Meet the RISE team
Rachel Addison
Founder Rise Community
Rachel Addison is the Director of Rise Wellness Studio. I am a Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with over 12 years of clinical practice in mental health, family therapy & school counselling. I am also a qualified yoga instructor and mum of 3 young daughters. I am also a Yoga Alliance Teacher and am passionate about the mind-body connection in seeking health. To book an appointment please call or email.
My clinical experience has been in all facets of mental health treatment and family & marital counselling including but not limited to:
Mood & Anxiety Disorders
Post Partum Mood Disorder (PND)
Thought Disorders & Acute Psychotic Episodes
Crisis Counselling & Risk Prevention
Domestic Violence
Grief, Loss, Family Separation
Immigration & Refugee Adjustment
Drug & Alcohol + Other Addictions
Personality Disorders
Generally, Medicare or Private Pay appointment fees are as follows:
Initial Intake Appointment: 75 minutes: $175
Follow Up Session: 50 minutes: $155
If eligible via a mental health care plan, you may receive a rebate of $77 per session.
SIRA workers compensation referrals are covered with no out of pocket for clients.
Couples and family therapy sessions are $190 for 90 minute sessions
Clinical Supervision for social workers or counsellors in person or via video call: $125 per session iincluding GST
Health & wellness workshops, continuing education workshops, professional development presentations are welcomed in the studio. Please contact Rachel for private bookings, collaborations or workplace presentations to be held in the studio.
Due to limited availability, it is imperative that you cancel your appointment with sufficient notice so that I can offer the time to someone else. If you cancel with less than 24 hours notice, you will be charged 50% of your appointment fee.
Julia Berger
Phsyiotherapist
Julia is a driven and experienced physiotherapist who brings an energised and evidence based approach to treating clients with a range of conditions. Julia has completed her Bachelor of Physiotherapy and Post Graduate Certificate in Pelvic Floor and Continence Physiotherapy, and is excited to share her skills and knowledge with clients through a variety of holistic wellness strategies and a network of likeminded health care practitioners. Together with her experience in Pilates, core stability and mindfulness she also loves to bring wellness classes and workshops that explore the mind-body connection, and how the mind can greatly influence our health and well being.
Initial women’s & men’s health consultation: $97 (45 min)
Standard women’s & men’s health consultation: $85 (30 minutes)
General physiotherapy initial consultation: $87 (45 min)
General physiotherapy standard consultation: $75 (30 minutes)
Private health rebates available and Medicare EPC referrals accepted
Classes, workshops and education sessions as announced.
6 hours notice is required for cancellations. If you need to cancel your appointment you can call or email Julia. Failure to give 6 hours notice will result in a 50% cancellation fee that is not claimable on health insurance or medicare.
Lisa Crowley
Naturopath
Lisa Crowley is a passionate Naturopath, Theta Healer & Remedial massage therapist offering specialised aroma touch and chakra healing technique. With over 8 years of clinical experience she is very knowledgeable, has a kind nature and is solution focused; she strives to get you on the best treatment to ensure you achieve positive results
Aresha Quasss
Applied Mindfulness
Aresha offers mindfulness education and western practices workshops that will ensure you are equipped with a comprehensive understanding of mindfulness in its entirety and a broad range of practices that do not rely exclusively on meditation.
Aresha will also be offering 2 support programs at Rise.
-A grief & caretaker support program following her personal experience which led to delivering a thesis & pilot program on the intergenerational responsibilities and social stigmatisation of grief.
-A support program for parents & caretakers of children with autism, sensory processing disorder and/or pervasive developmental disorder. As a mother of a child with autism, Aresha has drawn on her qualifications and experience in applied mindfulness to better support other care takers in connection, self-care & practical tools.
Qualifications: GCertAppMindfulness (Charles Sturt University); GDipPsych (Charles Sturt University); BTeach (0-School age) (Macquarie University); DipCommSer; ADipSocSci ; CertIIIFit
See Rise Event Calendar for Aresha’s Events & Bookings
Shanae McGee
Rise Community
As an active advocate for mental health and especially since the birth of her little boy Arlo, Shanae is committed to spreading awareness about the importance of holistic physical and mental health care surrounding pregnancy, birth and motherhood. Shanae believes that a holistic approach to health is vital and as a sufferer of an autoimmune disease, has experienced the great benefits of alternative treatments.
Shanea has a bachelor of primary education and has taught dance & English as a Second Language. Shanea is a high school teacher who has returned to her studies to obtain a Diploma as a qualified instructor of baby massage & baby yoga. Shanae will be offering courses and workshops in baby massage and baby yoga soon, supporting mums build a beautiful, loving connection with their babies while nurturing their developmental needs.
See Rise Event Calendar for Shanae’s Events & Bookings
Jeana OToole
Rise Community
Jeana is a qualified Yin,Hatha & Vinyasa yoga teacher. She is naturally drawn to a more meditative & contemplative practise that Yin Yoga offers. Her approach is gentle & compassionate & manifests through intention, conscious breathing, & surrender encompassing the true essence of a Yin Yoga practise
Lesley Kidson
Registered Counsellor
Lesley is a registered Counsellor, Retreat and Group Facilitator and Educator, her focus and experience is in cancer counselling, specialising in breast cancer.
Lesley has a person-centred, holistic approach to supporting her clients/patients, their carers and families who are experiencing difficulties associated with cancer diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and end of life.
Whilst having worked with Lifeline, Wesley Mission, BreastScreen and breast cancer patients at the Mater Hospital alongside her 12 year strong private practice she loves to collaborate with other practitioners to help clients find their ’new kind of normal’ and live an authentic, happy and purposeful life.
Qualifications: Lesley holds a Bachelor of Counselling degree and is a clinical member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), National Australian Loss and Grief Association (NALAG), Cancer Counselling Professionals (CCP) and Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP).
Individual Counselling: $150 per session. (60mins)
Couples sessions: $180 per session. (60mins)
Lesley does not offer Medicare Rebates. However, clients can claim a rebate if they have private health insurance with: Medibank Private, Bupa and Police Health Fund as well as funding through Cancer Council & Employment Assistance Programs (EAP).
Clients may cancel or reschedule appointments. However, if you cancel or reschedule with less than 24 hours’ notice or fail to arrive, a cancellation fee of 50% of the fee will be charged.If you are unable to keep your appointment because of sudden illness or an unexpected personal emergency, please contact me as soon as possible.
Katrina Girgis
Speech Pathologist
Katrina is a Senior Speech Language Pathologist and a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist (C.P.S.P) with Speech Pathology Australia. She graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Speech Pathology). Katrina has a passion working with preschool and primary school aged children to help develop their communication skills. She also has an interest supporting adults with communication and swallowing disorders.
Cancellation Policy:
Please note that 24 hours notice is required for cancellations, otherwise full fee is to be paid.
Tayla Watson
Yoga Teacher
Tayla is qualified as a speech pathologist who has specialised in working with individuals diagnosed on the autism spectrum. She recently shifted the primary focus of her career to sharing her love for yoga, which she has been teaching both in Australia and internationally for the past several years. Tayla has a younger brother who lives with Down Syndrome and is her inspiration for this passion to serve individuals with additional needs. She also strongly believes that children are our future and by being able to engage on their level and see the world through their eyes, we can support them in developing emotional resilience, building and maintaining relationships and the importance of feeling connected to something greater.
Tayla is most passionate about awakening love in all beings as well as changing the way we interact in our forever busy world. She believes in the importance of creating presence, kindness and purpose within our interactions. She stives to live her life by the eight limbs of yoga each day.
Services: Tayla teaches yoga for adults, kids & teens at Rise. She also holds a monthly traditional cacao ceremony for women with each full moon.
Rachel Sardelich
Meditation Teacher
& Creative Advisor
Deep curiosity, a sense of awe, a decade spent immersed in an education of ancient knowledge and meditation of the Vedic tradition – these are the things that have led Rachael to a life of service, working to support the creative practices of others as a Vedic Meditation Teacher and Creative Adviser.
After a long career in the arts & media working closely alongside artists and professionals, Rachael is highly attuned to the needs of the creative inner life.
Led by intuition, Rachael is by nature, a nurturer, and after 15 years of her own introspective learning and an excavation of her own mental limitations, Rachael now provides a warm and safe space for clients to explore the development of their own inner guidance and spontaneous discovery.
Her approach is multi-disciplinary and informed by Vedic knowledge, modern psychology and neuroscience, creative research and lived experience.
Rachael works at the confluence of creativity and spirituality, and through meditation and advisory, she traces the flow of these rivers with clients, gently guiding them through new landscapes as they source, course and land.
In her offerings, the work is done together, using meditation as the foundation to improve one’s daily experience of life. Creative blocks such as stress, fear, distraction and socially constructed inhibitions can be understood and overcome, as Rachael shows us that it is possible to recognise the natural impulses of our inner creator and decode their meanings so that we can show up with a new, confident momentum.
From her home on the South Coast of NSW in Yuin Country, she works with clients both in-person and remotely and also holds regular workshops, courses and retreats across NSW and Victoria.
At the heart of her work rests the desire to build a community of rich, secure and creative inner lives.
Whether it be curiosity, instinct or a simple desire to connect that has brought you here, know that you are so welcomed.
Rachel teaches monthly Vedic Meditation & Rounding Courses at Rise.
Bess Whittingslow
Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Bess is a creative soul who draws inspiration from everything in life. Live “the Bess life” is her moto.
Bess is a Yoga & Meditation Teacher, Sound Healer and Ceremonialist living in Gerringong and is passionate about guiding others into The Art of Ceremony and awakening to their true self. Bess infuses her love of sound, movement and creative self-expression into all of her classes.
Bess’s love of Bhakti Yoga has led to role of selfless service in the community where she is passionate about providing Yoga, Mediation, Mindfulness & Sound to people who need these offerings the most. Through Charites like “A Sound Life” & “Mood Active” Bess teaches Yoga & Music in the Mental Health & Disabilities Sector and Mindfulness to Primary School Children through “LifeskillsGroup”.
Bess’s classes are led from the heart and are designed for you to tap into your free-flowing states of mind, body & spirit. You will leave her classes feeling more connected to your true self, with a new found love for your own uniqueness and fullest heart expression.
In her Yin, Yoga Nidra and Sound Healing Classes you will be transformed to another space for deep healing and relaxation. The sounds of the Crystal, Tibetan Bowls & Soothing Vocals will deepen your experience of self-love connecting deep within the cells of your body.
Events & Classes with Bess will be announced on our social media pages & in our calendar of events.
Brittany Bourne
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, Pelvic Floor & Continence Physiotherapy, Ante-natal and Post-natal care, Clinical Pilates, NDIS
After graduating from the Australian Catholic University I entered the world of private practice musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy in regional Victoria where I enjoyed working in a large established team servicing patients and communities throughout West and East Gippsland. Over this time I was able to work with a varied caseload of acute and chronic patients consisting of pediatric, geriatrics, sports as well as NDIS and Work-Cover. I enjoyed running hydrotherapy groups and instructing in a Clinical Pilates studio.
Implementing best care for my patients’ rehabilitation journey using clinical exercise, mind-body connection, holistic as well as evidence-based manual therapies is my physiotherapy philosophy. It is my goal to be able to teach sustainable and long-term strategies for my patients’ to have self-efficacy and quality of life in all aspects.
My passion for all things Women’s Health ignited after volunteering in vulnerable communities in Nepal (2015) and Vanuatu (2018) where I worked closely with a team of midwives. I found myself especially passionate about Women’s Health, including ante-natal, post-natal, continence, sexual health and returning to everyday life activities and exercise after having bubs. Following this passion I have embarked on a Post Graduate with the Australian Physiotherapy Association as well as the University of Melbourne in Women’s Pelvic Health and hope to empower as many women as possible to feel strong, confident and powerful within their own body.
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Australian Catholic University North Sydney), Australian Physiotherapy Association Level 1 Women’s Health, member of the Women’s Health Training Associates, Australian Physiotherapy Association, Continence Foundation of Australia
