Susan Christoffelsz , ACA

Susan Christoffelsz is an ACA counsellor based in Victoria, Australia, who supports women facing stress, anxiety, grief and major life changes. She draws on ten years in private practice plus earlier teaching experience to offer practical, down-to-earth help. Sessions aim to reduce overwhelm and restore a sense of choice and calm.

Susan helps people who feel stuck, exhausted or unsure where to begin. She works with women who struggle with setting boundaries and who carry guilt or shame when they try to prioritise themselves. Conversations focus on small, practical steps so change feels manageable.

Your sessions are likely to include breathing and body-based tools alongside simple skills for day-to-day coping. Susan uses strategies that calm the nervous system and lower stress, so thinking feels clearer and decisions are easier to make. She keeps therapy warm and non-judgmental while staying grounded in real life needs.

Her background includes a Master of Counselling from Monash University and postgraduate study in grief, loss and trauma. Those studies inform how she approaches bereavement, hospice and end-of-life support, and caregiver stress. Susan also brings experience helping with relationship and attachment issues, communication problems and midlife concerns.

Sessions can address work-related burnout, cancer-related distress, blended family transitions, loneliness, and questions about life purpose. The aim is to help each person find practical ways to feel calmer and more in control, one step at a time.

Therapeutic techniques and online care

Evidence-based techniques Susan uses focus on practical calming skills and body-based approaches to reduce stress and anxiety. Body-based tools include simple breathing and grounding exercises that aim to lower physical tension and help people feel more present. These methods are helpful for panic, overwhelm and ongoing anxiety.

Complementing body work, Susan uses practical coping strategies that break larger problems into smaller steps. This can include setting manageable boundaries, planning short self-care actions and building routines to handle caregiving strain, grief or life transitions. These steps make change feel achievable rather than overwhelming.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Susan collaborates with each person to choose techniques that suit their goals, pace and comfort. She will adapt methods over time based on what helps the client feel calmer and more able to act.

Online therapy is offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to provide flexibility. Video calls let you work face-to-face when that helps. Phone sessions use less bandwidth and can fit into a busy day. Live chat or messaging suits shorter check-ins or people who prefer writing. These options make therapy more accessible across different schedules and needs.