Biography

Stuart Fenton is a clinical psychotherapist and counsellor who has over ten years of experience working in the addiction treatment field. Originally, Stu was a high school teacher before entering the addiction/recovery area. Stu completed a Graduate Diploma in Counselling, specialising in addiction, self-esteem and group work. He then completed a four-year master's qualification in gestalt therapy and is currently studying to become a certified sex addiction therapist. Stu has worked in a wide range of settings, from residential long-term and short-term rehabilitation, public and private sector rehabilitation, community health centres in both addiction and family violence, outreach and GLBTI services. His varied roles have mostly been in the areas of chemical and process addictions, GLBTI issues, codependence issues, family interventions and sex and love addiction. He’s concurrently built a private psychotherapy practice in both Sydney and Melbourne. He has held positions as a group facilitator, crisis counsellor, and senior recovery therapist at facilitates, including The WHO’s Therapeutic Community for men (Gunyah), South Pacific Private Hospital in Sydney, Malvern Private Hospital in Melbourne, and Riverside Clinic in Kyneton, Victoria. Recently, Stu accepted a position at The Cabin, in Chiang Mai, Thailand.   Acclaimed for being the first psychotherapist in Australia who has rehabilitated from the drug "crystal meth" and gone on to become an accomplished worker and professional in the field, Stu has appeared on several television shows, including documentaries and in numerous newspaper articles.   In 2015, Stu was invited to present at Ausmed Education's inaugural Breaking Point – Ice & Methamphetamine Conference held in Creswick, a regional town in Victoria. His session “From Addiction to a New Life” chronicled his journey from a crystal methamphetamine addict to psychotherapist. The reception to his presentation was so positive that Stu has since been invited to be the keynote speaker at the same conference in many locations around Australia. Having impacted 650+ Australian health professionals to date, Stu has played a key role in promoting recovery, empathetic care, and reducing stigma associated with an ice addition.