“Rod is a deeply caring person who sees far beneath the surface of others. When speaking with Rod, my words have never been met with judgment, and his response is always thoughtful and full of wisdom.”
Lisa from Eastern
Suburbs of Sydney
About Rod
Rod is an inspired leader and mentor, with a distinguished 30-year professional career. He brings wisdom, warmth and maturity to his work with our clients.
Rod offers both individual and relationship counselling in person in Wollongong, as well as having many clients in Sydney and beyond.
For personal therapy work, Rod’s methodology is a client-centred (Rogerian) approach, where he works from where you find yourself right now, with your personal concerns and goals front and centre of each session. For marriage counselling, Rod ensures both parties have a voice in the process, so that everyone benefits.
As appropriate to the situation, Rod’s methodology draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Integrative Psychotherapy (Schema Therapy) - which includes elements from psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and the Internal Family Systems model. For more in-depth work, Rod includes Jungian theory and dream analysis to help clients find wholeness in life.
From a career-mentoring perspective, Rod draws upon decades of experience as a business owner, educator, and workplace relations expert. Before becoming a counsellor, Rod was the managing partner of a mid-sized Sydney law firm. In that role, he was responsible for organisational culture, the mentoring and training staff, and he provided training on all aspect of workplace culture to numerous business clients.
Outside of his professional work, Rod enjoys overseas travel with his wife, friendship gatherings around good food and whisky, amateur astronomy, live theatre and reading. He is also kept busy with his 6 adult children and 3 dogs!
Testimonials
Note – Except in the case of professional referees, the names and specific locations of those giving testimonials has been changed for privacy reasons.
“Rod is a gifted communicator with the ability to get to the heart of any matter. His relational approach builds trust, being grounded in empathy and the ability to listen.
Rod demonstrates an understanding of life from personal experience and has particular skills as a trauma informed counsellor. As someone who has experienced parental alienation and enforced separation from my children, Rod has been a lifeline enabling me to process feelings of grief and loneliness whilst helping me find a way to reconnect with my extended family.
I can testify that Rod’s positive outlook focuses on personal growth and the road to healing.”
Rajendra from the Northern Beaches
"I have always found Rod to be a genuinely empathetic person and a great listener. I’ve always appreciated the way he takes the time to understand the core of a problem. His advice is incredibly clear and often jumps a few layers of insight, making our conversations deeply valuable for getting clarity.”
Michael from the Illawarra NSW
“Navigating my son’s gender dysphoria has been one of the most emotionally complex and important journeys of my life. Throughout this process, Rod’s guidance has been invaluable. His calm, grounded approach created a safe space for me to explore my own feelings while staying focused on what my son truly needed.
Rod offered practical strategies, thoughtful perspective, and compassionate reassurance at every step. He never rushed the process; instead, he helped me build confidence in supporting my son with empathy, clarity, and respect. His ability to balance professional insight with genuine human understanding made an enormous difference during a time that felt overwhelming.
I’m deeply grateful for Rod’s support. His advice has strengthened my relationship with my son and helped me approach this journey with openness and love. I would wholeheartedly recommend Rod to anyone seeking guidance through challenging family dynamics or identity-related transitions”.
Martin from Southern Highlands NSW
“For over 27 years, I have had the opportunity to walk various paths with Rod, as his colleague, employee, friend, and a mentee. In each of these roles, I have found Rod to be intelligent, thoughtful, strategic, and kind. Rod is a problem solver, but he is also a collaborator, who works with others to find solutions. A proven teacher, lawyer, and businessman, he draws on these skills in his role as therapist and mentor. What sets Rod apart from others is his authenticity and a true desire to help others succeed and overcome obstacles. I am grateful to continue to be able to call on Rod for his assistance and to benefit from his professionalism and guidance.”
Louise Cassar
Senior Lawyer | Specialising in Family Law
Unified Lawyers of Sydney CBD
“Despite the pressing demands of his work as the managing partner at a successful commercial firm, Rod was my mentor and guide when I was a young paralegal. I was always impressed by his ability to carve out time from his busy day for the people in his team. He did not let the pressure of legal practice wear down his relaxed and cheerful attitude towards any of his staff, but in fact took the pressure off all of us by remaining a calm-headed, even hand on the till. I owe much Rod in understanding the emotional and human qualities that can make even a high-pressure environment a rewarding one.”