Em Bassi
My journey in the helping profession began years ago in the disability and aged care fields. I moved to Australia in 2008, and once I felt that my English was good enough, I decided to become a counsellor and later a Gestalt therapist.
I chose this path because I wanted to understand more about myself, people, and our behaviours and feelings. Through my Gestalt training, I discovered the magic of being with others — of genuine contact.
I have worked as a counsellor in organisations supporting families involved in the child protection system, as well as with children and young people, women, and men. Domestic and family violence has become a common theme in my work, appearing in many forms and carrying diverse traumatic impacts. I support both those who have experienced violence and those who have used it, and I have found that complex trauma is often a shared underlying issue that requires care and attention.
I am passionate about social justice, community, relationships, and fostering a culture that allows individuals to be authentic. My personal struggles, along with the human suffering I have witnessed and supported throughout this journey called life, have drawn me toward these areas. I want my passions to be reflected in my work. I struggle with seeing how lonely and isolated people can feel — and how unnecessary that loneliness is, given that so many of us share similar experiences.
What I hope to offer those who come to see me is an opportunity to be heard, seen, and believed — a place where they can be themselves and explore their real needs, within a relationship and connection where humanness can unfold with its challenges, differences, and moments of magic.
My work is grounded in Gestalt Therapy, a relational, non-pathologising approach that focuses on how you experience your experience, and on what sometimes keeps you stuck in situations or patterns. Our past experiences with attachment figures shape who we are, our brains, and our ways of relating. Working with me offers a space to explore those experiences and move toward healing in a supportive way.
When words are not quite enough, we can work with the body — learning together how to listen to what is stored there. The body can often be more eloquent than words, and we don’t always pay attention to what it needs to say.
Whatever happens in session will always be discussed, contracted, and consented to.
With this background, I also provide professional supervision for practitioners who need to unpack their work with clients.
Much of human hurt comes from relationships — and it is only through relationships that it can be healed. I am committed to creating the ground for that supportive relationship with you.
Education
Masters of Gestalt Therapy; Gestalt Therapy Brisbane, 2021
Graduate Diploma of Gestalt Therapy; Gestalt Therapy Brisbane, 2019
Bachelor of Counselling; Australian College of Applied Psychology, 2018
Trainings
Gestalt Supervision, Gestalt Therapy Australia, 2025
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma Themes - level 1, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, 2024
Diploma in Psychopathology of the Situation in Gestalt Therapy, Istituto Gestalt HCC Italy, 2023
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Individuals | 50 minutes
$175 (GST inclusive)
Please note that, at present, my practice is mostly online.
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I am a clinical registrant with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and adhere to their code of ethics and practice guidelines.
Membership no. 28223
The Place Within operates on the land of the Yugarabul, Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal Peoples. We acknowledge these peoples as the traditional custodians of this land. We pay respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ wisdom, culture, dreaming and ongoing connection to Country. Sovereignty was never ceded.
We also recognise the strength and diversity of all marginalised communities, including LGBTQIA+ people, and are committed to fostering an inclusive, affirming space for all.
