About Dee
Hi, I'm Deidre Brooker.
I'm a therapist and conflict resolution specialist, and I help women in decades-long relationships decide, clearly and safely, whether to stay or go. Compassionate, yes. Fluffy, no.
Why this matters to me
I met my partner when I was 16. We committed to each other at 20, had our first child when I was 22, and here we are now, in our sixties.
I have a huge trauma history, and over the years I've dug deep into it. I've done the work. I've evolved beyond who I was at 20, at 30, at 40, and even at 50. And some days I turn around, look at the person beside me, and I don't recognise myself next to them.
I know what it is to keep growing while the person beside you stays in the comfort bubble they've built. I know how frustrating that is, and what it can cost you, including some of the relationships you hold most dear.
So I'm not writing this from the other side of the question. I'm a trauma-informed therapist, but that's by the by. What this really comes down to is my desire to walk with women through this, so they don't feel completely and utterly alone.
No woman should have to face this crossroads on her own.
What I've seen
At this stage of life, being on your own is damn scary
For so many of the women I've journeyed alongside, the prospect of being completely and utterly alone in their late 50s and 60s looks like the end of their world. It's easy to slip into a spiral of despair, because everything shifts and changes at once.
Mental health
Anxiety, grief and sleepless nights can take a terrible toll.
Financial security
A separation and pending settlement can rock everything you thought was secure.
Physical health
Stress lives in the body, and it shows up when you can least afford it.
Relationships
So many friendships are tied to being a couple. The ripples reach your children, grandchildren, work and social life.
What I believe
You've got this. You can carry this. And whatever your history, you can reinvent yourself.
I want to see women go back to the strengths they've built over decades, everything they've done and survived, and construct a life that reflects who they are, their heart, and all the work they've done.
My training
I draw on attachment, parts work and somatic practice, so change is felt, not just understood. My conflict resolution work means I understand what happens between two people, not just inside one.
- Advanced Diploma in Family Therapy & Counselling
- Conflict Resolution Specialist
- Backyard Peace Project Ambassador and presenter
- Finalist, Social Change Maker and Phoenix awards
- Creator of the SHINE group program for women
“There is no pressure to share, but just to listen and to receive wisdom from a beautiful soul who has journeyed far… It’s been water for my thirsty soul.”
Deb, women's group program
I'd love to hear where you are