Helen Wells
Clinical Director, The Dawn Wellness Centre and Rehab
Certified Trauma Professional and member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
Helen Wells leads the clinical team at The Dawn Rehab in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Asia’s only CARF-accredited centre. She is the person responsible for making sure that every client’s treatment reflects sound clinical practice and genuine care, and she shapes the trauma informed approach that runs through everything we do.
Helen is frequently called upon by leading media, particularly in the UK, to provide expert commentary on mental health, trauma and addiction. Alongside her clinical work, she frequently writes for The Dawn’s blog, bringing that same standard of clinical accumen and compassion to what we publish.
Explore a selection of her media commentary and writing for The Dawn.
Helen’s role at The Dawn
As Clinical Director, Helen keeps the clinical programme aligned with The Dawn’s philosophy of Trauma Informed Care, and she oversees a multidisciplinary team of psychologists and psychotherapists. What sets her role apart is that she personally reviews each client’s treatment plan with both the client and their focal therapist. That review is where a standard programme becomes an individual one: it is the point at which Helen checks that the plan fits the person in front of her, rather than asking the person to fit the plan. Before becoming Clinical Director, Helen worked at The Dawn as a Trauma, Mental Health and Addiction psychotherapist. Her approach brings mental health, addiction recovery and trauma treatment together, because for many of the people she works with, these challenges are connected, parts of the same story.Expertise and professional standing
Clinical focus areas
- Trauma informed therapy
- Couples and family intervention
- Crisis support and intervention
- Clinical programme development
Professional memberships
- Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
- Change Management Institute of Australia
- ProSci and Change Management Learning Centre
Her PACFA membership is the credential that underpins her clinical authority and her review of the clinical content The Dawn publishes. PACFA is the professional body that registers psychotherapists and counsellors across Australia.
Helen Well’s Qualifications and accreditations
Helen holds a Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Counselling) from the Australian College of Applied Psychology and a Post Graduate Diploma in Couples and Family Therapy from Relationships Australia. Alongside her degrees, she holds a number of clinical accreditations that shape her work with trauma and crisis:
- Certified clinical trauma professional, trained in trauma informed care
- Accredited Mental Health First Aid practitioner and accredited Lifeline crisis support worker
- Specialised training in domestic and family violence support, and accreditation in the Interventions for Children with Trauma and Anxiety programme
Helen is regularly approached by national media for expert insight on mental health, trauma and addiction. A selection of her commentary:
A selection of Helen’s writing for The Dawn’s blog:
In Helen’s own words
There are times when we need explanation and understanding about what is occurring in our lives, or direction as to where we are heading. The holistic approach at The Dawn assists clients to look at their life from both a broad and detailed perspective, supporting them to heal, strengthen and grow towards living their best life.
