Counsellor & Psychotherapist
on the Sunshine Coast
Welcome. I’m Sabine, the counsellor and psychotherapist behind Empatherapies — a small, considered practice in Buderim offering in-person sessions on the Sunshine Coast and online sessions across Australia and New Zealand.
Choosing a therapist is a deeply personal decision. You’re not just looking for qualifications — you’re looking for someone you feel safe with. Someone who understands what it’s like to carry anxiety, grief, low self-worth, or the weight of unresolved trauma.
A few words from
me to you
Words on a page can only do so much. If you’d like a feel for who I am before reaching out, here is a short welcome — just me, saying hello, and sharing a little about how I hold space for the people I work with.
Research consistently shows that meaningful healing happens within a strong therapeutic relationship — one built on safety, trust, and genuine connection. I hold this responsibility with deep respect. The vulnerability my clients share is never taken lightly; it is a privilege to be entrusted with their inner world.
Over 25 years of supporting individuals and couples
Through individual counselling and couples counselling, I have had the privilege of walking alongside people navigating:
- Anxiety and stress
- Grief and loss
- Relationship and family challenges
- Life transitions, burnout and perimenopause
- Low self-worth and self-criticism
- Unresolved trauma or attachment wounds
- Living with chronic illness
I believe healing is most powerful when it happens in relationship with an empathetic witness — in a space where you feel seen, heard, and supported. My role is to create that space for you: calm, safe, and compassionate.
“Healing is not about fixing you; it is about reconnecting with your inherent worth and strength.”— Sabine Schroeder
An integrative way of working
My approach is integrative, drawing from a range of evidence-based and contemplative traditions: attachment-informed therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), somatic therapy, neuropsychotherapy, mindfulness-based therapy, hypnotherapy, and the wisdom of Buddhist and yogic psychology.
What this means in practice is that we work gently with the wisdom in your body, your behaviour patterns, and the underlying feelings and thoughts that are longing to be understood. Our historical relational patterns tend to shape our lives, and within the therapeutic relationship we can rescript and reshape deeply held beliefs and patterns.
My approach is warm, grounded, and tailored to what you need most at this moment. Together, we move at a pace that feels safe, gradual, and meaningful. Change unfolds naturally — through insight, compassion, and the small, steady steps that resonate with you.
The path that shaped my work
My journey with yoga began unexpectedly in my teens, after a serious back injury led me to seek relief through yoga and mindfulness practices. While the physical postures relieved pain and tension, I soon realised something much deeper was taking place — my mind and nervous system were also shifting, bringing a growing sense of calm, clarity and steadiness.
In my thirties, after relocating to the Sunshine Coast, I spent several years studying at Chenrezig Institute, a Tibetan Buddhist retreat and study centre, where I immersed myself in the teachings and practices of Buddhist psychology. These contemplative practices cultivate qualities such as awareness, compassion, emotional balance and insight into the nature of the mind.
I often describe yoga and Buddhist philosophy as the original psychologies — sophisticated systems for understanding the mind and reducing human suffering, developed over thousands of years. In my therapeutic work I draw from these practices as part of a broader integrative approach, combining contemporary psychotherapy with mindfulness, somatic awareness and compassion-based practices.
These approaches do not require any particular spiritual belief. They simply offer practical ways to cultivate greater awareness, resilience and inner balance.
Trained across clinical and contemplative traditions
Being a psychotherapist is my life’s work
I believe this path has chosen me. My journey as a therapist feels deeply meaningful, and it is a privilege to walk alongside individuals on their path of healing and growth.
As a therapist, I deeply value personal experience. My own journey, with its challenges and triumphs, has profoundly shaped my understanding of the human condition. I’ve learned that healing is a deeply personal process — and I strive to create a safe, compassionate space where you can explore your own unique experiences and find clarity, resilience, and renewed connection.
Beyond my professional life, I value a balanced and fulfilling life. I am a proud parent, a devoted partner, and I cherish the simple joys: connecting with nature, losing myself in music, and nurturing meaningful relationships.
Some questions about me
What drew you to becoming a counsellor and psychotherapist?
This path has chosen me. My own experience of healing trauma and grief, alongside a deep curiosity about the human heart, drew me to this work. Walking alongside others as they reconnect with their inherent worth feels like the most meaningful work I could be doing.
What’s the difference between a counsellor and a psychotherapist?
Counselling tends to focus on present-day challenges and practical strategies, while psychotherapy explores the deeper patterns, relational histories, and emotional layers underneath. I work in both modes, depending on what you need most. Many sessions blend the two naturally.
How does your training in Buddhist and Yogic psychology show up in your work?
Quietly, and only when it serves you. These traditions inform my understanding of the nervous system, of suffering, and of how change unfolds. In session, this might look like a slower pace, an invitation to notice the body, or a framing that honours both insight and compassion. You don’t need any background in these traditions to benefit from the work.
Do you have any lived experience of what your clients are going through?
Yes. My own healing journey through trauma and grief shaped me as a therapist before any training did. I don’t share my story in session unless it would directly serve you, but it sits quietly behind everything I bring to the work.
Ways we can work together
If you’re ready to take the next step
I provide in-person counselling in Buderim, as well as online and phone sessions across Australia and New Zealand. Whether you are seeking support for anxiety, grief, relationships, or life transitions — I am here to walk alongside you.