Hello, I'm Emily Wilkinson
I'm a psychologist, poet, facilitator, and coach who believes that creativity isn't a luxury. It's essential, especially for those of us who dedicate our lives to supporting others.
Originally from Naarm/Melbourne, I’ve also lived in London and New York before returning home in 2018. Across these places, I noticed a pattern: the very qualities that draw us to helping work, our empathy, our dedication, our willingness to put others first, can also leave us depleted and disconnected from ourselves and others.
If you're reading this, you might know this feeling intimately.
Why I Do What I Do
My work exists at the intersections of psychology, poetry, compassion and creativity. This is because I’ve seen what happens when we rely on self-care alone to prevent burnout. Yes, boundaries and rest matter. But they’re not enough. What we need is connection to ourselves, to one another, and to what makes life meaningful.
Through my own journey and years of working alongside leaders, educators and health professionals, I’ve learned that we don’t just need to recharge. We need each other, and we need to remember who we are beyond our professional roles.
When we reconnect with our creativity and playfulness together, we tap into a well of energy that can’t be restored any other way. This is how we sustain ourselves, prevent burnout, and flourish in our work and lives.
My Approach
I combine evidence-based psychology with the depth of Buddhist traditions. My work weaves together:
Compassion-focused approaches: These teach us that compassion works in three directions: the compassion we give to others, the compassion we allow ourselves to receive, and the compassion we offer ourselves.
Mindfulness practices: Based on Ancient practices, these practices ground us in present-moment awareness.
Strengths-based work: This helps us recognise and build on our unique gifts.
Creative and poetic processes: These can reconnect us with experiences of flow and with our authentic selves.
This isn't about adding more to your already full plate. It's about remembering the parts of yourself that light you up and integrating them into your daily life in sustainable, nourishing ways.
My Mission
I'm here to help you:
Reclaim the creative, playful parts of yourself that energise and inspire you.
Explore ways to break free from the constant cycle of rushing and exhaustion.
Reconnect with your inner wisdom and unique gifts.
Find sustainable ways to flourish while honouring your dedication to helping others.
When you're thriving, there can be a ripple effect to those around you, and they benefit too: your clients, your family, your community.
My Poetry Work
When I'm not working with clients or facilitating programs, you'll find me delving into the world of poetry.
My work has been featured on Poet's Bridge, and I've had the privilege of reading at the New York City Poetry Festival. I was honoured to be a co-winner of the 2018 Brooklyn Poets Yawp Poem of the Year Award and received a Pushcart Prize nomination for my poem in 2019.
Poetry isn't separate from my psychology, coaching and facilitation work. It's integral to them. These all involve deep listening, finding meaning in complexity, and discovering new ways to express what it means to be human.
My Qualifications & Experience
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Professional Qualifications
Master of Clinical Psychology
Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours)
IECL Organisational Coaching (Level 1)
Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists
Member of the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership
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Professional Experience
Clinical Psychologist with experience supporting individuals through complex challenges
Organisational coach working with leaders and teams
Facilitator of numerous programs, including The Flourishing Way, which combines psychology research and skills with creativity
Founder of Flourishing Space
Let's Connect
If you're feeling called to rediscover the vibrant, creative parts of yourself while honouring your dedication to helping others, I'd love to support you on that path.
Whether through The Flourishing Way program, individual coaching, speaking or organisational work, my commitment is to create a space where you can reconnect with your authentic self and find sustainable ways to keep flourishing.
Because you deserve to thrive, not just survive.
