Hey there! I'm Ash
and this is Beanie
I'm a Facebook Marketplace fiend (cheers, ADHD shiny object brain), a hoe for run on sentences, and a trash tv lover who will happily jump on a soapbox about how Love Island is actually a fascinating anthropological artefact of our time.
I'm also a registered Counsellor and Animal-Assisted Therapist who feels super, super lucky to be supporting people with mental wellbeing and calling it a job.
Ashleigh Montgomery
Another fiend for shiny objects - but what Beanie loves above all is humans. In fact, when we dropped Beans off at puppy school (March 2020, no parents allowed) we watched through the glass as tiny Beanie took turns standing faithfully with each of the human instructors instead of joining the pup flurry with all the other dogs. She's been like that ever since.
At Golden Thread, Beanie is Head of the Welcome Party and brings infinite warmth and comfort to our clients.
Counsellor
Beanie
therapy dog
Meet the Golden Thread Team
Even if Golden Thread isn't your dream therapy joint, taking a step forward is likely to support you get where you want to be. You'll have more perspective from your new position, and you'll be clearer on what you need.
is therapy actually helpful?
The positive impacts of therapy are widely discussed and scientifically proven. Nothing is guaranteed, but if you're a stats person you can rest easy knowing that statistically, therapy is likely to really help you feel better and enjoy life more.
you might have an inkling that something isn't feeling as good as it should.
if you're like many of my clients,
Maybe you've picked up that you're more often than not really grumpy about something big in your life: a relationship, job, recurring flashback, sleep issues, perpetual brain fog.
Since you're here, you probably have a little glimmer of hope somewhere that there is more for you. More relief. More joy. More peace.
Maybe you're the friend who listens to all of your friends talk through their stuff and gently said more than once, "Have you thought about getting some therapy?"
Maybe that voice quietly spoke up for you too, and a noncommittal Google search brought you here - to my About page. (And I'm so happy to have you.)
Why Golden Thread?
I've always loved writing, and I've always hated naming things. (Except Beanie.) If I had it my way, I would cycle through practice names daily like a mood ring changing colours. Settling on one option felt excruciating.
The unique thing that runs through each of us and makes us who we are. The gold that holds broken pieces of Japanese pottery together. The glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. The soft golden puppy who lays gentle and patient under your hand, making space for words that usually feel impossible to say.
After days of hyperfixation and more than one spiral, it jumped into my mind like a welcome house guest who'd been hanging around the whole time just out of my field of vision.
Golden Thread.
MY TIMELINE
Brought to life our vision for a safe, warm counselling space (with plenty of room for animal-assisted therapy)
by opening Golden Thread in Ashgrove.
2022
Graduated from Monash University with a Master of Counselling (Awarded with Distinction) and became a Registered Counsellor with ACA.
2021
Trained with the Centre for Perinatal Psychology and Therapy Dogs Australia, where Beanie and I qualified as an accredited handler/dog team.
2021
Began working with clients for the first time with a local allied health team. Some of our very first clients are still with us today!
2020
Fell in love with a tiny fluffy bundle of joy puppy named Beanie and welcomed her into our family.
2020
Commenced Master of Counselling full time at Monash University.
