Melissa Kiernan

Student Counsellor

Hi, my name is Melissa—though to the students here at St Andrews, I’m simply Mel! I am a happily married mother to three teenagers and live on the Mornington Peninsula.

As a certified counsellor with over 15 years of experience in the mental health sector, I hold various qualifications in nursing, mental health, social work, and counselling. These have allowed me to work across educational, clinical, and community settings.

I have a deep understanding of complex trauma and family dynamics with particularly in managing mental health diagnoses. Over the years, I have worked extensively with child protection services, Orange Door, and other external agencies which allowed me to establish connections in collaboration and access to crisis intervention with ease and familiarity lessening impact of those requiring support through trauma informed care.

As a school counsellor, I am compassionate and caring, leading with humanistic therapy in establishing strong rapport and building trust with teenagers and adolescents I support. This foundation allows me to use CBT, ACT, and motivational interviewing to name some, always seeking approaches that strengthen students’ identity in God and find the plan He seeks for them.

With extensive experience in family mediation and group therapy facilitation, I am deeply committed to strengthening the family unit. Being part of this school community is an honour, working with teachers of such high calibre. I look forward to building meaningful connections with your child and family in the years ahead.

Chloe Tan

Student Counsellor

Hello! My name is Chloe. I am a certified counsellor specialising in children and adolescent counselling.

My passion and heart for helping young people in the realm of mental health can be seen throughout my years of working with both Primary and Secondary students across numerous schools. My educational background in Bachelor of Psychology and Master of Counselling equips me to provide targeted therapy for a range of presentations from emotional regulation to suicidal ideation.

Having worked closely with supporting the mental health and wellbeing of neurodiverse students, it has equipped and finetuned my skills and strategies to support their unique needs. I adopt a strength-based, person-centred modality that individualises and caters therapeutic approaches to suit the student’s needs.

My personal faith in Jesus is integral to my role, as I see each student as precious to Him. I feel privileged to work alongside the caring staff at St Andrews Christian College.

If you would like to contact the Wellbeing Team to find out how we can support your child, please email mheading@standrews.vic.edu.au. Please also visit the Hub to access many available parent resources.