Counsellor profile
Melissa Stokes, AASW, AHPRA
Psychologist and AASW social worker - Parenting and trauma
Continue with MelissaAbout
- Stress and anxiety
- Attachment-based work
- CBT and ACT methods
About Melissa
Melissa Stokes is a psychologist and an accredited social worker with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and registration with AHPRA. She has 25 years of clinical experience working across public and private settings in Australia. Her practice focuses on stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, parenting concerns, grief, eating and sleeping difficulties, mood conditions and ADHD.
Melissa uses straightforward, practical methods in sessions. She draws on cognitive-behavioural techniques, acceptance and commitment ideas, attachment-based thinking and client-centred ways of working. Sessions often involve skills training, psychoeducation and talking through current problems to reduce distress.
Her background includes work in domestic violence services, child and adult community mental health, youth justice, sexual assault services and hospitals. That range has informed how she approaches safety, risk and recovery with people who have had difficult or traumatic experiences.
Melissa describes her approach as integrative. She combines elements from CBT, DBT, ACT, emotionally-focused and attachment-informed therapies to address specific issues. The aim is to help people manage symptoms, improve relationships and find practical ways to cope with life changes.
She also supervises students and other professionals as they build clinical skills. Outside work she spends time hiking, foraging, cooking, gardening and with her dogs.
How sessions work
How her therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on noticing thoughts and values-based action. It helps people who are stuck in unhelpful thinking and who want to make choices that match what matters to them. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and uses practical exercises to change patterns that increase distress. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early and current relationship patterns affect emotion and behaviour, and it can help with trust, closeness and communication issues.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Melissa will discuss what you want to achieve and try methods that fit those goals. This is a collaborative process and adjustments are made as you progress.
The biography confirms she provides online work but does not list specific formats here. Please check the session options before booking to know whether video or phone sessions are offered. Online sessions can help fit therapy into busy days, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. They can also let people continue support while juggling work, caring roles or other commitments.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting concerns, eating and sleeping problems, mood conditions including depression and bipolar, ADHD and related issues.
What is her general approach in sessions?
Her style is integrative and practical, using client-centred conversation alongside techniques from CBT, DBT, ACT and attachment-based therapy.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of professional experience in a range of clinical settings across Australia.
What credentials does she hold and where is she based?
She is a psychologist and an accredited social worker with AASW, registered with AHPRA, and works from Australia.
Are sessions offered in other languages or to international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats are available?
The original biography lists online work but does not detail formats. Please confirm current session formats before booking.
How are costs handled?
Costs vary by location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin the process?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.