WHO I AM
I am Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng, Founder of Aboriginal Women's Business Retreats, Sacred Ceremonials, the Soul Spirit and Mind Wellness Centre based in the ACT - a wellness centre focused on psychology-counselling, soul healing, providing meditation and relaxation sessions and training and doing ngungkari medicine and Reiki healing sessions.
I'm a Wakka Wakka and Wulli Wulli Traditional Custodian of Central Queensland, a grandmother, mother and at 67 yrs am an Elder in our First Nations traditions.
I am trained as a psychotherapist, social worker, psychologist and I have a PhD from the Australian National University in sacred leadership theory and how First Nations peoples develop 'sacred leaders'.
I have worked in the USA, Canada, Denmark, Mexico, India, France, UK and Italy as a consultant and conference keynote speaker, facilitating healing workshops and Women's Business Retreats.
I have worked in the Federal NSW and QLD governments in senior management, policy advisory roles and program management and have 50 years of work/career experience in my fields.
My psychotherapy practice SOUL SPIRIT MIND CENTRE is a whole person healing recovery space that focuses on family dysfunction recovery, especially generational trauma, violence, addiction and physical, sexual and emotional abuse. I specialise in spiritual and sacred soul recovery utilising Indigenous wisdom, meditation and relaxation techniques alongside psychology, counselling, hypnotherapy and other modalities that support wellness and recovery. See Services
SACRED CEREMONIES is a service I created to engage First Nations ceremonial practices for life events and to co-create these individual events for life events as special and sacred events for you and your family. This is a way to bridge the cultural divide and support healing and reconciliation. See services.
I am a Reiki Master Teacher and provide sessions for those who request these. I can also provide distance healing. Please visit the Services section for more information.
I do Indigenous Leadership Masterclasses for The Leadership Institute in major capital cities each year as part of the Indigenous Leadership Summits.
I have spent 25+ years working in academia as a University lecturer or Director of Aboriginal Education and currently teach in the School of Medicine and Pyshology at ANU Canberra.
NGUNGKARI MEDICINE
I offer sessions of traditional First Nations which is psycho/spiritual healing. Bookings for 60-90 min sessions either face to face in ACT/NSW or via sending. Please phone for this.
This medicine works on the psych-spiritual aspects of your being and then on the emotional, mental & physical aspects that follow a session.
You will experience wellness, calm, and deep relaxation as you ground yourself in your body & mind, and any blockages or illnesses will be addressed through this medicine. I have been working in Ngungkari medicine since a Ngungkari took me under their wing in the 1990s, and have greatly developed my gifts since.
Sessions usually last 1 hour or a bit longer and require a face-to-face visit. You can also ask me about sending medicine to you. Payment can be made via cash, credit card, or by offering a gift of similar value.
COUNSELLING
THERAPY
I am a trained psychotherapist with a practice in Canberra.
I specialise in Indigenous methods and utilise an eclectic mix of counselling methodologies. My areas include recovery from abuse, violence & addiction in family therapy contexts, interventions, and counselling for abuse & addiction recovery.
I am a member of AASW and the APS in Australia. I have postgraduate degrees in social work and psychology, and am currently studying hypnotherapy and NLP. I have a PhD from the Australian National University and currently teach Indigenous Health in the School of Medicine and Psychology.
I trained as a psychotherapist in Non-Shaming Therapy at Rosemead Hospital in Los Angeles under the guidance of the John Bradshaw Centre for use in family generational recovery from issues such as childhood sexual abuse and family violence recovery. I have community development experience in generational trauma recovery in First Nations communities in Australia.
I volunteer my time at FIRDA, providing long-term recovery and therapy for First Nations people who suffered child sexual abuse.
SACRED CEREMONIALS
Creation and participation in ceremonials designed with you around developmental transitions in life where ritual is so important emotionally, culturally and spiritually to growth and development as a human.
Using our First Nations knowledge we will co-create and co-design your ceremony with you or your group.
I am a senior cultural leader and teacher of my traditions. I was adopted into an Anangu cultural family, from which I have been engaging in ceremony for over 40 years with permission.
