Colleen McDonald , AASW

Colleen McDonald is an AASW-accredited social worker and counsellor with ten years’ experience in the mental health sector. She works with people seeking help for stress, anxiety, relationships, family issues, trauma and eating concerns. Colleen brings a calm, direct style and aims to make sessions feel practical and grounded.

Her approach draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on understanding patterns in relationships and behaviour. She helps clients untangle family of origin issues, attachment and abandonment wounds, and the ripple effects of trauma. Colleen also supports people facing divorce, blended family challenges and communication breakdowns.

Many people come to her with complex circumstances such as chronic pain, illness, codependency or dissociation. She offers straightforward tools to manage intense emotions and improve day-to-day functioning. Conversations often include practical strategies, skill-building and checking what works for each person.

Colleen has postgraduate study in family and relationship therapy and also provides clinical supervision, mentoring and tutoring. Her supervisory work is informed by completed certifications in Fundamentals of Clinical Supervision, Clinical Supervision in Practice and Advanced Supervision Skills.

She frames therapy around connection and authenticity. Colleen aims to collaborate on clear goals, track progress, and adjust the focus as life changes. Sessions are offered in English and delivered online through a range of formats.

How clinical approaches translate to online therapy

Colleen uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on relationships and trauma. One approach looks at attachment and family patterns to help people understand how past relationships shape current behaviour and feelings. This can be useful for worries about abandonment, family of origin issues and communication problems.

Another common strand in her work addresses trauma and its effects on daily life. That approach helps people learn ways to manage high arousal, reduce dissociation and reconnect with present-moment coping skills. These methods suit people dealing with abuse, chronic stress or complex trauma responses.

Finding the right approach is part of therapy. Colleen works collaboratively to choose methods that match a person's goals, history and preferences. She checks in regularly and adjusts the plan if something isn’t helping.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video is useful for deeper therapeutic work and visual cues, while phone calls need less bandwidth and can fit into a short break. Live chat or messaging can suit quick check-ins, journalling-style exchanges or when typing feels easier than talking. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to keep continuity when schedules change.