Hello, I’m Brenda, the founder of Forge Ahead Counselling. With 24 years of experience as an emergency nurse, I’ve spent much of my life on the frontlines of healthcare, supporting people through some of their most vulnerable moments. This work has given me a deep understanding of the emotional, physical, and mental load carried by frontline workers, health professionals, and first responders.
Alongside my nursing career, I am a trained counsellor with qualifications in both counselling and psychology. My professional background, combined with my lived experience as a mother of five, has shaped my understanding of the complex balance between work, family, identity, and self‑care. I’ve seen firsthand how compassion fatigue, burnout, stress, anxiety and trauma can affect not only those who serve others, but anyone navigating the pressures of modern life.
Through Forge Ahead Counselling, I offer a safe, steady, and supportive space for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or stretched beyond their capacity — whether you’re a frontline worker, a parent, a carer, a professional under pressure, or someone simply trying to find your footing again.
My approach is holistic and person‑centred. I recognise the strength it takes to keep going when life feels heavy, and the importance of nurturing your own mental and emotional wellbeing. I work collaboratively with you to build resilience, restore balance, and support your recovery — one grounded, compassionate step at a time.
Whether you’re experiencing burnout, stress, anxiety, health anxiety, emotional overload, major life transitions, or the emotional weight of caring for others, I’m here to offer tailored strategies, practical tools, and a space where you don’t have to carry it all alone. Together, we can work toward feeling more grounded, connected, and supported as you move forward.
I look forward to walking alongside you as you forge a path toward steadiness, self‑care, and renewal.

I offer integrative counselling, which means I draw from a range of evidence‑based therapeutic approaches and shape each session around what you need most. Rather than fitting you into a model, I tailor the therapy to your goals, your pace, and your lived experience.
My work blends several therapy modalities, including:
Every person arrives with different experiences, capacities, and hopes. Your sessions are tailored to:
Some sessions may be reflective and exploratory; others may be practical and skills‑based. We work collaboratively to find what supports you best.
This integrative approach allows us to work with the whole of you — your emotions, your body, your values, your strengths, and your story — so you can feel more grounded, connected, and supported as you move forward.
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