Grace Penman , ACA

Grace Penman is an ACA counsellor with four years of clinical experience based in Australia. She supports adults who are juggling cultural expectations, identity questions, and the practical demands of everyday life. Grace is calm in session and focuses on helping people find clearer ways to make choices that feel right for them.

Many clients arrive feeling torn between family expectations and personal values. Grace helps people name those tensions and notice how they affect mood, relationships and day-to-day decisions. She uses straightforward conversation, practical exercises and grounding techniques to reduce anxiety and decision fatigue.

Grace works with people managing grief, relationship and intimacy concerns, parenting stress and career changes. She also supports those dealing with trauma, domestic violence, codependency, and the emotional effects of migration or cultural transition. Issues such as body image, guilt, shame and isolation are addressed in simple, paced steps.

Her approach draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Attachment-Based ideas. She also brings EMDR tools and mindfulness-informed somatic work into sessions when it fits the person's needs. The work is collaborative and paced by the client's readiness.

Sessions focus on practical next steps and real-life coping strategies. Grace guides people to reconnect with their values, rebuild a sense of belonging, and move towards more honest choices. Communication, boundaries and self-compassion are common areas of focus.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people get clearer about personal values and take small, values-based steps despite difficult thoughts or feelings. It is useful for anxiety, depression and life transitions where someone wants more purposeful action. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-focused method that supports processing distressing memories and the body sensations linked to them; it is often used for trauma and abuse-related issues. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on noticing unhelpful thinking patterns and testing new behaviours to reduce symptoms like anxiety and low mood.

Choosing the most helpful approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk through goals, preferences and past experiences to find what fits best. Sessions can blend methods and evolve over time so the work stays practical and relevant to each person's situation.

Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video calls allow face-to-face interaction for exercises and EMDR work when suitable. Phone sessions are useful for shorter check-ins or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging give flexibility for brief check-ins, reflections between sessions or when someone prefers not to be on camera. These options make it easier to fit therapy around study, work and family responsibilities.