Alana ThompsonAASW

Alana Thompson offers straightforward, compassionate support for people facing stress, anxiety, grief and life transitions. She writes simply, listens closely, and helps clients set clear, achievable goals. Her AASW credential (Australian Association of Social Workers) and long experience inform a calm, practical approach to care.

Alana uses a mix of cognitive-behavioural ideas and attention to emotions to help people manage symptoms and make small changes that matter. Sessions focus on building skills to cope with day-to-day pressures, working through grief, organising tasks for someone with ADHD, and sorting career or workplace concerns. She aims to strengthen routines that support mood and functioning.

Her background includes nearly two decades in clinical practice, earlier work in child protection and family services, and a decade in academia researching social work and law. That history shaped a preference for less adversarial, more humane ways of helping people through complex systems. She also ran welfare and counselling services at a university student guild, offering practical support and referrals.

Alana describes her style as warm, interactive and non-judgemental. She collaborates with each person to build safety and management plans that suit their life. She also completed Mental Health First Aid training and holds a Bachelor of Psychology, a Master of Social Work and a PhD in Social Work and Law.

People who choose Alana can expect clear, practical steps alongside emotional support. She encourages paced progress, resilience building, and realistic goals aimed at improving everyday wellbeing.

Therapeutic approaches and how they work online

Alana commonly draws on cognitive-behavioural techniques that focus on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and testing small behaviour changes to improve daily functioning. This approach helps with anxiety, low mood and workplace stress by giving clear steps to try and evaluate.

She also attends to emotional insight, helping people name and make sense of strong feelings so they are easier to manage. That attention to emotion supports people working through grief, trauma-related distress, or patterns that cause shame or guilt.

Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to decide which techniques suit their needs, goals and preferences. This is an ongoing conversation rather than a one-time decision, and adjustments are expected as progress is made.

Practical benefits of online therapy include fitting sessions into a busy life and reducing travel time, which can make regular meetings easier to keep. Online options can also allow shorter check-ins or phone conversations when a quick follow-up is needed, and make it simpler to schedule around work or family commitments. Confirm the current session formats available with the therapist before booking so you know which options are offered.