Counsellor profile
Samyr Leal, AASW
AASW social worker - family and parenting concerns
Continue with SamyrAbout
- Stress and anxiety
- Parenting support
- CBT and ACT methods
About Samyr
Samyr Leal is an AASW social worker with 21 years of experience working in Australia and Brazil. He supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship and family difficulties, grief and parenting concerns. He speaks English and Portuguese and has worked with a wide range of community settings.
Samyr draws on practical, evidence-informed therapy methods. Sessions focus on everyday problems like communication breakdowns, separation and parenting strain. He also addresses related issues such as panic attacks, feelings of abandonment, shame, guilt and isolation. Short-term goals and clear strategies are part of the work.
His background includes roles in relationship centres, magistrates’ courts, schools and both government and non-government agencies. That work involved helping people facing homelessness, legal challenges and mental health concerns. He brings that community experience into individual sessions.
In conversation he uses a direct and culturally aware style. He combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and DBT skills when they suit the problem at hand. He also draws on Jungian ideas and narrative approaches to help people understand patterns and meaning in their lives.
Sessions often look at practical skills for emotional regulation, clearer communication and parenting strategies. He supports people who are grieving or going through separation to plan next steps. The aim is to build clear, manageable changes that fit everyday life.
How sessions work
How Samyr uses ACT, CBT and client-centred ideas online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings while committing to valued actions. It is often used for anxiety, depression and problems that come from avoidance. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and testing them with practical experiments. CBT is commonly used for panic, anxiety and low mood. Client-Centred Therapy emphasises an open, respectful conversation where the person’s own goals guide the work and the therapist listens without judgement.Finding the right approach is part of the process. Samyr works collaboratively to decide which methods suit the person’s goals, history and daily life. He will explain options and adapt exercises to what feels doable for the individual.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, support shorter check-ins between other commitments, or allow someone to choose quieter surroundings when they need it. Approaches like ACT and CBT transfer well to remote sessions because they use practical exercises, homework and skills practice that can be done between meetings.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
21+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English, Portuguese
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does he help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, relationship and family issues, grief and parenting concerns, as well as related topics like shame, abandonment and panic attacks.
What is his therapy style like?
He uses practical, evidence-informed methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and dialectical skills to address everyday problems and emotions.
How much experience does he have?
He has 21 years of experience working in Australia and Brazil across community, court and educational settings.
What credential does he hold and where is he based?
He is an AASW social worker and practices in Australia.
Does he work in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English and Portuguese.
Can I have sessions from outside Australia?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How does payment work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a series of sessions?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire and then schedule your 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.