my story of hope
hi, hello and welcome, i'm shorina (pronounced sure-ree-nah).
I’m a Holistic Counsellor, Wellbeing Coach, and Business Mentor, writer, podcast host, multi-biz owner, and a mum and wife.
I’ve taken a unique path, balancing many roles and wearing all the hats, but they all share a common thread: my commitment to self-development, healing, and helping others do the same.
I've been through more than my fair share of challenging moments, ones that shaped me in ways I never expected. Growing up with a single mom, we often clashed, and at just 14, I was kicked out to navigate life alone. I moved in with my brother for a while, but soon, I was living and surviving entirely on my own. I worked full-time to support myself while finishing high school. It was lonely, and my struggles with depression, anxiety, and self-harm began to take hold. I tried escaping that darkness in all the wrong ways, from relationships that left me feeling unworthy to moments where I doubted if I could keep going.
Those early years led me through painful experiences and left me with lasting scars. My first serious relationship was marked by abuse, mentally, and emotionally. I stayed, believing I didn’t deserve better and that I was to blame. That relationship nearly broke me, but eventually, I found the courage to leave. I wish I could say that’s where my challenges ended, but life had more tests in store.
After working hard to build a life of my own, I lost nearly everything when a storm destroyed my home. Just when I was starting to feel stable, it felt like everything I’d built had been ripped away. Not long after, I found myself in a job that left me burned out, working more than 60 hours a week. The stress built up, leading to frequent anxiety attacks, but I pushed through, believing it was what I needed to do. Then, out of nowhere, a car accident threw my life into chaos. I walked away, but I was left with a severe back injury and was told I’d be in pain for the rest of my life. That accident took my job, my social life, and my sense of hope. I fell into one of the darkest places I’ve ever been.
I hated my life, myself, and everyone around me. I was convinced that the universe had it out for me, but looking back, I see it was all meant to push me toward change.
One day, in the midst of this darkness, I woke up and decided enough was enough. I didn’t want to live in that place anymore. I wanted something different, something better.
I realised that if I wanted a new life, I needed to be the one to create it.
award winning
In 2025, I was honoured to be named the national winner in the Personal Counselling category at the Australian Small Business Champion Awards. This recognition means so much to me, not only as a counsellor, but as someone who has walked through deep personal healing to now hold space for others on their own journeys. It reflects the heart, care, and intention I pour into every session, every resource, and every person I support. To be acknowledged in this way is a beautiful reminder that the work I do matters, and that healing, when nurtured with compassion, truly changes lives.
In 2024, I was also recognised as a finalist in the Australian Women's Small Business Chamption Awards. These nominations and awards have been a heartfelt reminder of the impact this work continues to have and the lives it gently supports.
i committed to change. i promised myself I’d prioritise my own wellbeing, support my mind, body, and soul, and let go of self-hate and the need to seek validation in others.
slowly, with that commitment, everything started to shift. today, i’m surrounded by love and purpose, with a family, two thriving businesses, and a deep sense of fulfillment i once thought was not possible for me.
I’m not ashamed of my past, and I hold no regrets. Every experience, every hardship, taught me resilience and gave me the perspective to help others through their own healing. My life isn’t perfect, but I wake up every day with love for myself, my journey, and a belief in what I have yet to accomplish. I know firsthand that change is possible, and now, I’m here to support others in creating a life they love, too.
If I can make it through, so can you, and I’m here to help you every step of the way.
qualifications
I hold a Diploma of Counselling, Somatic Trauma Therapy Certification and Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.
I also have the following specialty certificates:
Trauma-Informed Certificate
Reiki Level I, II & Master
Business Certificate IV
Diploma of Marketing
Fitness Certificate III
Depression: From Diagnostic Criteria to Treatment
Burnout & Self-Care
Communicating With Children
Psychological First Aid
Managing Chronic Pain
Supporting Clients at Risk of Suicide
Supporting Clients Who Self-harm
Understanding Emotion in Children
Helping Clients Deal with Relationship Breakdown
Managing Challenging Clients
Anxiety Disorders
Working with Children at Risk
Positive Psychology
Telephone Counselling
Helping Clients Deal with Relationship Breakdowns
Narcissim: The Basics
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder