Have you found marriage counselling doesn't work when you have been betrayed?

Madonna is a specialised APSATS trained counsellor for partners suffering betrayal trauma

Sometimes when life gives us lemons, we need some help finding the recipe to make lemonade. As you've found your way to my website, I want to express my heartfelt empathy for the pain you are experiencing due to betrayal. Your enormous feelings are justifiable after discovering you've been betrayed. And these feelings can go on and on if your partner "drip feeds" you information. You feel overwhelmed, scared, angry and very alone and you can't see how you will ever get through this. Or perhaps you've tried relationship or marriage counselling and found that didn't work because you've tried to repair your relationship while the wounds are still very much open.

The journey to recovery from betrayal is possibly one of the most difficult challenges you will have in your life. Lies, manipulation, gaslighting, shattered trust, defensiveness, minimisation, the list can go on....

Connecting with a specialised betrayal trauma counsellor who understands what you're going through and has the tools and knowledge to hold and support you through this turmoil, means healing and recovery is possible.

Take the first step and email me, so you can begin your journey to find "you" again.

Does you partner prefer pixels and prostitutes over deep genuine intimacy with you?

Nothing prepares you for the pain after discovering that the person you love has an addiction to porn, sex or has other problematic sexual behaviours. Your heart thumps in your chest, you feel sick, you get a strange feeling in your gut but at the same time you can't believe what you're seeing or hearing and hope it's not real!

The word that describe this depth of emotional betrayal is trauma. Betrayed partners often say they feel shocked, confused, humiliated and angry. Discovering the secrecy and deception is like a stab to the heart and totally turns your whole world upside down.

You don't know what to do or who to turn to for help. You struggle to function, eat or sleep; but you keep going on auto-pilot as you have family or work commitments. Your head is going crazy trying to work it all out.

As a professional counsellor with lived experience of intimate deception and betrayal, Madonna can help you work through the impact with empathy and understanding. She will validate your experience and listen to your concerns and help you to heal, recover and rebuild trust.

For anyone who has felt this pain, know you are not alone and reach out for support. As a counsellor, Madonna offers a non-judgmental space to share your feelings, process the pain, and find a path towards restoration. Together, a new chapter can be opened - one filled with resilience, self-discovery, and healing.

Regardless of your decision to stay or leave the relationship, you deserve a chance to heal.

Madonna has trained through The Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists (APSATS - CCPS-Candidate) in the Multi-dimensional Partner Trauma Model so can immediately provide the direction and support to help you find clarity in your heartbreaking situation.

Services

Madonna offers online or phone counselling Tuesday-Saturday or face to face counselling in St Kilda, Melbourne every Monday

The initial intake appointment is 75 minutes and following sessions 60 minutes.

Approach

Madonna is a person-centred counsellor which means she will bring your attention to anything you may have overlooked and encourage and support you to find what works best for you and your relationship.

Maybe you need to learn about boundaries, sex addiction and betrayal trauma or how trauma affects your body? Perhaps your self-esteem is at rock bottom and you need help finding "you" again.

What to Expect

Madonna has a warm and caring personality and is great at building relationships, so you'll feel safe to share your story.

Counselling sessions will focus on what you would like to discuss however Madonna will make suggestions, especially at the beginning when you feel overwhelmed and you probably need grounding, support and resources - she really does "get it".

About me

My name is Madonna but unlike the famous singer, I can not sing. People often ask if I was named after her, but no, she was still a teenager and not yet famous when I was born.

I decided to study a Bachelor of Counselling degree as I wanted to offer counselling support to clients so they could heal their trauma at their own pace. Healing trauma is like trying to lose weight, rarely there is a quick fix that works long term.

There is no one who gets it like someone who's been through it, is so, so true. Having first-hand experience of betrayal trauma, sex and porn addiction is why I chose to become a betrayal counsellor as I really do get what you're going through.

Outside of work I am a proud mum to two sons and one daughter who are now all in their 20's. I also enjoy buying plants from which I grow new little plants. I am a foodie and love everything about food from going to markets and buying the ingredients to cook, to dining out at restaurants and quirky little places with dishes on the menu that I've never heard of, so am always keen to try.

And I have two gorgeous British long hair cats named Horatio and Phoebe who are just big balls of fluff and very cute.

My Qualifications

Bachelor of Counselling

APSATS Certified Clinical Partner Specialist - Candidate (CCPS-C)

SASA Full Therapeutic Disclosure

Australian Counselling Association member

Cert IV Training & Assessment

Make your appointment now

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are APSATS?

The Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists (APSATS), is an organisation that was created to provide the type of counselling partners need in response to their partner's addiction to sex. APSATS believes that those who fall into the category of "my partner is a sex addict", can, and often do, experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress. APSATS developed a treatment model that conceptualises the betrayed partner as someone who has experienced great trauma.

"The partner of a sex addict has responses that serve as reactions to a stressor that is traumatic in nature, in predictable emotional, behavioural, and physiological ways. She seeks what she cannot find: safety in an unsafe situation." Dr Barbara Steffens (APSATS founding President).

Health Fund Rebates

Private Health Insurance rebates for counselling are available for the following:

ARHG - Police Health, Phoenix Health, CUA Health (Telehealth only), St Luke's Health, Emergency Services Health, Westfund, Teachers Union Health, GMHBA and AIA. (Provider No: AC25651T)

BUPA (Provider No: J002399)

Fees

Appointments can be booked below. Initial session is 75 minutes $177 and individual sessions $147 per 60 minutes.

How do I pay?

Payment is to be made by bank transfer. An invoice will be sent after your counselling appointment and payment to be made on receipt of the invoice.

What is your cancellation policy?

I request 24 hours notice from the counselling appointment start time for cancellation, otherwise you may be charged the full fee.

How do I cancel or reschedule?

Please text me on 0418 583 240 to cancel. This ensures I receive it immediately and can confirm your cancellation.