Our Team
CEO & Founder
Penny Wilkinson
(B. Bus, M.Couns, PACFA Reg Clinical Counsellor #24365, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP)
PACFA Registered Clinical Supervisor
Penny founded The Overcomers Place in 2020 to address the need for an accessible and effective all-addictions day program. Her trauma-informed model focuses on abstinence through relational group therapy, skills development, and peer support—built on the principles of care, connection, and community. Penny is able to volunteer her time over the last five years to have established the service of The Overcomers Place.
The program fosters neurobiological safety, enabling participants to expand their Window of Tolerance and engage their Prefrontal Cortex, essential for learning skills to build human connections and supportive communities. With over 75 years of combined lived experience, the Specialist Addiction Counsellors at The Overcomers Place deliver intensive group sessions that support the development of lasting neural pathways for long-term recovery.
Penny has worked as an Addiction and Trauma Recovery Specialist in Private Practice since 2005. A Registered Clinical Counsellor and Accredited Supervisor with PACFA, she is also a globally recognized Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP). With over 22 years of personal experience with addiction in her family, Penny is dedicated to supporting others with compassion and expertise.
Our Therapists
The Overcomers Place team of Specialist Addiction Counsellors brings extensive experience in the addictions sector, with many team members having lived experience in recovery. Our compassionate therapists have worked with a variety of support services, including Lifeline, Wesley Mission, Glebe House, Anglicare, and other public and private rehabilitation and hospital settings.
We proudly support a tradition of employing former clients as staff members. After completing treatment and obtaining the necessary qualifications, these individuals bring invaluable lived experience and empathy to their roles, enhancing our commitment to trauma-informed care
Grounded in our core values of care, connection, and community, our team is dedicated to supporting clients in their recovery journey. We prioritize neurobiological safety through a foundation of care, teaching safe attachment and connection skills, and fostering a supportive community through group therapy. Our goal is to help individuals return to their families and communities free from the grip of addiction—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
With expertise in recovery, nervous system regulation, and attachment theory, our counsellors are skilled in approaches such as 12-Step Recovery, interpersonal neurobiology, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), internal family systems, and narrative therapy. All are grounded in trauma-informed practice.
Our team of qualified psychotherapists and counsellors is regulated by professional bodies like PACFA (Psychotherapy & Counselling Federation Australia) and ACA (Australian Counselling Association). We are committed to walking alongside our clients, providing the support they need for long-term, sustainable recovery.