Carmel Catanuto Psychotherapy

Carmel Catanuto Psychotherapy Carmel Catanuto, Psychotherapist Counsellor - Canterbury, St George area My main approach is Gestalt Therapy. What is Art Therapy?..and what can it do for you?

Gestalt is a holistic and experiential therapy that focuses on deepening your awareness by focusing on your present experience, including your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviours. The therapeutic relationship is foundational to Gestalt therapy, as is through relationships with me where growth and healing occur. It is through your relationships that you define how you feel about

yourself and how you want to be now and in your future. Art Therapy is a creative way of combining therapeutic theory and art processes to explore and resolve issues such as self-esteem, making better choices, and reducing the stress in your life. Art therapy helps to bring insights and understanding when there is no clarity. It will address why you are feeling and behaving in particular ways that don’t work. Art therapy is a useful tool when used in conjuction with Gestalt therapy. If you resonate with me and my approach, contact me for a free, no-obligation, 15-minute phone call. You can tell me your problems and I will let you know how I can help. Phone for an appointment on m. 0409 690 701.

16/06/2026

Self-Worth Might Not Be What You Think.

Self-worth and confidence are not the same thing.

Confidence means believing you can do something.

Self-worth is knowing you have value, even when things are tough. It shows in the way you talk to yourself after you make a mistake. It’s also about how you treat yourself, when someone disagrees with you.

If your self-worth is low, you might notice that you:

try to please others
find yourself over-explaining
often look for reassurance
have trouble setting boundaries

The way you relate to yourself affects all your other relationships. A lot of people spend
years working on confidence, when what they truly want is self-worth.

You don’t earn self-worth by achieving things. It grows through awareness, self-respect,
and staying connected to yourself.

When busy means avoiding your own thoughts and feelings.Do you stay busy to avoid your true feelings in your relationshi...
11/06/2026

When busy means avoiding your own thoughts and feelings.

Do you stay busy to avoid your true feelings in your relationship?

Your days are about work, family, and responsibilities. It seems endless, and keeping up is better than stopping.

If you do stop, it can all crumble, and feeling overwhelmed or out of control is uncomfortable.
When you’ve stopped, it feels hard, something's not quite right, there’s resentment or distance, and you don’t know what to do.

It’s better to keep going because being busy is what you know, and there’s a part of you that knows and is protecting yourself.

If you stopped to check in with yourself, paused not to fix or change, but to connect.

For many people I work with, “busy” helps them avoid feelings or issues in their relationships. Slowing down can mean facing what they already know is true.

There’s no need to rush in; gentle, honest steps and moments with yourself are enough.

11/06/2026

The Patterns That Once Protected You.

Some of the habits you criticise yourself for
There was a time when these patterns helped you handle tough situations.

Staying quiet to avoid conflict.
Being “the strong one.”
Taking responsibility for everyone else’s feelings.

These were smart ways your mind and body learned to cope. But sometimes, the things that once kept you safe can later leave you feeling
disconnected from yourself, far from others, or shut down emotionally.

Healing does not mean blaming yourself for these patterns. It means meeting them with understanding and kindness.

When you feel safe with someone and get to know yourself better, old patterns can start
to lose their grip.

A lot of coping patterns start out as ways to protect yourself.

Therapy can help you gently look at how these patterns started and support you as you
find new ways to connect with yourself and others.

06/06/2026

Gestalt Therapy and Present Moment Awareness

Gestalt therapy pays attention to what is happening right now. It’s not only about the
story you share.

It’s also about how you feel and what you notice as you talk.

If your shoulders relax or drop, we pay attention to that.

If your breathing changes, we pause to notice it.

If you begin to feel something, we stay open and curious.

When you become aware, you have more choices.

You might begin to notice things such as:
patterns in your thoughts or behaviors,
ways you protect yourself,
and times when you feel disconnected from yourself.

Therapy isn’t about being “fixed.” It’s about reconnecting with yourself right now.

Healing often starts with noticing what’s happening inside you at this moment.

Gestalt therapy helps you notice your thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and relationship patterns as they happen.

The present moment can be a powerful place for healing and change.

04/06/2026

Your Body Holds a Story.

Sometimes your body keeps memories that your mind wishes it could release.

You may notice your hands shaking during an argument.

Sometimes you might hold your breath when you try to express yourself.

Grief can make your entire body feel weighed down.

These feelings are more than just quick responses. Your nervous system stores these
memories.

Creative and body-focused therapy can help you become aware of things such as:

what your body wants to communicate,
where you notice emotions in your body,
and how old habits or patterns may still appear.

Healing often begins when you become curious about your feelings rather than judging them.
Your body is not working against you. It may actually be helping you reconnect with
yourself.

A lot of our emotional experiences are kept in the body, not only in the mind.

When we take time to notice, our bodies can help us heal.

Have you ever noticed a moment when something changed and it caught you off guard?Maybe you spoke up or made a different...
04/06/2026

Have you ever noticed a moment when something changed and it caught you off guard?

Maybe you spoke up or made a different choice and felt confident. But then, just when you feel empowered, something happens. You’re faced with a challenge. Someone reacts in a way you didn’t expect.

Perhaps you notice a look of disapproval.

In these moments, you may slip back into an old pattern.

You might wonder, "Why did this happen? Am I going backwards?"

As a result, it can feel like slipping into old habits.

But what if this is not failure, but your mind’s way of bringing awareness to old habits, while your nervous system tries to protect you?

Being brave means stretching your comfort zone, which takes practice. Growth may not be obvious, but gaining awareness helps you make better choices each time.

Growth isn’t a straight line. It unfolds over time.

Keep going, reminding yourself you’re not starting over. Instead, you’re steadily moving forward.

02/06/2026

Therapy is more than just talking.

It is not only about talking through your problems.
Sometimes your body shows what you feel before you can put it into words.

Maybe your heart starts to race.
Your shoulders might tense up.
Or you might feel a heaviness in your chest.

Your body can hold on to experiences, even when it is hard to talk about them.

Creative therapy can use different approaches, such as; art, movement, body awareness, and imagination to help you express what is going on inside.

You do not need to be creative or good at art. Healing comes from the process itself, not from the finished product.

Sometimes, awareness starts when you stop trying to explain everything and begin to
notice what your body is holding. Creative therapy can help you connect with emotions,
patterns, and experiences that are hard to put into words.

Healing is not just about your thoughts. It also involves your feelings, your relationships, and your body.

Do you feel sensitive and judge yourself for it?When you sense something, it’s your body’s way of giving you information...
28/05/2026

Do you feel sensitive and judge yourself for it?

When you sense something, it’s your body’s way of giving you information.

Information about the situation or something from your past that you remember.
It’s not a weakness.

You might then override the sensitivity, moving into overthinking.

Then the internal talk starts like,
“I shouldn’t be like this”
“I should know better than to feel this way”
“I’ll just do it anyway, even though I don’t want to”

The shoulds are judgments from others. Reframing might help you support yourself.

Like, what do I need right now to support myself?
How could I do something different here?

You allow your body to feel the sensitivity and don’t move to fix it.

You are already doing something different to interrupt a default reaction and give yourself the opportunity to feel your own sensitivity and feelings that may come up.

In therapy, we don’t fight against it. We gently appreciate the information that emerges.
That’s what builds strength and confidence in yourself.

28/05/2026

What’s underneath Overthinking.

If you find yourself overthinking everything, there is usually a reason for it. Often, overthinking is your mind’s way of trying to keep you safe.

It tries to protect you from things like:
getting hurt
making mistakes
conflict
rejection
feeling out of control

That’s why your mind stays busy, replaying conversations, reading between the lines, and trying to predict what might go wrong.

But underneath all the overthinking, there is often anxiety and a struggle to trust yourself.

You might have learned to:
to prioritise others first
that mistakes weren’t safe
or that you needed to stay alert to keep your connections with others.

Over time, your nervous system can become extra alert. Even when everything around you is quiet, your body still feels like it is on high alert.
What helps is not trying to force yourself to stop thinking.

Instead, try to:
pause
Notice your breath
feel your feet on the ground
and notice your body sensations without judging them.

Ask yourself:
What am I aware of right now?
What needs my attention?
What helps me feel safe in this moment?

Healing from overthinking begins when you start to move away from fear and the need to control, and move toward awareness, being present, and supporting yourself.

Overthinking is often connected to anxiety, hypervigilance, and self-protection. The goal isn’t to “switch your thoughts off.” It is about learning how to return to the present moment and reconnect with yourself.

You do not need to have everything figured out to feel safe.

26/05/2026

What Overthinking actually does.

Overthinking does not actually make you feel safer. Instead, it wears out your nervous system.
You keep replaying conversations in your mind.
You imagine the worst-case scenarios.

You find yourself second-guessing your decisions all the time.

Your mind tries to protect you from things like:

rejection
mistakes
criticism
emotional pain

But the more you overthink, the more anxious and disconnected you may start to feel.

Healing does not start by thinking more. It starts when you reconnect with yourself in the present moment.

Often, overthinking begins as a way to protect yourself. Your mind wants to keep you safe from pain, rejection, or uncertainty.

But when you are always in your head, you can lose touch with your body, your feelings,
and your self-trust.

Becoming aware of this is the first step toward making a change.

Address

Suite 2, 1A Torwood Street, Sans Souci
Sydney, NSW
2219

Opening Hours

Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+61409690701

Website

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