About Me

Welcome, I’m Tristan

To be real, and to be loved and known for who we really are, is one of our deepest human longings. But the world we meet can teach us that we are not okay as we are. We react by denying and criticising ourselves. We construct a sense of ourselves based on false beliefs around our self-worth and value in the world. We disconnect. We lose our voice. We lose our way.

Many of us are unaware of how our patterns and beliefs relate to past trauma, and of how the relationships we have as adults with our self and others are often a reflection of those past experiences.

Feeling stuck, disconnected and never good enough is painful – and we can feel painfully alone.

This is where I can help you.

We are wired to heal, but sometimes we need caring and supportive emotional accompaniment to feel safe to show up and be our whole selves.

My job is not to “fix” you, but to empower you to connect with your inner resources, heal the parts bound in toxic shame and self-denial, learn to express your true needs and feelings, and to recover your authenticity and vitality.

My intention is to honour your unique voice, what causes you pain and what lights you up. My commitment is to walk alongside you every step of the way.

I’m Tristan, let’s chat

How I Work

I work collaboratively with you to find ways forward that best meet your own unique challenges and goals.

My approach to therapy is warm and non-judgemental, drawing on relational, experiential and emotion-based models which form the foundation for helping people to connect with themselves and others in new ways – ways in which people describe feeling more real and alive.

Emotion-centred

“Your own emotions are the key to your recovery.”
Karla McLaren

I have learned through years of self-discovery and working with clients that transformational change and wellbeing stem from connecting with our true feelings. Emotions are our internal compass – the foundation of our vitality, values, and compassion. Deepening connection with our emotions allows us to appreciate our uniqueness, act on our own behalf when facing life challenges, and create an authentic life.

Experiential

“You’re not trying to figure it out, you’re trying to enter into what’s there.”
Eugene Peterson

When we suppress or avoid feelings, they don’t go away. Instead, they get stored in our bodies, and can lead us to feel triggered without knowing why. Thinking about feelings is different to feeling our feelings (connecting bodily with our feelings). Healing involves feeling what is there to untangle emotional experiences and rewrite old stories, allowing new possibilities to open up and a renewed sense of vitality and aliveness to emerge.

Relational

“Our ‘true self’ emerges by fully experiencing and processing our emotions in the presence of a ‘true other’.”
Diana Fosha

We are wired to heal, but change can be daunting, and sometimes we need a steady and caring “true other” to accompany us through the process. Through authentic and intuitive connection, I create space for what previously felt too overwhelming. By honouring your experience in a way that feels safe and supported, you can begin to trust yourself and develop the confidence to handle whatever comes your way in life.
about-tristan-stein-psychologist-for-adults-adolescents

Guiding Principles

Like you, I am living, feeling, and learning from my human experiences. I have experienced trauma, hardship, transformation and healing. I am deeply inspired by clients, and it is always a privilege to witness them create more connected and fulfilling lives. I am also forever grateful to the “true others” in my own life who have supported me to find my unique voice, and who believed in me.

I do…

Invite human-ness and being real
Prioritise your sense of safety and connection
Know you have the capacity to heal, however broken you feel
Believe there are untapped resources and capacities within you waiting to be uncovered
Honour the wonder and joy, as well as the pain
Work with approaches that focus on the body/brain connection
Commit to my own growth, through ongoing professional and personal development

I don’t…

Focus on labels or pathologising you for the creative ways you learned to cope
Believe in Band-aid fixes
Adopt a “neutral” stance
Favour a manualised, one-size-fits-all approach
Tell you what you “should” be doing
Position myself as an “expert” on you – our work together is a collaboration
Believe you need to be “fixed” – you’re not broken, you’re human

Education

M.A. Counselling & Psychotherapy
M.A. Arts
B.A. Law
B.A. Arts

Associations

PACFA: Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (Clinical Member, Registered Clinical Counsellor®)

ARCAP: The Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (Clinical Member)

AEDP Institute: Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy Institute

Advanced Training

I regularly participate in clinical supervision, consultation groups, and postgraduate training and workshops. I am committed to your emotional wellbeing, and my own. My undertaking to you is that I will keep growing and developing professionally and personally.