Mercedes Alia , AASW

Mercedes Alia is an AASW social worker with six years' experience helping people through relationship strain, addictions, parenting stress, family conflict and low self-esteem. She offers calm, practical support for people facing abandonment fears, body image struggles, communication breakdowns and difficult separations.

Sessions are kept straightforward and respectful. She listens first, then helps people identify small, manageable steps that suit their life. Conversations focus on what matters to the client and on skills that can be used between sessions.

Her approach draws on attachment-based ideas to understand how early relationships shape current patterns. She uses client-centred methods to keep the work paced by the person's needs. Cognitive behavioural tools and motivational interviewing are used when people want hands-on strategies for changing thoughts and behaviour.

She also works with narrative techniques to help people reframe their story and see new possibilities. That can be useful for issues like codependency, commitment worries and caregiver stress. Mercedes aims to make therapy practical and relevant to day-to-day life.

Sessions are offered in English, Albanian and Italian. People meet by phone, video call, live chat or text-based messaging depending on their preference. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule an appointment according to availability.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online care

Attachment-based work looks at how past relationships shape current feelings and reactions. Online sessions can help people notice repeating patterns and try different responses in daily life. Client-centred therapy focuses on listening and building an understanding relationship; it aims to create a space where the person sets the pace and direction of the work. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) teaches practical strategies to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and often includes homework tasks to try between sessions.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will discuss goals and preferences and help decide which methods suit you best. That choice is collaborative and can change over time as needs evolve.

Online formats offer flexibility for different routines. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when a fuller connection is useful. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to use a camera. Live chat and text messaging suit short check-ins, quick problem-solving or clients who find writing easier than speaking. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to continue work consistently.