Compassionate
Evidence-Based
Coaching

Helping You Feel Present, Joyful and Connected Again

Experiencing trauma and adversity leaves deep, invisible wounds that can make it hard to feel truly seen, heard, or valued — often creating a sense of being “too much” or “not enough.”

Here’s the thing:

The truth is that a painful past shapes not only how you see yourself but also how you connect with others.

It teaches you to expect rejection, to question your own emotions, and to shrink yourself to keep the peace.

You may struggle to set boundaries, feel disconnected from your needs, or find yourself stuck in repeating relationship patterns — without fully understanding why.

But none of this means you are broken.

These responses were your mind and body’s way of keeping you safe in the relationships and environments you once navigated.

The good news is that healing is possible — not just for you, but for the way you show up in your relationships and life.

By acknowledging your past with compassion, you can begin to unlearn the patterns that no longer serve you and create deeper, healthier connections with yourself and others.

With time, self-trust, and support, you can step into your future with confidence, self-worth, and hope.

As your coach…

I’m here to help you transform your hurt into healing and rebuild relationships with yourself and others.

My primary coaching modality is Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (TFACT).

The aim of TFACT is to help you create a full and meaningful life while effectively handling the pain and stress that life and relationships inevitably bring.

It is through this mindful state that you have a choice in how to respond to your thoughts and feelings, consciously choose your actions and live more in line with the person you desire to be.

In addition to TFACT, I am also trained in and apply principles of:

  • Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

  • Polyvagal Theory

  • Positive Psychology

Training and Qualifications

While much of my coaching and insight is drawn from my personal experience, I have had the great pleasure of learning from many industry-leading experts in the fields of psychology, trauma and nervous system regulation, through the following training and certification programs:

  • Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) from Swinburne University

  • Current: Post-Graduate Diploma of Counselling and Psychotherapy with the Cairnmillar Institute

  • Advanced Diploma of Yoga and Meditation Teaching from the Australian Yoga Academy

  • Certificate of Life Coaching, BYCA

  • "I have so much love and gratitude to you for being on this journey with me, you’ve inspired me more than you’ll ever know and you’re genuinely just one of the best humans I’ve ever known! Thank you for being you 💕

    P.M.

  • “Meg is not only an amazing person but a fantastic coach. I feel truly privileged to have worked with her and can’t recommend her enough as she’s helped me change my life for the better in so many ways.”

    B.S.

  • "I've made more progress in two sessions with you than I did in years of therapy!"

    A.S.

  • "I really don’t know what I would have done in the past three years without your content after experiencing severe trauma. Listening to your calming and kind voice gave me such insight, such nourishment and hope to be able to heal. It seems to be the missing link after years of therapy."

    V.B.

I specialise in trauma-informed coaching for anxious and insecure adults who are navigating the lingering effects of painful past experiences, such as:

  • Toxic relationships

  • Narcissistic abuse

  • Betrayal and infidelity

  • Heartbreak or abandonment

  • Separation or divorce

  • Being raised by emotionally immature parents and/or in a dysfunctional household

I support my clients in healing and growing in the following areas:

  • Letting go of shame and embracing deeper self-love, compassion, and acceptance

  • Establishing healthy boundaries and breaking free from people-pleasing and codependency

  • Moving forward from difficult relationships, divorce, or breakups

  • Reconnecting with your authentic self and rediscovering what brings you joy, meaning, and fulfillment

  • Learning to trust yourself and build a life aligned with your true needs and desires

  • Understanding your nervous system to feel safer and more grounded in your body

Through compassionate coaching, I help individuals build the healthy, fulfilling lives and relationships they deserve, starting with the most important relationship of all: the one with themselves.

Who I Support:

My Areas of Expertise

Trauma Recovery

Support for those healing from betrayal, abandonment, birth trauma, childhood trauma, and other distressing experiences.

Relationship Issues

Guidance for those navigating unhealthy relationship patterns, such as codependency, people-pleasing, or recovering from toxic relationships.

Anxiety and Depression

Understanding how anxiety and depression manifest in the body and mind, and practical strategies to reduce symptoms and regain a sense of control.

Perfectionism

Identifying the roots of “never feeling good enough” and its link to self-worth, fear of failure, and high self-expectations.

Grief and Loss

Holding space for clients experiencing loss, whether from death, separation, estrangement or major life changes.

Life Transitions

Support for individuals facing major life changes such as divorce, career shifts, parenthood, or identity shifts.

Here’s How We’ll Work Together:

  • My coaching sessions are 60-minute private, virtual video calls hosted on Zoom.

  • Sessions are booked on your schedule at a pace that works for you. Many clients choose to book calls each week, every other week, or monthly, depending on their needs and resources.

  • I’ll share relevant worksheets and guided meditations for you to use between sessions.

  • I offer a sliding scale of $110-170 AUD per session, depending on what works for your budget and financial access needs.

If you have any questions, feel free to schedule a complimentary 30-minute call with me here.

Let’s Work Together

“Most certainly there is now a fresh ‘Once upon a time’ waiting for you from this day forward.”

— CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTÉS

 FAQs

  • Meg sees clients on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 10am - 3pm AEST/AEDT. Click here to convert to your timezone.

    She is occasionally available for appointments on a Sunday upon request.

  • No, coaching is different from therapy in that a coach cannot diagnose mental illnesses.

    While therapy is incredibly useful for processing past trauma, coaching is focused on the present moment and future.

    Trauma-informed coaching uses information from trauma psychology to inform the process of setting goals and moving forward towards the future but does not set out to directly process or resolve the trauma.

    Coaching views the client as already whole and capable of achieving their goals, with nothing fundamentally wrong with them.

    Coaches empower their clients to activate their own potential that is already within them but may not be able to be accessed without the support and care that a coach can provide.

    If you are not at a place where you’re generally able to function day-to-day, or have been depressed for a long time and are feeling hopeless, therapy is a better fit for you.

    If you are generally stable but struggling to meet your goals, have the relationships you desire, or feel really good about your life, coaching could be the container that helps you get to where you want to be.

  • My current rate for 1:1 coaching sessions is a sliding scale between $110 - $170 AUD for 60 minutes depending on what works for your budget and financial access needs.

  • Unfortunately, life coaches cannot currently offer medicare rebate sessions. However, the cost of coaching tends to reflect the typical gap fee for a Medicare-funded psychology session.

    If you are experiencing financial hardship, please contact Meg via hello@megjames.com.au to apply for a concession fee.

  • I usually work with people who are tired of the ways trauma or chronic stress is continually showing up in their lives and relationships.

    Many of my clients struggle with shame, perfectionism, anxiety, people-pleasing, and other mindset issues generated from negative past experiences or the way they’ve adapted to them over time.

    In our work together, I support my clients to better understand why these issues may be showing up for them from a trauma-informed lens.

    From there, we co-create solutions and strategies for moving forward toward the client’s ultimate goal or intention they have for themselves.

  • Yes. Online coaching really is as effective as an in-person session. In some cases, it’s actually a better model for coaching. It’s time-efficient and very personal. However, if you’re still in doubt, give it a try and you might be surprised.

  • Sessions are booked on your schedule at a pace that works for you. Many clients choose to book calls each week, every other week, or monthly, depending on their needs.

  • Authentic, compassionate, empathetic and built on a foundation of genuine connection and presence. Meg’s client-centred approach is warm, nurturing and non-judgemental. She focuses on fostering your own sense of autonomy, agency and capability as a self-healer.

  • You are welcome to email Meg between your sessions to receive support, ask questions or share what you have been working on to help keep you on track.

    I’ll also share relevant self-reflection worksheets or guided meditations to support you in between sessions

  • Yes, Meg is available for limited weekend sessions on Sundays upon request.

  • Yes, absolutely. Feel free to reach out to Meg via hello@megjames.com.au or simply click here to organizs a complimentary 30-min call for your remaining questions.