A little bit about us,
UpBeat Health and Wellbeing is an organisation that is committed to offering our clients access to therapies and services aligning with the latest evidence-base for people who have experienced trauma of any degree in their lifetimes. Trauma-informed therapeutic interventions are additionally suitable for neurodiverse clients due to a number of shared symptoms. These are our two specialty areas, however we find that anyone can benefit from the practices we offer.
We work with adults, adolescents, children, individuals, and couples to help them live a fulfilling life full of meaning and meet their healing goals. All our services rely on genuinely positive professional relationships with our incredible staff that is founded on trust and safety, that is why we strive to centre your voice at every stage.
Each program and therapy modality available has been lovingly added to our organisation to expand our accessible and holistic approach. As a neurodiverse owned and run organisation, we understand that generalist talk therapies work well for some and not for others. Unfortunately, not every therapist has been trained to understand the nuances of trauma presentations and treatment, nor how to work in an accessible way for neurodiverse people who are autistic, ADHD, or have an intellectual difference. We have. That is why UpBeat Health and Wellbeing is different.
UpBeat Health and Wellbeing focuses on increasing client’s self-expression, mindfulness, body-awareness, increasing positive relationships and community connections, memory and emotion processing, and behavioural change. This all supports the increased wellbeing and healing of clients from a holistic and strengths-based lens.
A little backstory,
UpBeat Health and Wellbeing was established in 2020 by Rebecca Sloan, a proud neurodiverse Aboriginal woman who recognised that the mental health and disability sector could be improved after working in the sector for many years. With a greater holistic vision aiming to reinvent what mental healthcare could look like, she actioned it into reality and UpBeat Health and Wellbeing was born.
Originally the organisation existed for individuals with diverse and complex needs to co-create a care plan to access a combination of psychosocial support work, recovery coaching, art therapy, yoga programs, case management, and more. Clients could seek respite care, go on excursions with staff members, and create meaningful memories while reaching their goals. As the organisation expanded, a community hub was created in Northcote to support the needs of clients. It boasts a large kitchen, living space, courtyard, art therapy room, programs room, music room, and multiple respite rooms for overnight stays. It was a large success that reduced the clinical and impersonal nature of mental health care provision and replaced it with tailored community. It is a holistic support system that still exists in this form today. Currently we are not taking on any more clients seeking support services through their NDIS plans.
UpBeat Health and Wellbeing moved towards clinical therapy practice as a way to bring our values and unique approach to a broader audience. Our choice to offer trauma-informed and neurodiversity-positivity counselling, psychotherapy, sexology, behaviour therapy, and psychology services has been met by the community with great enthusiasm. It is a necessary addition to Melbourne that did not exist previously for privately paying clients.
