Kareena Hodgson was an international circus performer for 20 years. Working with Rock ’n’ Roll Circus (now Circa), Circus Oz and DV8 Physical Theatre. She is now a registered clinical counsellor and psychotherapist.  She has a Bachelor of Counselling  and a  Masters of Psychotherapy. She also works in  private practice with artists, performers and stage crew as well as  mentoring young women just beginning performing careers. She has spoken about mental health in the arts at both the ACETA and ASPAH  conferences. She is uniquely suited to working in the mental health space within the performing arts due to her experiences as a touring performer. This allows her insight and understanding into the unique challenges that performers and production crew encounter working in the arts, and her experiences provide many of the metaphors and analogies that underpin her practice.