Counsellor profile
Shelley Murphy, ACA
ACA counsellor - Relationships and Parenting
Continue with ShelleyAbout
- Stress and anxiety
- Attachment work
- Practical coping skills
About Shelley
Shelley Murphy is an ACA counsellor in Australia with 16 years of professional experience. She works with adults who are dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, anger, low self-esteem, motivation problems and life changes. She also supports people struggling with addictions, grief, trauma and intimacy-related issues.
Shelley starts by listening carefully to what a person says about their life. She treats the client as the expert on their own story and helps them identify strengths they already have. Conversations are straightforward and practical rather than full of jargon. The focus is on small, usable steps that fit into everyday life.
Her approach draws on a mix of therapies to suit each person. Shelley uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to look at thoughts, feelings and actions. She also works with attachment ideas and emotionally-focused methods to address close relationships and connection concerns.
People often come with parenting stress, family problems or difficulties with commitment and communication. Shelley can help with career-related worries, compassion fatigue and fatherhood issues. She also addresses body image, codependency and caring-related strain.
Shelley runs straightforward sessions that aim to reduce unhelpful patterns and build clearer choices. She encourages practical changes alongside reflective conversation. To start, clients complete a short matching form and book an initial session so goals and next steps can be set together.
How sessions work
How her approaches translate to online work
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting ruled by them, and guides them to act on clearer values. This can help with anxiety, low motivation and life changes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focuses on how thoughts and behaviours interact and offers practical exercises to reduce unhelpful patterns, which is useful for stress, anger and mood concerns. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relational patterns influence current connections and can assist with intimacy and communication issues.Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. Shelley will discuss goals, preferences and the issues you bring and then suggest which methods to try together. Clients and therapist make decisions collaboratively and review what’s working as sessions continue.
Confirm the exact online session formats before booking, since the biography does not specify them. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions around parenting, work and caregiving commitments. It can also allow shorter check-ins when time is tight, or avoid the need to travel. Practical tools and homework can be shared across sessions so progress continues between meetings.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
16+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
Shelley works with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, anger, self-esteem, parenting concerns and related issues such as grief, trauma and addictions.
What is her therapeutic style?
She uses a practical, conversational style combining Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and attachment-informed methods.
How much experience does she have?
Shelley has 16 years of professional experience working with adults on a range of personal and family-related concerns.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is credentialed with the ACA and is based in Australia.
Does she offer sessions in other languages or overseas?
Sessions are offered in English and Shelley does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.
How are fees handled?
Costs vary with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin if I want to book?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule 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.