Hi, I’m Holly — Financial Counsellor, Coach, and Chaos-Slayer for women rebuilding after trauma or burnout
I founded Mindful Bloom to offer the kind of support I once needed: real tools, real talk, and a place to breathe again — especially when life feels too heavy, too much, or like everything is happening at once.
This Is Me
I’m a neurodivergent mum, survivor, and financial counsellor who’s lived the chaos I now help others navigate.
After years in the banking world (and the burnout to match), I rebuilt my life from the ground up. I retrained in trauma-informed financial counselling, completed placement at the Consumer Action Law Centre, and supported people facing debt, system overwhelm, financial abuse, and the emotional load that comes with all of it.
Today, I bring together more than seven years in finance, specialised DV-Alert training, Mental Health First Aid certification, and lived insight into trauma, neurodivergence, and recovery.
Through mentoring, peer support, individual skill development, and trauma-informed coaching, I help women and gender-diverse people reclaim confidence, clarity, and calm — especially when life has felt too hard for too long.
Let’s meet your nervous system where it’s at and build something steady from there.
This is Mindful Bloom
Founded in 2025, Mindful Bloom was created to fill a gap for trauma-informed, relational, and advocacy-based support for women and gender-diverse individuals navigating life after trauma, burnout, or systemic overwhelm.
We’re not a clinical or advice service; we’re a people-first practice offering:
Trauma-informed mentoring and peer support
Financial coaching and practical skill-building
Advocacy and systems navigation
Workshop design & facilitation for community wellbeing
Support with emotional load and executive functioning
We walk beside you — not to fix or direct — but to listen, empower, and connect you to the right support at the right time, with care and dignity. We proudly operate with a no wrong door approach and maintain strong referral pathways so no one has to navigate fragmented systems alone.
Our work is grounded in lived experience, informed by evidence, and driven by a deep belief in the autonomy, voice, and resilience of every person we support.
“We don’t heal in isolation, but in community.”
This Is Why
Across Australia, rates of family violence, housing instability, and financial hardship are rising. Too many people are left to navigate these challenges alone.
At Mindful Bloom, we believe everyone deserves support that honours their story, centres their autonomy, and makes space for healing on their own terms.
Our work complements existing services — bridging gaps, strengthening confidence, and restoring self-trust through practical, trauma-informed mentoring, peer support, and financial empowerment.
Our Values in Action
Mindful Bloom is committed to:
Trauma-informed, client-led practice
Neuro-affirming, inclusive spaces
Community-rooted, collaborative support
Strong referral pathways and integrated care
Real-life-friendly tools for tired, overwhelmed, and rebuilding nervous systems
Based on Yuin Country in Bega, NSW, Mindful Bloom partners with individuals, services, and community organisations across Australia. Whether through one-on-one support, workshops, or advocacy, we help people rebuild stability, self-trust, and connection — one story, one step at a time.
Who We Support
Mindful Bloom is here for women and gender-diverse individuals — and their families — who are seeking clarity, confidence, or support while navigating complex life circumstances.
We support people who may be:
Experiencing or recovering from family or domestic violence
Facing housing insecurity or system overwhelm
Managing financial stress or rebuilding independence
Navigating neurodivergence or disability-related supports
Feeling isolated or unsupported in traditional systems
Our approach blends mentoring, peer support, and individual skill development to build confidence, self-advocacy, and grounded resilience.
We welcome referrals from individuals, services, and organisations. Every contact is met with care, confidentiality, and respect.
Mindful Bloom does not provide legal, financial, or mental health advice.
We offer practical guidance and trauma-informed advocacy to help people take meaningful steps forward, connecting them to trusted services when specialised support is needed.
Professional Bio - Holly Russo
Founder | Trauma-Informed Advocate | Mentor & Financial Coach | Workshop Facilitator
Holly is a trauma-informed practitioner, financial counsellor, and advocate passionate about supporting women and gender-diverse people rebuilding life after trauma, burnout, or systemic overwhelm. She brings over seven years of experience across banking, financial counselling, advocacy, and community wellbeing.
Holding a Diploma of Financial Counselling, Holly is also trained in:
• Mental Health First Aid
• DV-Alert (Domestic & Family Violence Response)
• Trauma & Gender training (Gender and Disaster Australia)
• First Aid/CPR
She is an Associate Member of Financial Counselling NSW and Victoria and holds active NDIS Worker Screening and Working with Children Checks (NSW/VIC).
Holly currently works with the Women’s Resilience Centre redesigning and facilitating financial wellbeing programs that blend feminist, strengths-based, and recovery-oriented practice. She also provides financial counselling-informed guidance through WIRE’s Financial Guidance Clinic, supporting women and gender-diverse people across Victoria with trauma-aware, judgement-free money support.
As the Founder of Mindful Bloom, Holly champions the development of person-led supports blending mentoring, peer support, executive functioning support, and systems navigation. She collaborates with local services to strengthen community response and ensure no one has to navigate fragmented systems alone.
Previously, Holly supported clients through the Consumer Action Law Centre via the National Debt Helpline, delivering trauma-informed financial counselling. Before that, she spent years in the finance sector as a Customer Relationship Manager with Bendigo Bank and a Home Loan Consultant with Lendi, developing her expertise in ethical, client-centred financial practice.
A neurodivergent woman and survivor of family violence, Holly brings authenticity, insight, and compassion to every interaction. Her approach is practical, relational, and deeply human — helping people find clarity, confidence, and a way forward that works for their real life.
