Meet Grant

Counsellor in Bendigo | Collaborative Connections Counselling

Grant Finlay is a qualified and registered counsellor based in Bendigo, Victoria, offering individual and couples counselling both in person and online across Australia.

Grant is known for his calm, respectful presence and provides counselling in a safe, inclusive, and non-judgemental space. He supports adults and adolescents experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, relationship challenges, and life transitions, with an approach that is collaborative, trauma informed, and tailored to each individual.

Background and Values

Grant’s great-grandmother was a Gamilaraay woman, and he is currently on a personal journey to learn more about his Aboriginal ancestry. This reconnection informs his work and strengthens his commitment to culturally respectful, trauma-informed counselling, particularly when working with Aboriginal clients and communities.

Respect, consent, and safety are central to Grant’s practice. He is mindful of the broader social, cultural, and historical contexts that shape people’s experiences and distress.

Professional Experience

Before retraining as a counsellor, Grant worked as a teacher and school leader in NSW, the UK, and Victoria. During this time, he witnessed firsthand the impact of mental health challenges on students, families, and educators. These experiences led him to pursue further training and complete a Master of Counselling at Edith Cowan University (Perth).

Grant has worked in community counselling settings and now operates his own private practice, Collaborative Connections Counselling, in Bendigo.

Therapeutic Approach

Grant works as an integrative, person-centred counsellor, meaning therapy is shaped around the client rather than a single model. Sessions are guided by what feels most helpful, safe, and relevant at each stage of the work.

He is a qualified practitioner in Eye Movement Integration Therapy (EMIT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), evidence-based approaches that support the processing of distressing memories and emotional experiences without requiring clients to relive them in detail.

Grant also draws on approaches such as CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, Parts Work, Existential Therapy, and Impact Therapy, blending methods thoughtfully to support meaningful and sustainable change.

👉 For those interested in the research behind these approaches, a selection of articles is available in The Library.

Couples Counselling

Grant is undertaking ongoing training with the Relationship Institute, informing his use of best practice approaches when working with couples. His work with couples focuses on communication, emotional safety, and repair after conflict, using evidence-based principles to support stronger and more connected relationships.

Ongoing Learning and Professional Development

Grant believes effective counselling should be creative, collaborative, and efficient, helping people find relief without unnecessary overwhelm or prolonged exposure.

He continues to train and engage in professional development with:

• EMIT College Australia

• Impact Academy (Canada)

• US-based EMDR educators

Life Outside the Therapy Room

Grant lives in Bendigo, enjoys spending time outdoors, and actively supports the local performing arts community. These interests help keep his work grounded, relational, and connected to the community he serves.

Credentials

Edith Cowan University, Perth: Master of Counselling

Impact Academy, Canada: Eye Movement Integration (EMI)

The Eye Movement Integration Therapy (EMIT) Training College: EMIT Training

Evergreen, USA: Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Relationship Institute Australasia: Gottman Couples Therapy Training, Level 1 and 2

The Association of Psychological Therapies: Solution-Focused Therapy