Zanda Case Study: Beehind the Scenes with Gaye Mallinson, Counselor

Gaye Mallinson turned a dream of traveling into a business model.

At Somatic Psychotherapies, Gaye offers counseling and trauma-informed yoga therapy to individuals, couples, families, and groups. Availability is flexible, with weekday and weekend telehealth sessions, and options across Australia, New Zealand, and beyond.

She also provides dedicated professional clinical supervision services for a diverse range of counseling therapists, health and non-health-related professionals seeking to enhance their career skills, navigate complex client cases, and maintain professional well-being.

With 4 decades of experience in healthcare, including military service, psychiatric nursing, and disability assessment, Gaye sustained a serious workplace injury that left her unable to continue hands-on nursing. Rather than give up helping others, she chose to reimagine how.

“I couldn’t go back to nursing, but I still wanted to make a difference. So I retrained as a counselor. It was the closest thing to the work I loved, just in a new form.”

Reinvention

Gaye’s second act in private practice was born from healing, resilience, and adaptability. Drawing on her background in mental health, aged care, and trauma-informed care, she built a counseling practice with a wide scope.

“I work with people going through everything from a fight with a sibling to survivors of serious violence. The common thread? Everyone deserves compassionate, qualified support.”

Her areas of focus include:

• Complex trauma, mental health, neurodivergence, and emotional regulation skills
• Victims and perpetrators of violence
• Physical health and disability issues, addictions
• Relationship difficulties, work stress and injuries, grief and loss
• Somatic and trauma-informed yoga therapy

Therapy on the open road

Six years ago, Gaye shifted fully into private practice. But her biggest lifestyle change came more recently.

After moving back to Australia from New Zealand, she and her husband embraced a life on the move, living full-time in a spacious RV and traveling the country as “gray nomads.” And yes, she runs her entire practice remotely.

“I can work from anywhere, and Zanda makes that possible. We’ll park up in a new place, go explore a waterfall or have coffee with a local, and then I log on for my next client. It’s a dream.”

A better way to work and live

Today, Gaye works part-time, offering sessions every day of the week. Her flexible schedule allows her to prioritize her own wellness, avoid burnout, and offer appointments outside typical hours, which her clients appreciate.

“There’s no commute. No strict 9–5. Just meaningful work, well-paced. And I have time to breathe between sessions. That’s part of my self-care now.”

Whether she’s supporting someone through trauma, helping with return-to-work transitions, or providing professional supervision, Gaye’s approach is grounded in empathy, autonomy, and cultural sensitivity.

“I never assume what someone needs. I listen. Then I offer tools that fit them—not the other way around.”

Powered by Zanda

When Gaye relocated to Australia, her previous platform wasn’t supported locally. That’s when she discovered Zanda, recommended by the Australian Counselling Association.

“I needed something secure, simple, and all-in-one. Zanda checked every box and more.”

What Gaye uses most:

• Telehealth
• SMS and email reminders
• Intake forms and clinical agreements
• Secure file storage and encrypted notes
• Automated receipts and billing
• Client self-booking via the client portal

“I love that my clients can book, pay, and receive reminders without me lifting a finger. It’s seamless and professional.”

Why Zanda works for Gaye

As a remote practitioner with clients in multiple countries, Gaye needed a platform that could adapt to her mobile lifestyle and diverse caseload.

Zanda delivered.

“It’s easy for me, easy for my clients, and it looks professional. That matters when you want to build trust.”

Gaye’s Zanda tip: Keep it all in one place

“In this changing world, we need to be more and more accountable—not just for how we care, but how we record and manage client information.”

Gaye’s advice? Set yourself (and your clients) up for success by keeping everything in one secure, professional platform.

“Zanda holds it all—notes with AI integration, payments, personal details, telehealth links, intake forms—so I don’t have to juggle folders, email chains, or cloud files. And if I ever stopped working, it would all still be there, safely stored for the legally required time. That’s peace of mind.”

She adds that beyond convenience, it elevates how her practice is perceived.

“Using Zanda makes my service more professional—and my clients feel it. They know their information is secure, organized, and respected.”

For therapists still stitching together systems, Gaye encourages making the leap.

“Stop sending separate links, contracts, and reminders. With Zanda, it’s all done in a few clicks with automation features so you can set and forget! You’ll save time, meet your professional body’s standards, and give your clients a smoother experience from the start.”