Arminda Graves , AASW

Arminda Graves is an AASW social worker who helps people manage stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief and depression. She speaks English and Tagalog and aims to make first steps feel simpler and less overwhelming.

Arminda uses direct, down-to-earth conversation to help people name what is hard and find manageable next steps. Sessions focus on practical skills and clear goals. She draws on acceptance and commitment ideas alongside cognitive approaches to change unhelpful patterns and build day-to-day coping.

Her background includes six years working in social work roles and postgraduate study in counselling and behavioural health. Arminda has also completed focused training in cognitive behavioural therapy and holds an AASW credential, which reflects her social work standing in Australia.

People often come to her feeling stuck after a loss, a relationship breakdown, or during big life changes. Arminda works with worries about abandonment, communication problems, blended family stress, caregiver strain, chronic illness, immigration-related concerns and first responder pressures.

Her style is collaborative and practical. She will listen without judgement, help you clarify what matters, and suggest small changes you can try between sessions. The aim is to make everyday life a bit easier and more manageable.

How Arminda's approaches work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages noticing difficult thoughts and feelings while choosing actions that match your values. It can be useful for anxiety, stress and life changes by helping people act in ways that matter despite uncomfortable feelings. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at patterns of thought and behaviour and teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful habits and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on listening, empathy and building a trusting relationship so people can explore issues at their own pace.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Arminda will discuss your goals and preferences and try methods that suit you. She adapts techniques across sessions and checks in to adjust the plan as needed, making the process collaborative and goal-focused.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different needs. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation, phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited, chat can be useful for brief check-ins and text messaging supports ongoing reflection between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving or mobility limits and give flexibility in how people engage with counselling.