Our Crossway Counsellors

All our counsellors have current Working With Children (WWC) cards and police checks. Please take a look at their profiles to see if one looks like being an especially good fit for you. Alternatively, contact CCC reception, and we can help match you with a counsellor.

Claudia Ferrandes

Counsellor

Claudia is passionate about walking alongside individuals and couples as they pursue growth, healing, and wholeness. Having lived cross-culturally across three continents for over 25 years, she brings a deep respect for each person’s cultural and spiritual background. She views a strong counsellor–client relationship as central to meaningful change and seeks to create a space where clients feel welcomed, accepted, and genuinely respected. She takes a holistic, practical approach to care, supporting mental, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Working from a Biblically framework, Claudia integrates evidence-based therapies and adapts her approach to each client’s needs, values, and goals. She has experience supporting clients through life transitions, anxiety, relationship challenges, and understanding how past trauma may affect present circumstances. Claudia holds a Diploma in Counselling from Australian Institute of Family Counselling, a Formation Certificate in Biblical Counselling from Christian Counselling & Educational Foundation (USA), and a graduate degree in Physiotherapy (Italy). She is married to Jamie and is the mother of two teenage children.

Sharon Hallam

Counsellor

Sharon is passionate about encouraging women and men who are dealing with grief, anxiety and stress. She enjoys giving people a practical personal sense of hope and peace in the promises of God. Her approach is collaborative, non judgmental and combines Christian theology with commonly used strategies from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy. She applies God’s word to bring healing, peace and growth and with the client’s consent, prays at the close of sessions so they feel God’s presence and blessing as they leave and put into action what has been discussed. Sharon was on the founding committee for Crossway Counselling Centre, has a Diploma of Counselling, Bachelor of Health Science with a major in psychology and is studying for Masters of Counselling. She is a member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and enjoys seeing individuals and couples. She is married to Anton and has two school aged children.

Richard Suter

Counsellor

Richard Suter is trained in Biblical Counselling through CCEF (Christian Counselling and Education Foundation, USA). He has been Biblically Counselling since 2016. For many years he was part of the mentoring team at Shalom House. Richard also has his own private Biblical Counselling practice. He commonly deals with addictions, anxiety and depression, guilt and shame, loss of hope, helplessness, abuse in marriage, sexual abuse, mental illness, and other relationship difficulties. He also enjoys helping people gain biblical clarity in problem-solving and decision making, and marriage preparation and enrichment. Richard believes it is a great honour to be invited to explore with people how they can experience God’s love and comfort in the most mundane of daily challenges or the most difficult sin and suffering. His greatest joy is seeing people set free from bondage and moving from darkness to light when God touches their lives. Richard has been a volunteer chaplain with Sports Chaplaincy Australia since 1995, serving at the Australian Superbike series and MotoGP racing events. He is married to Sue, and between them, they have 5 adult children.

Sarah Pomphrey

Counsellor

Sarah, originally from the UK, has been involved in Christian high school education in Perth for over 15 years. While she still loves teaching, her desire to support people on a deeper level led her to retrain in Biblical Counselling. Sarah has a particular passion and skill for working with women, especially those facing trauma, abuse, and conflict-based relationships. She also enjoys supporting teenagers and is committed to helping churches develop stronger pastoral care through a biblical counselling approach. She holds an undergraduate degree in American Literature and History (Nottingham, UK), a postgraduate degree in Education (Cambridge, UK), and a Master of Arts in Counselling (CCEF/Westminster Theological Seminary).

Bianca Davies

Counsellor

Bianca has long had a ministry of Biblical counselling, pastoral care and prayer, particularly with women. She has a certificate in Biblical Counselling through CCEF (Christian Counsellors and Educators Foundation, USA), a Bachelor of Ministry and a Diploma in Social Science (Counselling). Bianca is passionate about helping people hold onto faith in Christ through trials, finding comfort and strength in God. She is empathetic, gentle and prayerful in her approach, creating a safe space for individuals and couples to process difficult emotions. Bianca has experience working with grief, anxiety, depression, marital issues including abuse, parenting challenges and struggles with sin, doubt and shame. She is non-judgmental and understands growing in grace with Jesus is an ongoing journey. Bianca is married to Carl and has four young adult children.

Shelley Bell

Counsellor

Shelley is a warm and compassionate counsellor who welcomes individuals and couples to come just as they are and find hope in the midst of life’s challenges. She offers a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space to explore struggles, reconnect with personal strengths, and move toward healing and growth. As a Christian counsellor, Shelley thoughtfully draws on her faith to help her clients find true hope, meaning, and encouragement. Also working in her own private practice, Shelley has experience supporting clients with anxiety, depression, chronic illness, life transitions, neurodivergence, behavioural addictions, and relationship challenges. With 25 years of marriage and the experience of raising four children, she brings a grounded and compassionate understanding of both the joys and complexities of family and relationships. Shelley holds a Master of Counselling, is trained in the Gottman Method for couples, is a certified Prepare/Enrich facilitator, and is a member of the Australian Counselling Association.

Ida Marais

Counsellor

Ida’s has a gentle and non-judgmental approach to understanding you and the challenges you face. Ida is trauma-informed and has worked with individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, life changes like menopause or becoming parents, relationship difficulties, past abuse, stress, neurodiversity, as well as family and domestic violence. Ida is also involved in working with Police referrals for trauma, grief and loss counselling. She believes that it is during times of difficulty that we grow most as human beings and as Christians. She is especially mindful of the connection between mind and body and how we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Ps 139). Ida has worked in mental health research for most of her life and holds Masters degrees in Psychology and Counselling, as well as a PhD in Psychology. She is a member of the Australian Counselling Association.

Crossway Counselling Service

Executive Team

Graham Guest

Counsellor Supervisor

Graham has the responsibility to supervise, support and provide continuing education for the Crossway counsellor team. Graham has a passion for helping people find wholeness – personally knowing the life changing liberation power of personal faith in Jesus. Graham is a qualified Clinical Psychologist, who has worked for over 30 years in private practice consulting with individuals, organisations, and other health professionals. Graham is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and is a Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists. He is also fully registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation agency (AHRPA).

Nicole Waddell

Practice Manager

Nicole is keenly committed to providing a safe, efficient and welcoming environment at the Crossway Counselling Centre, working as part of a team of competent and enthusiastic counsellors and reception volunteers. Nicole understands and appreciates the value of a faith-based counselling service and the real potential it has to assist both individuals and families. She is married with 3 adult children.

Grant Hendry

NBBC Senior Pastor

Grant has served as a full-time pastor for almost 30 years, first of all in Busselton and then at North Beach Baptist Church. Grant is passionate about clear, Christ-focused Bible teaching and has consistently invested heavily in supportive but bold, pastoral counselling. Grant leads a team of 6 pastors at North Beach. Grant has long championed the establishment of a quality Biblical counselling service to bless the whole of Perth, not just the Christian community.