Durre Shahwar , AASW

Durre Shahwar is an AASW social worker who helps people facing stress, anxiety, relationships and grief. She offers calm, practical support and encourages clients to use their own strengths. Durre speaks English and Urdu and works with a wide range of personal and cultural concerns.

Durre believes people are the experts in their own lives. She listens closely and creates space for clients to tell their story. Sessions focus on small, doable steps that make daily life steadier and more manageable.

Her approach draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy alongside mindfulness and client-centred work. That means she helps people notice unhelpful thoughts, practise present-moment awareness and clarify what matters most to them. Motivational Interviewing is also used to build momentum for change.

Durre has seven years of professional experience in Australia. She has helped people through trauma and abuse, postpartum depression, immigration and multicultural concerns, and relationship strain. She also supports people dealing with attachment issues, blended family stress, caregiver burden and the emotional fallout of separation.

Therapy sessions can be arranged as video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different schedules. Durre uses a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and book a session based on availability.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Durre commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in online work. ACT helps people clarify their values and take action even when uncomfortable thoughts or feelings appear, which can help with anxiety and grief. CBT focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and testing them with practical experiments to reduce mood and anxiety symptoms.

She also integrates client-centred listening and mindfulness practice into sessions. That means the therapist listens without judgement, reflects what she hears and guides simple mindfulness exercises that bring attention back to the present. Together the client and Durre decide which approaches fit best for the person's goals and circumstances; this is a collaborative process that can change over time.

Online therapy is offered through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video sessions let you use visual cues and face-to-face conversation, while phone sessions need less bandwidth and suit shorter check-ins. Live chat or text messaging can be helpful for brief reflections, ongoing support between sessions or when typing feels easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work, family and other commitments.