My Story, Welcome Home: A Journey Through Transpersonal Counseling

Hi there!

I am Nicole Vella, founder of Expressive Freedom counseling. I just wanted to take the first journal entry to just introduce myself.

I have been interested in psychology and spirituality from a young age and as it does for some, life took it on its own course and I moved to Australia halfway through my schooling at 17 and started working and at that time didn’t look back.

At 29, I started working at a psychology practice and the practitioners and some of our clients there lit up a spark in me by saying that I should become a psychologist.

At that time my mindset was one of lack and it seemed too out of reach, that it was too late for me to start studying at that age as well as support a household. Feelings of “who am I” to heal others (this will be covered in coming entries hint no one needs healing, just guidance and the recognition of your beauty and strength within) took over and I again swept my authentic self under the carpet!

I ignored the invitation calling out to me and in the months that followed, I always had a happy facade but internally I was retreating. I reached into the depths of fitness, mental and physical mindset development and this arena was very much about training hard, hustling and doing the work! I owned it and distanced myself. Not only from my husband then but it was also from myself.

Over the next two years I went through my version of a spiritual crisis and in that time left my husband, home and challenged my personal beliefs.

It was a very big catapult into finding who I am amongst all the years I had led on autopilot, in major people pleasing mode. A chance encounter on a plane led me to a beautiful mentor and I enrolled in a spiritual community!

Then came lockdown in Victoria and it was the most beautiful time of opening and exploration for me, personally. I finally had time to myself, time to ask questions, journal, meditate and invite spiritual practices that cracked me open.

Throughout this time I was still yearning and searching for something, knowing that I wanted to help people but still feeling as though it was out of reach for me. After counselling sessions and a 1:1 mentorship seeking clarity, I made a promise that year that I would follow through on my core desire mad finally enrolled into transpersonal counselling a few months later!

What sensations came over me then, it was incredible! Even though I had not yet started, it was so aligned and, at that time a big personal achievement. I had come to realise that it was clarity, direction and purpose that I was searching for and without the help I received, I could still be looping in my own thoughts.

I feel as though I will touch on the benefits of having clarity, direction and purpose in another entry as without these we may have the best intentions but can feel so lost, spiralling us into thought patterns that aren’t really aligned with our true self.

Courage requires vulnerability and I found facing a fear of not being good enough or young enough the best cure, but not from a cognitive perspective, deeper into my body and deeper again into my heart and soul.

I am, at this moment finished from my theoretical studies and and I have not only learnt more about the human psyche, somatics, our nervous system and how our diverse our perspectives are but also so much about myself in the process.

The last three years for me have been a journey of self and spiritual recognition as well as professional development.

I look forward to being in a position where I can help others realise the potentials that they already have within them and move with an aligned sense of purpose towards greater joy!

We all come into this point of our lives with a story and I would love to hear yours 😊

How we tell that story can make all the difference in our ability to find meaning in our experience ❤️