How We Started
Renewed Hope Counselling Services was started because I felt deeply saddened by how many hurting people kept crossing my path. The more I spoke to people the more I found that everyone was hurting, even the people who looked like they had everything figured out and together. It upset me to see so many people struggling to live their day to day lives with the scars and painful wounds that somebody else inflicted on them through no fault of their own. To use a picture, it was as though they had all the potential to become a beautiful lush tree but instead were savagely cut down leaving only a stump, a fragment of the kind of person they were meant to be.
The world is not meant to be this way. People should be free to live their lives without being imprisoned inside of themselves and feeling cheated out of living lives to their full potential. This is the driving force behind the counsellors at Renewed Hope Counselling Services.
We'd Like to Help You
The aim of Renewed Hope Counselling is to give you support during the time your life is most difficult. We see infinite value in every single human being and provide an understanding, non-judgmental, caring environment where you feel respected, safe, and able to face and overcome life’s challenges.
Our counsellors understand that each person is unique and there is no “one size fits all” approach. So we work alongside our clients to achieve healing through an integrated approach. In other words, we cater our counselling based on what is most effective and most comfortable for you. We determine this through gently working together with you through understanding, respect, genuinely listening to you and supporting you. We never push or force you to do or talk about anything that you do not want to.
Our goal is to stand by you and support you not only to face your challenges but to come through on the other side with renewed hope and to give you the tools you need to never feel imprisoned again.
Your Clinical Counsellor
Kerry Kostinsky Verlingieri
M. Counselling, Grad. Dip. Divinity, B. Science
We have all been hurt before, some of us more deeply than others, and as I spoke to the people who crossed my path I was deeply saddened to discover just how many people live in constant pain. This is what motivated me to drastically change the direction of my career and pursue a new pathway. My hope is that I can look back on my life’s work and see that I was able to use my life to walk with people who have experienced sadness, hurt and conflict to find freedom, healing, enjoyment of life and peace.
I initially completed my studies at The University of Sydney and engaged in a successful career as a medical and veterinary Microbiologist.
It was during this time I found myself actively involved in helping troubled adolescents through the struggles they were facing. Now, almost 20 years later, I am still working with teenagers and have found this to be incredibly fulfilling and rewarding. I am still in contact with many of the teens that I have supported, and seeing the lives they now have with their own families, children and careers has been amazing. Many of them have completely changed the trajectory of their lives and I could not be prouder of them.
A couple of years into working with adolescents, I found that my passion to see people overcome their challenges grew from teens to everyone and I discovered I was able to relate to and reach people from different backgrounds, age groups and cultures. I decided to resign from Microbiology in order to complete a Master of Counselling at Morling College majoring in Relationship Counselling and Focussed Individual Counselling for Children, Adolescents and Adults.
Since then I have had over a decade of counselling experience, I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor with PACFA, and have completed further studies focussing in Art Therapy, Trauma and Grief, Parenting, Somatic Therapy, Marriage Counselling, End of Life Counselling, and Mental Health Disorders.
Operating in one of the most culturally diverse areas of Sydney, I have had the utmost honour to be entrusted with the struggles of people from different backgrounds, religions, cultures and worldviews. In this, I feel especially privileged and thankful. As such, my approach to therapy is tailored to suit what works best for you. I do not believe in a “one size fits all” approach, but I engage with various counselling techniques that work best with the struggles you are facing, your personality and what you are most comfortable with.
I relate with everyone in a non-judgemental, kind and respectful way that won’t make you feel uncomfortable, belittled or pressured, all while gently and honestly working with you to manage the reality of the situation you are facing.
I have also experienced hardship in life and my approach to counselling is one of a beggar showing another beggar where to find food. I don’t see myself as any better than anyone else. I am just somebody who is in the room sharing with you what I have found can be helpful and healing.
I believe that hope can be found regardless of whatever is hurting you, and together we can work to bring renewed hope and lasting change to your situation.
Online Therapy Available
Please contact us if you would like to organise an online session.
Our Values
Hope
There is no life without hope. Hope is the lifeblood in every counselling relationship. It is what gives us confidence that we can keep going, move on and that a better life is ahead.
Truth
Often the things that have caused the deepest wounds in our lives have been based on lies that others have told us or lies that we have believed about ourselves. It is only when we see the truth that these lies lose their power and we are able to move forward.
Love
Hurt people hurt others and they hurt themselves. There is unbelievable strength found in love. We will be at our happiest when we learn how to truly love ourselves and others.
Integrity
Integrity means we are the same person irrespective of who we are with. We aim to be so comfortable with ourselves, our personality, our convictions, beliefs and our physical appearance that irrespective of who we are with we will stay faithful to who we really are.
Enjoyment of Life
Life is not meant to be lived in drudgery but is meant to be enjoyed. Our aim is to find beauty and enjoyment in all aspects of life and no longer be held back by our past.