Chelsea Avnell (Founder/Counsellor)

A smiling woman with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a red and blue striped sweater, stands in a well-lit room with a white door, a TV, and a tall vase with dried decorative branches in the background.

(ACA Registered Counsellor, BPsychSc, DipCouns, GradCertYouthCouns)

Hi, I’m Chelsea, founder of Changing Tides Youth Counselling. I created Changing Tides to offer young people counselling that feels genuine, thoughtful and useful — a place where they can make sense of what is happening without feeling like they are simply a problem to be solved.

I’m a registered counsellor and hold a Bachelor of Psychological Science, Diploma of Counselling and Graduate Certificate in Child and Youth Counselling. I have over eight years of experience working with children, adolescents and families across counselling, youth mental health, early intervention, group programs, youth work and complex case management.

Over the years, I have supported young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, emotional dysregulation, anger and impulsivity, neurodivergence, family and relationship difficulties, grief, school challenges, self-esteem concerns and periods of significant change or distress.

One of the things my work has taught me is that behaviour often makes more sense when we understand what sits underneath it. I work collaboratively with young people to help them better understand their experiences, build practical coping skills and find ways forward that feel meaningful to them.

I also work with parents and carers, helping them better understand what may be happening for their young person, strengthen communication and identify practical ways to support them at home.

At Changing Tides, I believe difficult periods do not have to stay the same forever. Sometimes understanding what is happening — and having the right support while you move through it — can be the beginning of things feeling different.