Counselling
Daramalan College has access to four counsellors employed by the College. The role of the counsellor is to focus on the emotional, social and educational well-being of the students. Counsellors welcome contact with students having difficulty with some part of their life, whether or not it affects their school work. Some typical concerns that counsellors work with include: anger, anxiety, behavioural problems, depression, eating problems, family breakdown and family conflict, grief and loss, learning and educational challenges, peer and other social relationships, school avoidance, stress and study skills. As well as individual sessions with students, counsellors can run groups, consult with parents and teachers and make referrals to other services and supports.
Further information on how to access the College counsellors is available for current families on the Counsellors page of Daranet: https://daranet.daramalan.act.edu.au/homepage/3139
Please see further information about each of our Counsellors
Bobbie Dawson
Trained in both education and psychology, Bobbie has worked with young people and their parents/carers to build positive relationships, improve student wellbeing and teach tools and strategies needed to navigate various challenges and difficulties that life can throw at us. She sees counselling as an important way to support the wellbeing, mental health and development of young people by recognising and responding to their concerns in a way that is caring, validating, strengths-based and solutions-focused. Originally from the east coast of Canada, Bobbie moved to Canberra in 2010 and is a mum to a young family. Outside of her work, she loves spending time with her family, travelling, exploring new cultures, hiking with her dog and being near the ocean. Bobbie has worked in different roles at Daramalan since 2010 including as a teacher (French, Psychology) and pastoral leader.
Bobbie is registered as a Provisional Psychologist and is completing her internship requirements for general registration. Bobbie’s areas of experience include: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT); Motivational Interviewing; Mindfulness; Positive Psychology; Positive Coaching Psychology; Solution-Focused Brief Therapy; Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy; Autism/ADHD assessments; and Psychoeducational Assessments.
Promise Igba
With a bubbly and approachable personality, Promise is a person-centred counsellor with years of experience engaging with children and young people. Promise specialises in using narrative therapy to support young people who are going through various challenges including mental health, social and relationship difficulties. With a postgraduate qualification in Social Work, Promise relies on strengths-based and solution-focused theories to validate and where necessary redirect young people who are going through various challenges. Originally from Nigeria, Promise moved to Australia in 2007 with his family through diplomatic posting. Outside of work, Promise loves spending time with family and friends, playing video games, playing and watching Football, and is a big fan of Arsenal Football Club.
Tianya Wang
Tianya (Ti) Wang has a background in social work and a passion for supporting young people. He works closely with students and their families to foster positive relationships, enhance well-being, and provide practical tools for navigating life’s challenges. Tianya believes that counselling is essential for supporting the mental health, resilience, and personal development of young people. He offers a compassionate and strengths-based approach tailored to each individual’s needs.
Tianya holds a Masters of Social Work and has experience in counselling and youth work. Prior to joining the Daramalan College community, he served as an Adolescent and Family Counsellor, specialising in mental health and substance use challenges. His areas of expertise include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), solution-focused therapy, strengths-based practices, crisis intervention, and psychoeducation.
In his free time, Tianya enjoys travelling and cooking, which helps him maintain a balanced and positive outlook. He is dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive school environment where every student feels supported and empowered to reach their full potential.
Manar Arabani
Manar Arabani is a person-centered psychologist committed to enhancing well-being and fostering resilience in adolescents. She is passionate about equipping adolescents with the strategies and tools necessary to overcome life’s challenges and reach their full potential. Manar works closely with students and their families, offering personalized support to address emotional and behavioural issues while helping them achieve both personal and academic goals. With experience in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Manar has applied these approaches in a variety of settings, including workplace rehabilitation, high school environments, and with a NDIS provider. Outside of work, Manar enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, baking, reading, as well as going to the gym and pilates.
Sally Bunday (on leave until late 2025)
Sally Bunday is a person-centred counsellor who is passionate about working with young people, their families and broader support networks.
Sally is an inclusive practitioner with postgraduate qualifications in counselling who works with a wide range of client presentations. She focusses on building strong therapeutic relationships with her clients to support them to overcome life’s challenges and empower them to manage their mental health and wellbeing into the future. Sally works collaboratively with young people to develop strategies and tools to reach their mental health goals, using a number of different therapeutic approaches, including person-centred therapy, strength-based therapy, solution-focused therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, narrative therapy, gestalt therapy, and creative therapies. Outside of work, Sally loves running, reading, writing and spending time with her two enormous, and very boisterous, dogs. Prior to becoming a counsellor, Sally worked in communications, media and journalism.