BUSINESS WRITEUP: Sankofa House

In January this year, Lynda Odgers opened a counselling clinic in Nambour, offering a peaceful and supportive space for those seeking holistic counselling, or natural health practitioners looking for a shared space to work.

Lynda originally worked in finance and property, and operated Backpackers accommodation for many years. She came to counselling later in life, recently graduating with a Bachelor’s in Counselling.

“When I was running the Backpackers, I found I was counselling people all day long,” she said. “It seemed to just go with the territory. So moving into counselling was a fairly natural progression for me; it was something I was very drawn to.”

Lynda also volunteers on the crisis phoneline with Lifeline.

“Unfortunately, crisis counselling is in high demand, particularly with the growing rate of youth suicide,” Lynda said.

Lynda uses a holistic counselling model, encompassing all aspects of a person’s life including mental health, nutrition, work patterns and sleep.

“This identifies the person’s strengths and weaknesses allowing them to acknowledge the root cause of their problem and assist them to make lasting changes,” Lynda explained.

In her private practice, Lynda specialises in supporting women through the later stages of life such as ‘empty nesting and post-menopause.’ She is committed to creating a safe, non-judgmental and supportive environment.

“When I lived in West Africa, I learned of a wonderful proverb “Sankofa” which means ‘not to be afraid to look back to go forward’ which I feel aligns with counselling. This then became the name of my business in Howard Street.

“I see now how my life experiences and background have led me to a point where I can work with people, utilising positive psychology and solution-focused approaches to reach desired outcomes. It is incredibly rewarding.”

Lynda offers therapy sessions in person, by phone, or online. You can contact her on 52110880 or through her website www.sankofahouse.com.au.