Our Team

  • Ashton Hayes (she/her)

    Director and Principal Therapist

    Ashton is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker who is passionate about providing mental health support with a collaborative and non-judgemental approach.

    She has a special interest in trauma and works with each of her clients to create a safe and positive therapeutic experience.

    Ashton works with adults as individuals and with couples.

    Ashton is also offers support to helping professionals specialising in mental health accreditation as well as supervision, training and consultation.

    Qualifications: Bachelor of Social Work (Hons); Master of Criminology & Criminal Justice; Approved Medicare Provider

    Modalities: EMDR; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), DBT, ACT, Gottman Level 1; Trauma Informed

    Availability:

    Ashton is available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

  • Emma Shearer (she/her)

    Accredited Mental Health Social Worker;

    Emma understands that seeking support can be a daunting process, as an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker she is passionate about creating a safe space for her clients to feel supported through her authentic and inclusive approach.

    Emma has experience working with children, adolescents and young adults. She has worked in schools and has a deep understanding of the challenges children and young people experience during this time.

    Emma works in collaboration with her clients to explore their experiences and develops plans that are specific to their needs. She is passionate about the areas of mental health, self-esteem, identity and behavior.

    Qualifications: Bachelor of Human Services; Master of Social Work; Approved Medicare Provider

    Modalities: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

    Availability:

    Emma is available on Fridays at Willowtree in Albury and online by request

Our Supervision Team

  • Alys McLennan (she/her)

    Clinical Supervisor; AMHSW; Yoga Teacher;

    Alys is a clinical supervisor with Willowtree Wellbeing EAP. She is an experienced practitioner and has a passion for promoting best practice and advocacy with a strong focus on client centered wellbeing within supervision relationships.

    Alys has over a decade of experience working in hospitals, NGOs and private practices and has gained a multi-layered perspective of client healing and practitioner support from acute crisis through to longer term therapeutic support. Alys believes that for practitioners “to do our best we must also feel our best, so self-care and self-reflection are a must.”

    Qualifications: BScience (Psychology); PGDip & Master Social Health & Counselling; Master Social Work (Qualifying)

    Modalities: Trauma Informed Yoga therapy; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mind Body approaches; Trauma informed care;

    Availability:

    Alys is based in NSW and available to provide online services across Australia

  • Nicole Staats (she/her)

    Clinical Supervisor; AMHSW

    Nicole is clinical supervisor with Willowtree Wellbeing EAP ( and is a highly experienced trauma counsellor to victim/survivors of childhood trauma, sexual abuse and domestic and family violence and committed to the safety and protection of children where domestic and family violence is occurring. She is highly skilled in advocating and supporting clients to navigate child protection and family law systems. Nicole is passionate about providing safe, inclusive and empowering spaces for those she serves.

    Qualifications: Bachelor of Social Work

    Availability:

    Nicole is based in NSW and available to provide online services across Australia

  • Cassandra Gavel (she/her)

    Clinical Supervisor; AMHSW

    Cassandra is a clinical supervisor with Willowtree Wellbeing EAP. She is an experienced mental health clinician and supervisor with experience in both Australia and the UK working with victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, and adolescents leaving the foster care system. She is also experienced in working with people with eating disorders and is an ANZAED credentialed therapist.

    Qualifications: Bachelor of Social Work; ANZAED Credentialied Therapist

    Availability:

    Cassandra is based in NSW and available to provide online services across Australia

  • Joy Herman (she/her)

    Clinical Supervisor; AMHSW

    Joy is a warm and compassionate social worker who aims to create a safe space for every supervisee to engage in reflective practice. Joy is passionate about supervision being a space for reflection; on practice and how this interacts with an individual’s life experiences.

    Joy has fifteen years’ experience as a social worker including experience in the homelessness and mental health sectors and with clients involved in the criminal justice system.

    Joy is passionate about applying trauma informed principles to the work she does and has a special interest in attachment, relational and developmental trauma.

    Joy provides both individual and group supervision.

    Qualifications: Bachelor of Social Work

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    Availability:

    Joy is based in Victoria available to provide online services across Australia

  • Sasha Adams (she/her)

    Clinical Supervisor, Social Worker

    Sasha is an experienced Accredited Social Worker and Clinical Supervisor in QLD. She has experience working with adults and young people, including in the context of family and relationship counselling. Sasha has a particular interest in attachment and neurobiology, and is passionate about providing a collaborative and reflective space for supervision

    Qualifications: Bachelor of Social Work

    Availability:

    Sasha is based in QLD and is available to provide online services across Australia