My Story

I didn't start out in therapy. In a previous life, I was a stockbroker — a director of a small stockbroking firm in Melbourne, Australia. It was engaging work with big dreams attached to it, but it was also incredibly stressful. I spent most of my twenties on and off antidepressants, struggling with insomnia, depression, and anxiety without really understanding why.

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When the Global Financial Crisis hit in 2008, our firm couldn't survive — and neither could I. I experienced a severe burnout. I lost everything: my career, my savings, my apartment. I ended up sleeping on my brother's couch with no clear idea of what came next.

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It was during this period that two things happened which changed my life. I started seeing a counsellor, and on their suggestion, I began to meditate. While the world around me was falling apart, these practices held me together. They didn't just help me cope — they opened up an entirely new way of understanding myself and what actually matters to me.

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After some time, I found myself sitting on the veranda of my parents' country house with a pen and a piece of paper. I wrote down everything I truly valued, everything I genuinely cared about. Within half an hour, it was clear: I needed to study to become a therapist. The transformation I had experienced through my own therapy was so profound that I wanted to understand it deeply, and I wanted to offer that same possibility to others.

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Training and Experience

From that moment on the veranda, I enrolled in introductory counselling courses, followed by a year-long certificate and then a Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the Cairnmillar Institute in Australia.

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Around the same time, I began attending a meditation and yoga school — and ended up living there for seven years, eventually becoming one of its managers. During that period, I completed teacher training in both yoga and meditation, and developed a deep appreciation for how these contemplative practices support mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

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I ultimately left that community as part of a group of whistleblowers who spoke up against institutional abuse within the organisation — an experience that, while very painful, reinforced my commitment to integrity and protecting those who are vulnerable.

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That experience propelled me back to university, where I completed my undergraduate and honours degrees in psychology, with my honours thesis focused on burnout — a subject I understood from the inside. It was during a study abroad trip in my Honours year that I travelled to Europe, met my partner, and eventually moved to Brussels. Like many expats here, I'm essentially a trailing spouse.

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In 2020, I completed my Master's degree in Organisational Psychology through Maastricht University in the Netherlands, adding a deeper understanding of workplace wellbeing, leadership, and how organisations shape the people within them.

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How I Work

My approach is grounded in a simple belief: you are not broken, and there is nothing fundamentally wrong with you. We are mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual creatures — and those dimensions cannot be meaningfully separated. You can't say "I'm this but not that." They all work together, and the more comprehensively we can engage with all of them, the more effectively we can address what's contributing to your distress.

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In our first session together, I'll want to understand you as a whole person — your prior experiences with therapy, what worked and what didn't, any neurodiversity or medication history, and your beliefs about life, meaning, and connection. This isn't just getting-to-know-you conversation; it directly shapes how we work together, because no two people need the same approach.

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At the core of my work — whether it's therapy, ADHD coaching, meditation teaching, or spiritual exploration — is psychoeducation and experiential exploration of what it means to be human. I help people see how their experience can be shaped by misunderstandings and misidentifications, and how clarifying those can create real freedom. The goal is for you to learn to use your psyche — your inner faculties, strengths, and unique qualities — as tools, rather than feeling overrun by them.

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One thing I find myself gently correcting is the idea that therapy and meditation are entirely separate things — that therapy is the "scientific" approach and meditation is the "spiritual" one. In reality, both have elements of each other, whilst also holding important and unique perspectives. Once you start working with the psyche, you very quickly find yourself working with nonmaterial things. The strict materialist perspective breaks down fast, no matter which door you walk through! My practice embraces that reality.

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What Clients Say

"Simon has found a great measure and balance between western psychology and eastern philosophy, bringing together a therapeutic context which really works and really helps to heal. Thank you very much"

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"I cannot recommend Simon highly enough. He gets straight to the point and understands what you're dealing with. His practical advice and personalised strategies have had a positive impact on my life from session one. I highly recommend Simon to anyone looking for a straightforward and effective professional. He knows his stuff and truly makes a difference."

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Beyond the Practice

When I'm not working, you'll find me meditating (naturally), playing or listening to music, indoor climbing, in conversation with friends about the nature of consciousness, or simply enjoying life. I'm endlessly curious about what it means to be human — it's not just my profession, it's genuinely what I care about most.

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Would You Like to Talk?

I'm always happy to speak with new people and explore together how I may help. If you're interested in working together, please reach out directly.

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📧 simon.p.dwyer@pm.me 📞 +32 471 772 496

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If you're looking to explore mindfulness and meditation at your own pace, have a look at my Meditation Courses or browse some Free Content to get a feel for how I work.