Our StoryBorn from Experience
Everyone asks me, what made you start up Shake? It's a great question, what brought upon the idea to create something alternative, going against the grain of traditional therapy?
Jaxsyn-Lance Scholes
Founder & Director
Est. 2021 • Geelong, Victoria
Mackillop Family Services
This all started during my journey working for Mackillop Family Services, I was a carer for teenagers who were living in out of home care, if you are unaware of what out of home care is, it is government housing for adolescents who have been removed from their parents care, it is a difficult environment for anyone to grow up in, let alone a teenager who has often experienced significant trauma throughout their upbringing.
Whilst caring for these teens, my role would be transporting and advocating the teenagers when they went to see professional services such as psychologists, it was here I noticed the teens revert to three responses, response one saw the teenagers lie so that they could avoid uncomfortable conversations, the second response was aggression, often telling the professional to 'get f****d', the third was a vicious cycle of abstinence towards the sessions, making it difficult for the professional to build a relationship.
Avoidance
Lying to avoid uncomfortable conversations
Aggression
Telling professionals to 'get f****d'
Abstinence
Vicious cycle of avoiding sessions
Now before I continue, please let it be known that I am NOT critiquing psychologists or psychiatrists, they hold a vital space for individuals who are ready to heal, I have witnessed this. Unfortunately, most of the adolescents I took care of were not emotionally ready to delve deep into trauma and personal development.
The Breakthrough Discovery
I started to notice that the boys I was caring for would often disclose personal information after we had released endorphins, these endorphins were released by doing things they love, self-care activities such as basketball, walking, or even going for a walk saw the boys open up to difficult conversations, my theory behind this was because they were comfortable, we were able to have an uncomfortable conversation.
"Because they were comfortable, we were able to have an uncomfortable conversation."
Adopting the Approach
I adopted this approach throughout every 1 on 1 session, tailoring the ideal environment for the teenager, this encouraged engaging in self-care, a deeper level of rapport building, and a safe space to be vulnerable.
Fast forward to 2025, and we have taken pride in offering fluidity within every counselling session, if we had to use an analogy, we like to think we are the vegetables you sneak into the pasta, our therapeutic conversations and counselling exercises are the vegetables, the tasty meat is our Shake Space, equipped with all self-care activities that teenagers love.
The Vegetables
Therapeutic conversations and counselling exercises
The Tasty Meat
Our Shake Space with self-care activities teens love
Based off our experiences with neurotypical and neurodivergent teenagers, we believe this is the most effective approach for those who are looking for something unique. We speak their language, we build relationships quick, and most importantly we resonate and relate, a vital cog in therapy. Our bodies are hard wired for safety, with these strengths we possess, Shake Counselling is the ideal space to offer safety and vulnerability, resulting in healed teenagers.
Educational Success
Boys aged 14-16 have successfully reintegrated into mainstream schools
Employment Success
NDIS participants gained interpersonal skills to confidently secure and maintain employment
"You may as well check it out, what's the worst that could happen?"
Founder & Director
Thank you 🤝