Nicole Faulkner , AASW

Nicole Faulkner is an AASW-accredited social worker with 12 years of professional experience in Australia. She has worked across government and non-government services and supports people facing stress, anxiety, grief and trauma. Nicole aims to make the first step into therapy feel manageable and acknowledges that starting can take real courage.

Nicole offers a straightforward and warm approach. She focuses on listening first and helping people name what is most distressing. Sessions are practical and paced to the person’s needs, with time spent on coping ideas and realistic next steps.

Her work often involves helping people rebuild self-esteem and motivation after loss or difficult events. She also supports people dealing with attachment and abandonment concerns, relationship communication problems and major life transitions such as separation or midlife change.

Nicole has experience with chronic pain, illness and disability and with the stresses carers can face. She also helps clients work through feelings like guilt, shame and isolation, and practical pressures such as money and work-related stress.

People who prefer clear conversation and gentle encouragement tend to find her style helpful. She aims to create an open space where thoughts and feelings can be spoken about without judgement, and where small steps lead to clearer coping and decision-making.

Evidence-based approaches and online support

Nicole works with evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on practical skills and emotional understanding. One common approach uses structured coping strategies to manage anxiety and mood symptoms - this involves learning breathing, activity planning and simple thinking skills to reduce distress and improve day-to-day functioning. Another approach emphasises processing difficult experiences and grief through paced conversation and meaning-making, helping people clarify what matters and how to move forward.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. Nicole will talk with the client about their goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then suggest steps to try together. Adjustments are made as progress is reviewed so the plan fits the person rather than the other way around.

Online therapy is offered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video is useful for full-session work and visual connection, phone works well when bandwidth is limited or for a simpler check-in, and chat or messaging can fit quick reflections or support between sessions. These options help people access therapy around work, family commitments and geographic distance while keeping the focus on practical coping and steady progress.