Nicole Kinnaird

Nicole graduated as a Diplomate from ANZPOP in 2012 and has been working in counselling roles since 1997.

Nicole works in private practice in Brisbane and via Zoom and offers sessions to individuals of all ages, couples, and families encountering a wide range of problems and challenges. 

Since synchonistically ‘discovering’ the gravesite of her Ancestors during WorldWork in 2006, onsite at Collaroy, in Sydney, Australia, Nicole’s special interest area emerged – exploring Ancestry and connection/disconnection with ourselves, others, the land and our environments.

She enjoys facilitating group work and also writing on this topic of Ancestry – looking at patterns we may still be carrying, asking and exploring together Who are we? Where do we come from? And why it’s important to know. Nicole’s Process Work thesis, Deep Democracy in the Australian Context – A Personal Journey with Ancestory explores these themes.

As a young Social Worker in counselling roles in the late 90’s, I quickly realised the importance of the body and working creatively for myself and the people I was working with. I then studied Remedial Massage and continued to explore many creative and play based therapeutic modalities. This path of exploration continued and led me to Process Work in 2002, where I experienced a feeling of ‘coming home’ and completeness. What a relief and wonder it continues to be for me to value and find meaning in our disturbances, ‘all sides’ of issues and all states of being (including dreams, body symptoms and altered states)! To trust and follow emerging information rather than ‘needing to know’ continues to inspire me in all aspects of my life.

Current ‘projects’ and passions

As a mother to two high-school-aged daughters – so in many ways, relationship and Motherhood are Nicole’s main ongoing ‘projects’.

Aside from Ancestry, Nicole is also particularly interested in the themes of Connection and Connecting to self, others, Nature, and really close to her heart is intercultural connectivity and healing. 

In 2014, Nicole and her partner Andrew Lindsay and another couple were asked by Aboriginal Elder Miriam Rose Ungunmerr to support the establishment and ongoing organisation of the popular and important Cultural Connection Tours to Naiuyu, Daly River region NT. The tours provide an opportunity for people to connect deeply with themselves as well as with the local people living in Naiuyu, the aboriginal culture of the area, and Country. 

Miriam’s teachings on dadirri have been widely appreciated and respected and it has been an honour and great gift for Nicole’s family to be involved in supporting this tour and community since 2014. This is an ongoing, ever-deepening connection that will continue for many years to come.

You can find out more about dadirri in this short 3-minute video clip.