Susan Mahachi , ACA

Susan Mahachi is an ACA counsellor with 16 years helping people through stress, anxiety and relationship concerns. She works in plain, practical ways so people can make small changes that last. Susan speaks English and Shona and practises in Australia.

Her approach mixes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, cognitive behavioural techniques and attachment-based ideas. She uses client-centred listening to learn what matters to each person. Sessions focus on clear goals, emotion regulation and practical steps for daily life.

Susan supports people facing parenting struggles, self-esteem problems and depression. She also helps with body image, communication difficulties and blended family challenges. Her background includes work with people experiencing divorce, abandonment worries and caregiver stress.

In sessions she pays attention to patterns that began in early family life and how those patterns affect current relationships. She uses tools to manage anxiety and unhelpful thoughts, while encouraging values-based action. Conversations are direct but warm, aimed at helping people feel more capable.

Therapy can include short skills practice, reflective conversation and planning for real-world change. Susan encourages clients to try strategies between sessions and to bring feedback about what helps. She guides people toward practical ways to build confidence and improve connection with others.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then choose actions that align with their values. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and teaches straightforward skills to reduce anxiety and low mood. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationship patterns affect present connections and aims to build more secure ways of relating.

Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will talk with each person about goals, preferences and what feels most useful. Decisions about methods are made collaboratively and can change as progress is made.

Online sessions offer practical flexibility. Video calls let people use visual cues and face-to-face conversation from different locations. Phone sessions need less bandwidth and suit those who prefer not to be on camera. Live chat or text-based messaging can be used for brief check-ins, step-by-step problem solving or when a shorter contact fits a busy day.