VETERINARIAN

Raf grew up in rural Auckland in a home his mum filled with more cats and dogs than there were humans.

A graduate of Massey University, Rafael got his start in surgery and emergency practice at the Latrobe Veterinary Group. Since moving to Sydney in 2010, he has worked at clinics including North Shore Veterinary Specialist Centre and the Sydney University Teaching Hospital.

When he isn’t caring for creatures great and small, Raf can be found making music and propagating plant clippings rescued from the sidewalks of Bondi.

VET NURSE

Originally from the UK, where she grew up passionate about animal welfare as a child, Lisa moved to Sydney in 2017 and has been bringing her deep care of animals to the veterinary community here ever since. She and Dr. Raf first worked together years ago at a clinic in Sydney, and one of the things Dr. Raf quickly noticed, was the way clients from previous clinics would still reach out to Lisa about their pets. It was such an indication of Lisa’s gift for working with people and animals. She brings a lot of compassion to the practice.

Apart from her love for animals, Lisa enjoys reading, exploring, practicing yoga, and spending time with friends.

GRIEF SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL

Lesley has been a psychotherapist and grief counsellor for over 20 years, working with hundreds of people enduring many different kinds of losses. She has found somatic (physical) approaches, such as tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique), and traditional yogic breathing and deep relaxation practices to be very successful in conjunction with deeply empathetic counselling.

Lesley is also a yoga teacher and longterm Buddhist practitioner whose own life experiences and training have led her to incorporate a ‘bigger picture’ approach when working with clients who are grieving. Things like understanding the impermanence of life, and the great mystery of our brief, finite physical existence, are areas of deep interest to her.

GRIEF SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL

As an animal lover who has experienced what it is to welcome rescue cats and dogs into his home, and then lose them—Ivan’s counseling work for those navigating the loss of a beloved pet, comes from a place of acute understanding. “It isn’t just a dog or a cat, an animal becomes an important family member,” says Ivan, whose own family lineage of farmers nurtured his connection with animals.

Outside of his counseling work, Ivan enjoys spending time with family and friends, swimming at the local beach, and reading about theories or modalities. “I know this sounds a little like I’m a nerd...probably am.”