~ Equine Therapy
~ Counselling
~ Professional Development
~ Training & Supervision
Mindful Therapies provide Equine Therapy covering the Cairns and Far North Queensland regions.
​
Counselling sessions are also available based in Cairns, via phone or video conference.
​
Mindful Therapies also offer supervision to community sector workers, and training workshops.
Mindful Therapy Cairns acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land , the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters, culture and community.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
Lara Baker
-
BA of Psychology
-
​Master of Social Work
-
EPI model EAP Practitioner
-
Mindfulness Practitioner
-
Diploma of Youth Work
-
Trainer and Assessor
-
Subject Matter Expert Youth Work
Meet Lara
Lara is an experienced equine therapist, psychotherapist & social worker and is registered with the Australian Social Work Association member.
​
Having worked in the community field for 20 years with a diverse range of people, Lara is passionate about social justice and operates from a trauma-informed, person-centred practice. Lara has a deep passion for helping people and animals and uses this expertise to support people to gain awareness and develop new skills to carry forward into their lives.
Mindful Therapy Cairns offers Equine Therapy based in the Far North surrounded by stunning bushlands and the beautiful Barron River. Lara’s generous and soothing herd consists of 3 horses; Big Red, Ra Ra, and Jellybean. Horses aren’t for everyone so Mindful Therapies offers Counselling sessions based in Cairns, and phone and video conferences are also available.
​
With a diverse background working with individuals, young people, couples, families, and groups of all ages, Lara takes social work into the great outdoors working alongside her horses. The needs of her horses and clients are at the forefront of her work, ensuring her work is grounded and having a deep understanding of both horses and people’s social and emotional and physical needs. This understanding of the horse and its behaviour is used to create meaningful connections and learning experiences. Lara is a firm believer that horses can be a powerful tool for healing and growth, and she is dedicated to helping individuals reach their potential.
​
From a social work perspective, Lara recognises the oppression in our society and how it impacts people’s lives. Lara’s goal is to allow people to feel a sense of safety, choice, collaboration, trust, and empowerment. Lara also uses her psychological studies to understand the person’s behaviour and nervous system, strategies are learnt in the sessions allowing people to have more awareness and choice.
​
Importantly, Lara works under the Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and The Australian Association of Social Workers Practice Standards and continually reflects that her work aligns with these.
Lara’s practice model is experiential learning, allowing learning through experience. This is combined with animal-assisted therapy and equine therapy with a strength-based approach being at the core of her practice. The therapies used in counselling are cognitive behaviour therapy, motivational interviewing, group therapy and mindfulness.
​
The values Lara holds in her practice framework are social justice, ensuring the person’s human rights are being fulfilled, and inclusivity whilst adhering to a culturally responsive and inclusive practice. The skills Lara carries with her are empathy, understanding, critical thinking, patience, professionalism and collaboration and the ability to use reflective practice.
