Counselling in Fremantle – Somatic & Mindfulness-Based Therapy

Passionate about helping you overcome the obstacles in your life, to discover your joy and live your life to the full.

Therapy that works with mind, body & unconscious patterns

I offer counselling and psychotherapy for anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties. To embark on meaningful personal growth. My approach combines somatic psychotherapy, mindfulness and careful therapeutic inquiry to help you work with patterns that may feel deeply ingrained, automatic, or hard to shift through insight alone.

Many people who come to do counselling with me are thoughtful and self-aware.  They understand their patterns. They can explain their history.

Yet something still feels unresolved.
You might recognise some of these experiences:

Lingering Anxiety
Automatic reactions that keep taking over
Relationship patterns which repeat themselves
A nervous system never quite settles
A sense of feeling stuck, despite years of reflection or inner work

Somatic psychotherapy works directly with the deeper patterns at the root of these issues.

At Uplift Counselling in Fremantle, I offer somatic psychotherapy and mindfulness-based therapy grounded in the Hakomi Method. This body-mind approach that works not only with thoughts and insight, but also with the deeper patterns held in the nervous system.

The aim is not only to understand what is happening, but to support change at a deeper level, with more steadiness, awareness and choice in how you respond to life.

You’re welcome to get in touch to book a session or arrange a brief introductory call.

When patterns live in the body

Life experiences – especially trauma and chronic stress – don’t just live in memory. They leave imprints in the body. In the nervous system. In the way emotions move – or stay unresolved.

Over time, these patterns become automatic. Protective. Familiar. You may know exactly why you react the way you do, yet still find the old response keeps happening.

In our work together, we slow things down. Through mindfulness and somatic awareness, we to gently explore those patterns as they show up in the present moment. As old experiences are processed and integrated, people often find there is:

More space. 
More steadiness. 
More choice in how you respond.

This work isn’t about fixing you.  It’s about helping you access what’s already there — your capacity for regulation, clarity, resilience and growth.

Some people come because they’re in pain.  Others come because they sense there is more available to them — more depth, more presence, more ease in relationships. This work supports both.

Counselling that works with your nervous system — not just your thoughts

Many forms of therapy focus mainly on thoughts, interpretations and coping strategies. That can be helpful. But for many people, it doesn’t reach the deeper emotional and physiological patterns driving distress.

As one client put it:

“I’ve gone to a fair few counsellors, therapists and coaches in my time. This process feels transformational on a much deeper level. It feels like I’m actively healing psychological wounds.”

Somatic therapy works differently:

We slow down. 
We become present. 
We notice what your body is already holding.

Through mindfulness and gentle inquiry, you learn how to:

Regulate your nervous system 
Work safely with trauma responses 
Build emotional regulation skills 
Shift patterns that feel automatic 
Develop real, embodied self-awareness

This isn’t about fighting thoughts with more thoughts.  It’s about learning to meet your experience directly – and allowing change to happen from the inside out.

Counselling for depression, anxiety, relationships & personal growth

I work with people expereinceing:

Depression and low mood 
Anxiety and chronic stress 
Trauma and unresolved past experiences 
Relationship difficulties 
Couples Counselling
Life transitions 
A sense of being “stuck”  in old patterns
A desire for deeper personal growth
Building mindfulness, presence and self-understanding

View All Counselling Services.

How I work: Mindfulness Based Somatic Psychotherapy in Fremantle

Mindfulness isn’t an buzzword here — it’s central to how I work.

We use mindfulness to slow things down, to notice what’s happening in the body and emotions, and to crate more space to respond rather than react. Over time, this builds emotional regulation and steadiness in challenging situations.

Somatic psychotherapy (Hakomi) takes this further. It gently explores how core beliefs and protective patterns formed – often early in life – and how they continue to shape your reactions today. When these patterns are brought into awareness safely, they can begin to shift.

Some people benefit from brief, focused work — learning practical tools to manage stress and navigate immediate challenges. Others want deeper psychotherapy that works with long-standing patterns.

The approach is tailored to you.

My work may integrate:

Mindfulness training (relaxation skills) 
Emotional regulation skills 
Psychoeducation 
Trauma-informed somatic psychotherapy
Acceptance Commitment Therapy tools: 3rd wave CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)

Testimonials – What makes this different?

Hakomi-based psychotherapy is experiential. It works in the present moment. It integrates mindfulness, somatic awareness and gentle exploration of beliefs and patterns.

Clients often describe this work as deeper, more experiential and more transformational than approaches that stay mainly at the level of talking and analysis.

“If you have that feeling of being ‘stuck’ and trauma that doesn’t seem to get resolution through standard counselling, somatic therapy is the next best step. The freedom, peace and strength that is beginning to develop is remarkable.”  — Collette

“Since my first session 4 months ago I feel like a different person.”  — Jay

“Very dedicated to his work and also very knowledgeable… I’m absolutely stoked to have found him!”  — Torben

“For me I was not depressed but wanted to work on things to make my life better… Every time without fail, with just one session I have broken through. I could not recommend Ajay more highly.”  — Mark

About Ajay Hawkes – Somatic Psychotherapist in Fremantle

I’ve spent much of my life engaged in meditation and personal development practice. Since 1995, I’ve trained in a range of therapeutic and contemplative modalities, including somatic psychotherapy and mindfulness-based approaches.

I am a Certified Somatic Psychotherapist trained in the Hakomi Method, and I hold a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work. I’m also recognised by Medicare as an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker. I continue my own practice and professional supervision to ensure the quality of my work.

I believe it matters that a therapist has real experience of the practices they offer. My aim is to provide a warm, steady and thoughtful space where difficult experiences can be explored safely, and meaningful change can unfold.

Based in Fremantle, I work with people locally and across the wider Perth metro area.

Medicare rebates and online counselling

If you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, you may be eligible for Medicare rebates for sessions.

I also offer online counselling for people across Perth and Australia.

Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Quote of the Week

“A mistake is not a failure, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying.”
– B. F. Skinner

Interpretation

We often beat ourselves up for our mistakes… the big ones, the small ones and the imagined ones. Telling ourselves that the mistake means that we are a failure, or not good enough as people.

Mistakes are how we learn, it’s through trying new things, and making mistakes as we learn how to do them that we innovate and discover new things. Very often a mistake is a necessary step on the way to getting it right. It was the best we knew how to do at the time! So if we stop trying that would be a real failure, as we won’t be able to learn and improve from the mistake.

It’s important to learn to be kind to yourself when you make a mistake, to say a friendly goodbye to the inner critic. Perhaps take stock, pause and rest. In that pause, digest what happened allowing yourself to understand what went wrong. Then try again. Give yourself permission to get things wrong, even to treat it more as a game, as children do, then you can have fun learning.

Learn how being mindful helps with painful emotions

Ready to Take the First Step?

If you’re ready to begin, you can book a session or request a brief introductory call.

Choosing the right therapist matters. If you’d like to see whether this approach feels right for you, you’re welcome to book a session or arrange a brief introductory call.

Based in Fremantle and working with clients across Perth, I offer somatic psychotherapy and mindfulness-based counselling for people seeking not only relief from distress, but deeper and more lasting change.

We use carbon offsetting for an ethical approach to Counselling in Fremantle