Our People

At Minnawarra House, our people are at the heart of everything we do. Our dedicated team brings together a diverse range of skills, experience, and passion for supporting individuals, families, and the wider community.

We are committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and heard.

Our Board

Minnawarra House gratefully acknowledges the valuable contribution of our Board members, whose leadership, guidance and ongoing commitment help shape the direction and future of our organisation.

Our Board plays an important role in supporting strong governance, strategic planning and community-focused decision making. Through their dedication, experience and shared commitment to community wellbeing, they help ensure Minnawarra House continues to grow as a safe, inclusive and responsive service for the community.

We thank our Board members for the time, knowledge and passion they generously contribute in support of our mission, our team and the people we serve.

Values & Mission

Our People

Our experienced counsellors and therapists are all tertiary qualified professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge, compassion and genuine care to their work. 
 
Supporting our practitioners is our friendly administration team, who help ensure every person who connects with Minnawarra House has a positive experience from their very first contact. Whether you’re making an enquiry, attending a program or accessing counselling, our team is here to help you feel comfortable, informed and connected.
 
Together, we are committed to strengthening our community by providing high-quality, person-centred support in a safe and welcoming space.

Evelyn Lim

Evelyn first studied at the University of Queensland where she focused on community development, organizational psychology and counselling. She completed a Master of Counselling at Curtin University.

Since living in West Australia Evelyn has continued her work in community engagement and inclusive practices.

Evelyn takes a collaborative and strength based approach that considers all aspect of the person’s lifestyle. Her principle interests lie with Gestalt and Narrative Therapy but she draws on the strategies of a number of therapeutic modalities which best suite the individual and the timeframe available.

Elsja Playne

Elsja is an ethical, collaborative, experienced and compassionate Therapeutic Counsellor who has worked with people from all walks of life, who have experienced all sorts of challenges. Elsja enjoys working with families, couples, individuals, adolescents and tweens.  Elsja is always focused on supporting her clients to develop their emotional and cognitive strengths which can become exhausted by relationship breakdowns, trauma, and grief.

 

Pamela Groff

Pamela first joined Minnawarra House after completing her Graduate Diploma in Counselling. She subsequently undertook her counselling placement with the organisation and has since completed her Master of Counselling at Murdoch University.
 
Originally from Brazil, Pamela has also lived in the United States, and now in Australia, where she has worked with individuals and families from a variety of cultural backgrounds. These experiences have shaped her culturally responsive approach and deep appreciation for each person’s unique story and life experiences. Pamela works from a person-centred approach, believing that every client deserves to feel heard, respected, and supported. She is passionate about helping people improve their mental wellbeing through empathy, genuine connection, and collaborative practice.

 

Leonie Wight

Leonie came to the Art Therapy profession via a creative route starting in the early 2000’s with a Diploma of Art and Design. She worked in the local film industry before settling into the stability of self-employment as a Graphic Designer for 15 years. Leonie commenced training in 2013 in Art Therapy and joined Minnawarra House as a qualified Transpersonal Art Therapist in 2016.

Leonie brings to Minnawarra House her own special flavour of passion, commitment and enthusiasm for all of her clients. Leonie’s expertise in Art Therapy provides her clients with the opportunity to experience the language of art and art making as a therapeutic tool to achieve client defined outcomes.

Services provided by Leonie at Minnawarra House include individual sessions for children, teenagers and adults. She also runs an adult women group and co-facilitated a teenage girls’ empowerment program.

Sam Craig

Samantha (Sam), Music Therapist, provides therapy for children, teens and adults with behavioural, mental health, emotional dysregulation, who seek change, wellbeing, self-expression and fun. Sam runs fun music programs for children and teens. Sam is NDIS registered.

 

Jacki Knizek

Jacki joined the Minnawarra team in 2026, bringing with her a wealth of experience working with young people in school settings and as a Counsellor within an Employment Assistance Program. Jacki holds a Master of Counselling from Edith Cowan University, a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) and has undertaken further studies in domestic violence responses.

Jacki approaches counselling sessions with clients’ goals and needs in mind and uses specific evidence-based therapies such as CBT and Solution Focused Therapy. Regarding young people, a combination of psychoeducation, play and art therapy can also be used in sessions to create a safe and welcoming space for young people to explore big emotions.