Joanna Ridgeway, ACA
Gentle, practical support for everyday struggles
Details
| Name | Joanna Ridgeway |
|---|---|
| Credentials | ACA |
| Based in | Australia |
| Registered with | ACA |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 14 |
About Joanna
Joanna Ridgeway is an ACA counsellor with 14 years of experience who helps people carrying stress, anxiety, relationship strain, trauma and depression. She encourages clear, calm conversations and a steady pace so parents and busy people can talk without feeling rushed. Joanna aims to make the first step feel manageable and supportive.
Joanna focuses on making space for worries about self-esteem, confidence and motivation. She listens for what matters to each person and helps them name patterns that get in the way.
Background and approach
Sessions are practical and down to earth - people work on small changes that fit their day-to-day life. Her work also pays attention to attachment and relationship patterns. That means noticing how past connections affect current trust and communication.
Joanna uses tools from cognitive behavioural approaches and emotionally-focused methods to help people change unhelpful thoughts and repair strained relationships. Narrative ideas are part of her approach too. She helps people re-author the stories they tell about themselves so problems feel less defining.
The focus is on identifying strengths and making new choices rather than blaming. Joanna has supported people through a wide range of issues including abandonment, chronic illness, caregiving stress, body image and divorce. She works in English and offers online options like video calls, phone, live chat and text-based messaging to fit different schedules.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Relationship issues, Trauma and abuse among the things Joanna works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Self esteem
- Depression
- Abandonment
- Aging and geriatric issues
- Attachment issues
- Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Blended family issues
- Body image
- Cancer
- Caregiver issues and stress
- Chronic pain, illness, and disability
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- Divorce and separation
- Domestic violence
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family of origin issues
- Family problems
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Impulsivity
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Jealousy
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Narcissism
- Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Self-love
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Gottman Method: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Somatic Therapy: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Internal Family Systems: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Systemic Therapy: Listed by Joanna among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Joanna directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Joanna directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How Joanna's approaches work online
Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early connections shape current relationships and feeling safe with others. Online work with attachment ideas can help people recognise patterns in trust, closeness and separation and try new ways of relating. Narrative Therapy helps people reframe the stories they live by and identify strengths rather than being defined by problems. In sessions Joanna encourages people to tell their story differently and to experiment with small, meaningful changes that alter daily life. Finding the right approach is part of the work. Joanna will collaborate with each person to choose methods that match their goals, needs and preferences. That means together they may draw on attachment ideas, narrative techniques or cognitive tools depending on what fits best. Online therapy offers flexibility for busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when seeing expressions matters. Phone sessions suit people with limited bandwidth or who prefer not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging are useful for brief check-ins, tracking progress or when fitting support around work and caregiving commitments. These formats make it easier to keep regular sessions and try strategies in real contexts, while Joanna adapts exercises and check-ins to whatever format a person prefers.Common questions about this listing
What concerns does Joanna focus on?
Joanna works with stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, self-esteem and depression, plus related areas such as abandonment, chronic illness and caregiving stress.
How would you describe her therapy style?
She uses a calm, practical style that combines listening with hands-on strategies. Sessions aim to identify patterns and try small, manageable changes.
What is Joanna's professional background?
Joanna has 14 years of professional experience supporting people with emotional and relationship concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is listed as ACA and practices from Australia.
Can I work with her in other languages or from overseas?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not taking international clients.
What kinds of session formats are available?
Joanna offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How is cost handled for sessions?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions operate via a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with Joanna?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to the therapist's availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Joanna are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Joanna where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
Or see other therapists in Australia »
This is a partner link. We will earn a commission if you sign up through it, at no cost to you. It does not change what you pay or the order of the listings.
Other listings in this directory
- Patricia Pardy, LMHC, LCPC - New York
- Wendy Galyen, LCSW - Indiana
- Danielle Doskocil, LPC, LCMHC - South Carolina
- Moushumi Ghose, LMFT - California
- All therapists for stress, anxiety »