care I offer remains ethical, attuned, and deeply supportive.

I invite you to take this step toward your own healing — to reconnect with yourself, to be seen, and to experience the transformative potential of creative experiential therapies.