Registered Counsellor, Equine Assisted Therapist, Yoga Therapist & Master’s Student in Gestalt Psychotherapy
Maxime Willems is a trauma-informed counsellor, therapist, and yoga teacher passionate about helping people reconnect with themselves, others, and the world around them. Through nature-based, mindful, and experiential sessions with horses and embodied awareness practices, she creates space for authentic connection and healing.
Holding a Certificate IV in Yoga Teaching, Maxime has a background in Tantric Hatha Yoga, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Yoga for Body Image, and Yoga Therapy. She also draws on her experience as a doula, offering a calm, attuned presence that supports others through significant life transitions.
With studies in Education, Sociology, Counselling, Gestalt Therapy, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Maxime brings a deeply relational and holistic approach to growth and wellbeing.
Drawing from her work with horses, yoga, and somatic practices, Maxime invites participants into a grounded and compassionate space to explore connection, emotion, and presence. Her sessions are known for their gentle depth, authenticity, and calm energy, guiding others toward clarity, confidence, and self-compassion.
Based near the ocean in Ballina, NSW, Maxime runs Maxime Willems – Therapy & Training, offering Equine Assisted Therapy, Yoga Therapy, and Gestalt-inspired Counselling for individuals, families, and groups.
At the Starlight Festival, Maxime offers an experiential taste of her work: An invitation to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with your inner rhythm through body, breath, and self-awareness in relationship.
This session reflects the essence of her Equine Assisted Therapy approach, yet adapted for the festival setting: The same depth of connection and embodied presence, simply without the horses physically present. Through mindful movement, grounding practices, and relational awareness, participants will experience how the principles of equine wisdom can be felt and explored within themselves and with others.
