Gillian Ashby , ACA

Gillian Ashby helps people who appear capable on the outside but feel exhausted inside. She supports clients facing stress, anxiety, addiction-related strain, and difficult life changes. Gillian is practical and down-to-earth in her style and aims to help people make changes that fit their everyday life.

Gillian holds a Master of Counselling and a Bachelor of Education, and she is registered with the Australian Counsellors Association, Level 4. Over nine years she has worked with people dealing with career transitions, separation and divorce, relocation, retirement, and the impact of substance use on relationships. She also provides coaching for career and life decisions.

Her sessions are integrated and structured. She draws on client-centred practice to follow what matters most to each person. Attachment-based ideas are used to understand patterns in relationships and how early experiences can shape present responses.

Gillian also focuses on issues such as abandonment, communication problems, codependency, caregiving stress, and ageing concerns. She aims to offer clear steps and tools rather than only talking about feelings. This makes therapy practical for people juggling work, family and health challenges.

People who are used to being the strong one often seek her out when they want to address what is building beneath the surface. She invites potential clients to start by describing their situation and goals so they can work out a suitable plan together.

Attachment and Person-Centred Approaches Online

Gillian often uses client-centred therapy, which focuses on listening, empathy and following the client's priorities. This approach helps people clarify goals and feel heard before deciding on steps to change. Attachment-based therapy is also used to look at patterns in close relationships and how early experiences shape emotional responses; it can be useful for communication problems, codependency or commitment concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Gillian will discuss different ways of working and help clients choose what fits their needs, goals and preferences. She frames therapy as a collaborative process and adjusts methods as progress is made.

Online sessions are offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging to suit different situations. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when that helps connection, phone sessions use less bandwidth, and messaging or live chat can be useful for shorter check-ins or when people need flexible timing. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving or mobility needs.