Professional Development for Therapists – Australia Resource Therapy Institute

September 4, 2025

Has Your Therapist Really Heard Your Story?

A sunset sky fades from orange to deep purple over a calm ocean. Bold cream text reads: “Did your therapist really hear you?” with a thinking face emoji placed beside the words. The design feels warm, reflective, and inviting, evoking curiosity and self-reflection.

When you think back on therapy you’ve had, or maybe therapy you’re in right now, what stands out?

Many people tell me they loved their therapist’s kindness, or they felt safe, seen, and heard for the first time in years. Others share a very different experience: sessions felt surface-level, not connected, or the real issues – trauma, heartbreak, betrayal, or childhood wounds – never seemed to get airtime.

💭 So here’s our challenge to you:
**What did you most want from therapy, and did you get it? Be brave, and say it.**

Did you wish your therapist had asked about your past?
Did you feel your trauma was addressed – or avoided?
Did you want more practical tools?
Or simply someone to sit with you and really listen?
Something else?

For Couples

If you’ve been in couples therapy, the answers can be even more layered:

Did you want the therapist to take your side – or to truly stay neutral?
Did you feel they understood the depth of your pain when conflict flared?
Did the sessions get stuck in communication skills, or did they help you reach the real wounds beneath the fights?
Is there more?
Did you and your partner walk out closer… or further apart?

So many couples tell me:
“We just wanted hope.”
“We wanted to feel safe again.”
“We wanted to know if love could be rebuilt.”

Why Your Answers Matter

I train and supervise therapists across Australia and internationally. Time and again, therapists ask: “What do clients actually want from us?”

It’s one thing to study models and techniques. It’s another to hear directly from the people therapy is meant to help – you.

Your words, even a single sentence – could change how therapists are taught, how they listen, and how they show up for the next person who sits across from them.

Share Your Thoughts (Anonymously if You Wish)

👉 Pop your response in the comments below. If you’d prefer, you can write “Anonymous” instead of your name.

I’ll gather these insights (without identifying details) and share them with therapists in training, so your voice can help shape the future of therapy.

✨ Whether you’ve had years of therapy, just a few sessions, or you’re considering it for the first time, your perspective is invaluable.

So I’ll ask again. And this time, I dare and care you to answer:
What did you most want from therapy – as an individual or as a couple? And did it feel like you got it?

📌 Please note: Comments are for reflection and learning, not a substitute for professional support. If you need urgent help, reach out to your GP, a counsellor, or Lifeline (13 11 14 in Australia).

July 17, 2025July 16, 2025

Online Training That Works: A Psychologist’s Experience With Resource Therapy

Psychologist Leigh shares her online clinical training in Resource Therapy experience

As more therapists turn to Telehealth and online professional development, a common question arises:

Can experiential, trauma-informed training really work online – especially when it involves parts work and deep emotional processing?

Leigh, a psychologist with a special interest in trauma and dissociation, had the same question before enrolling in the Resource Therapy training program offered online by the Australian Resource Therapy Institute (ARTI). Leigh holds senior qualifications as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Couples therapist, and Psychosomatic Therapist.

After completing the full training, she is now officially a Clinical Resource Therapist. She shares her answer with warmth, clarity, and conviction

What Surprised Her Most

Leigh admits she was initially unsure if such an experiential modality could truly be taught online.

“I didn’t know if I’d feel connected, or if I’d get the practical experience I needed. But I was pleasantly surprised – it felt real, engaging, and very connected. The demos were brilliant, and the small group practice made it easy to try things out safely.“

The structured format, real-time demonstrations, and rich interaction offered by the live Zoom sessions helped her feel immersed in the material, just as she would in an in-person setting.

Confidence With Complex Cases

As a trauma-informed psychologist, Leigh was drawn to Resource Therapy’s clear protocols and strong ethical foundation. What she gained was a renewed sense of confidence in working with complex clients.

“I use parts language in my work already, but RT gave me practical tools I can use right away. It’s strengths-based, respectful, and incredibly powerful – especially with clients who feel stuck, overwhelmed or fragmented.”

With the ability to work safely with Vaded States, negotiate Retro patterns, and access Conflicted States with precision, she now has a more structured approach to help clients move forward.

Why She Recommends It

For clinicians unsure about online training, Leigh’s message is simple:

“Give it a go. I wasn’t sure either, but I’m so glad I did. You’ll feel supported, you’ll practise a lot, and you’ll walk away with tools you can use immediately – online or in the room.”

What Is Resource Therapy?

Resource Therapy is a trauma-informed, strengths-based psychotherapy developed by Professor Gordon Emmerson. It helps clinicians access and work directly with the personality parts (called Resource States) that carry unresolved emotions or unhelpful patterns. The training includes 15 treatment actions, clear protocols, and targeted interventions for a wide range of presentations – from PTSD and anxiety to depression, addiction, and relationship distress.

The training is suitable for psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists, social workers, EMDR clinicians, and anyone working with trauma or parts.

🎥 Watch Leigh’s Testimonial

Want To Learn Resource Therapy Online?

We offer live, interactive online training throughout the year. Whether you’re new to parts work or looking to deepen your trauma toolkit, Resource Therapy provides a powerful and respectful way to help clients heal.

✅ Live Zoom sessions with experiential practice
✅ Learn to map, access, and resolve Resource States
✅ Suitable for online and in-person clinical work
✅ Endorsed by psychologists, EMDR and DBR therapists across Australia

👉 View upcoming training dates and program info

July 4, 2025

From Bali With Gratitude: A Global Celebration of Resource Therapy

ResourceTherapyClinicalCertificationBali

Resource Therapy Clinical Training & International Conference – A Huge Success

The Australia Resource Therapy Institute (ARTI) has just returned from a transformative month in Bali, Indonesia, where we hosted two landmark events:

Completion of the Hybrid Clinical Resource Therapy Training for mental health professionals
The first-ever Resource Therapy International World Conference

Held in the lush surrounds of Ubud, these events brought together a passionate community of clinicians and educators from across the globe to deepen skills, share research, and celebrate the evolution of parts-based healing. We met Ernst from Zurich, great to see you, Richard from Hong Kong, our new Indonesian friends William, Robin, Flora and crew. Old Aussie friends and finally meeting Alkha, our RTI Executive delegate.

Why Resource Therapy Is Gaining Global Momentum

In a world increasingly turning to parts-based therapy for lasting trauma recovery, Resource Therapy is standing out as a leading modality that is both powerful and practical.

Developed by Professor Gordon Emmerson, PhD, Resource Therapy:

Accesses parts directly, not symbolically or imaginatively
Offers 15 targeted clinical actions for real behavioural and emotional change
It is brief, strengths-based, trauma-informed, and DSM-5 aligned
Supports work with dissociation, betrayal trauma, grief, anxiety, neurodiversity, chronic pain, and more
Can be integrated with EMDR, CBT, somatic therapies, and clinical supervision models

Whether you are a psychologist, trauma therapist, counsellor, hypnotherapist, EMDR practitioner, or coach, Resource Therapy gives you clear tools to work at the root cause.

Highlights From Bali 2025

Our time in Bali was rich in learning, connection, and clinical depth. Highlights included:

🔄 Live demonstrations of RT Actions with complex trauma/ DID clients
🧠 Insightful presentations on dissociation, betrayal, couples work, chronic pain, cultural diversity, ADHD, OPIs, Depression, Memory Reconsolidation, and RT for business coaching
🚢 Interactive group work using the ship metaphor and parts mapping
🌏 Attendees from Australia, Indonesia, Germany, the UK, Canada, and beyond
✨ Community bonding, shared meals, and even a few monkeys on the line!

Our conference theme, ‘Happy Parts, Healthy Self: Our Resources’, came to life through experiential workshops, advanced supervision, and the warmth of our global RT community.

Group photo of Resource Therapy International speakers and guest Bali World Conference 2025 Ubud with Gordon Emmerson and President of RTI Philipa Thornton — Group photo of Resource Therapy International speakers and guests, Bali World Conference 2025, Ubud, with Gordon Emmerson

Become Part of the Next Generation of Resource Therapists

If you are ready to take your clinical skills to the next level, our next Clinical Resource Therapy Program begins on 31 August 2025.

This fully online, internationally endorsed training is led by:

Philipa Thornton – President of Resource Therapy International
Chris Paulin – Consultant Psychologist with over 40 years of experience

Join us and you will:

✔️ Learn how to identify, access, and heal wounded Resource States
✔️ Work confidently with trauma, anxiety, grief, betrayal, and dissociation
✔️ Receive supervision and support from Australia’s leading RT educators
✔️ Gain a Certificate endorsed by Resource Therapy International

Spots are limited – Learn more here

💭 So here’s our challenge to you:What did you most want from therapy, and did you get it? Be brave, and say it.