Support for
veterans,
first responders
and emergency services.
Peer mentoring and coaching designed for those who have served. I provide a safe space for you to navigate the unique challenges of service life.
I'm a peer mentor with a background in the Australian Army, Western Australian Police, and St John Ambulance. I work with veterans and first responders who are navigating life in, or after, the job — whether that's managing the weight of the work, adjusting to life outside it, or just feeling like something's off. I offer a straight conversation with someone who's actually been there — not a textbook.
I also work with people from all walks of life who are working through difficult experiences, stress, or transition, and want the same kind of honest, practical support.
About Lynda
Service history
I spent seven years in the Australian Army as a Lance Corporal, deploying on overseas operations and exercises within Australia, followed by five years with WA Police as a Detective Constable, working regional general duties and later the State Intelligence Division, and three years with St John Ambulance.
Across those fifteen years, I saw firsthand what this work asks of people, and what it can quietly cost them. I'm not approaching peer mentoring as an outsider trying to understand the culture. I've lived it — from the country station to the city, on the road and behind the desk.
Qualifications
I'm currently in my final year of a Bachelor of Psychological Science and Counselling degree at the Australian College of Applied Professions, nearing completion of my qualifications for registration as a counsellor, expected in late 2026. From there, I intend to continue my studies toward registration as a psychologist. I'll always be upfront about what I can offer at each stage of that journey, and when something might call for additional clinical support. I work under supervision as part of my studies and am committed to ongoing professional development in this space.
I also have a particular interest in working with people who have experienced trauma, including those living with PTSD. I engage in specialist supervision in this area, to ensure I'm equipped to support clients well and to recognise when something calls for additional clinical care.
Why this work
I spent fifteen years across the Army, WA Police, and St John Ambulance, and the thing that stuck with me was the gap in the support that existed, and how it didn't really fit the people who needed it. It felt clinical, or it came with strings attached — being on record, being seen differently by the people you worked with.
I know that hesitation firsthand. There were times I didn't want to talk either — not because I didn't need to, but because of the culture. You don't want to be the one who's "not coping." You don't want it getting back to the people you work with. So you push it down and keep going, like everyone else does.
I wished, back then, that there was someone who'd actually walked the same ground I had — not a textbook, not a brochure, just someone who got it without needing it explained. That's the gap I'm trying to fill now.
If you walk away from working with me having felt truly understood, maybe for the first time in a while, then I've done what I set out to do.
I work under clinical supervision to ensure I am providing the best possible support. This is standard practice for anyone working in this field, and something I take seriously.
Services
Peer Mentoring & Coaching for Veterans, First Responders & Emergency Services.
A 60-minute session, available in person in Joondalup or via Zoom.
You've served - in the military, police, ambulance, or emergency services - and now something's off. Maybe you're finding it hard to switch off, feel disconnected from the people around you, or aren't quite sure who you are outside the job. This is a space to talk it through with someone who's actually been there - whether you're working through the day-to-day weight of it, navigating a transition, or figuring out what comes next.
Open to veterans, first responders, emergency services personnel
and their families.
General Support & Coaching
A 60-minute support and coaching session, available in person in Joondalup or via Zoom.
Whether you're working through the impact of a difficult life experience, navigating a transition, or dealing with stress or burnout, this is a space to talk things through with someone who'll listen properly and won't hand you a worksheet.
While my particular background and experience is with veterans and first responders, I also welcome referrals from the general population — you don't need a service history to work with me.
What we might
work on together.
Living with the weight of trauma or PTSD
Always switched on Scanning the room. Back to the wall. Noticing every exit. Your body learned to do this for good reason — it kept you safe on the job. The trouble is, it doesn't always know when to stand down. We work on helping your nervous system tell the difference between "on the job" and "at home."
Sleep that doesn't actually rest you Struggling to switch off at night, waking at 3am for no reason, or dreaming things you'd rather not remember. This affects everything else, so it's often one of the first things we look at.
Feeling flat, or a bit checked out Going through the motions, or struggling to feel close to people who matter to you. This isn't a character flaw — it's often your system's way of coping with more than it could process at the time.
Drinking or using something to cope A few too many after a shift, or something to switch the brain off. It's common, it's understandable, and it's not something I'll judge — but it's often worth a closer look together.
The weight of things you did, or didn't do Sometimes the heaviest thing isn't fear — it's guilt. This is sometimes called moral injury, and it's different from fear-based trauma. It deserves proper attention, and it's an area I have real experience supporting people through.
Carrying grief you haven't quite named The loss of a mate, your health, your career, or the version of yourself before all this. It's still grief, even if no funeral marked it.
Feeling let down by the system, not just the incident Sometimes what stays with people isn't just what happened on the job — it's how they were treated afterwards. If that's part of your story, it's welcome here too.
The people around you are carrying this too Partners, kids, and close mates often feel the ripple effects. If your family needs support too, we can talk about what that might look like.
Navigating life, transition, and what comes next.
Transition Leaving the job — by choice, medical discharge, or because it was just time — is rarely as simple as clearing out your locker. One day you're part of something bigger than yourself, with structure, purpose, and people who get it without explanation. The next, you're figuring out what a Tuesday even looks like. We work through what this shift actually feels like, and start building direction for what comes next.
Stress and burnout Maybe you're still in the job and running on empty. Maybe you've been pushing through so long that "fine" is just the word you use so no one asks twice. We look at what's actually driving it — not just the symptoms — and work out a way of operating that doesn't cost you everything else.
Short fuse, or worse Snapping at your partner over nothing, or anger that scares you. Whatever end of that spectrum you're on, there's usually something underneath it worth understanding.
Getting pulled back into the past A smell, a sound, a certain kind of day — and suddenly you're not here anymore, you're there. We work on ways to bring you back to the present when this happens.
Avoiding what stirs it up Steering clear of places, people, or conversations that hit too close. Makes sense — but it can slowly shrink your world if it goes unchecked. We work through this gently, at your pace.
Not trusting easily — including this If systems or people who were supposed to have your back let you down, it's reasonable that trust doesn't come easy. You don't need to trust me on day one. We build that over time.
Career and purpose When the job gave you a clear sense of what mattered each day, walking away can leave a real gap. We work through what actually matters to you — not just what looks good on paper — and figure out a direction that feels like yours.
Relationships The job doesn't just take hours — it takes a piece of you home each day, and the people closest to you feel that, even if they don't always say it. We work on reconnecting, in ways that feel realistic.
Identity If you've spent years being defined by a role — the rank, the badge, the job — it's a fair question to ask: who am I without it? We work out what still matters to you underneath all of that.