About
Meet Jyden Eli — counsellor in Burleigh Heads
Hi, I'm Jyden. I counsel people working through trauma, grief and loss, and shifts in faith or belief. Before you book anything, you probably want a sense of who you'd actually be sitting with — so here it is, without the brochure language.
Five years in community services
I've spent the last five years working in community services — in schools, hospitals, residential care, and with not-for-profit and government organisations. Most of that time was spent alongside people navigating trauma, including complex and relational trauma.
That work shaped how I counsel. I've sat with people on the worst weeks of their lives, and I've learned that being steady, honest and unhurried matters more than having a clever thing to say.
Why I do this work
I've long been curious about people — what shapes them, what they believe, and how they make meaning of their lives. That curiosity runs through psychology, philosophy, theology and spirituality, and it's ultimately what led me to counselling: not studying people from a distance, but sitting with them.
When I'm not working or studying, I'm usually outdoors — hiking, or somewhere quiet where the phone signal gives up. I've also been fortunate to travel on mission trips, which put me in rooms with people whose lives looked nothing like mine and taught me to listen before assuming.
Qualifications and current study
Completed:
- •Diploma of Counselling
- •Certificate of Holistic Counselling
- •Associate Degree of Counselling
Currently studying: Bachelor of Counselling at the Australian College of Christian Studies, with completion expected in 2027.
Practical details
- Phone: 0416 435 402
- Hours: weekdays 4–6pm, Saturdays 9am–5pm (AEST)
- View contact and location details
What working with me looks like
You'll hear me describe my approach as client-led and trauma-informed. In practice, that means a handful of very ordinary things:
We start with what you want
In the first session I'll ask what you'd like to be different — even if the answer is "I'm not sure yet". We revisit that as we go, so the sessions stay pointed at what matters to you, not at a plan I've decided in advance.
You set the pace
You never have to talk about anything before you're ready. If we need to slow down, pause or change direction, we do. With trauma especially, moving at a pace you can handle is part of doing the work safely.
You get real choices
Meet in person or online. Choose a time that fits around work and family. If something in a session isn't working for you — an approach, a question, even the room — tell me, and we'll adjust it.
I check how it's going
I don't assume a session was useful just because it happened. I'll regularly ask how this is landing for you and whether it's helping, and I'd rather hear "that didn't work" than nothing at all.
If you think we might be a fit
You can book a session online, call me on 0416 435 402, or send a question first — whichever feels like the easier first step.