Melissa Thompson, PACFA
Grounded counsellor who listens and guides
Details
| Name | Melissa Thompson |
|---|---|
| Credentials | PACFA |
| Based in | Australia |
| Registered with | PACFA |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 14 |
About Melissa
Melissa Thompson is a PACFA counsellor with 14 years of experience in Australia. She focuses on helping people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety, stress, grief or low self-esteem. Her approach is warm and direct, aimed at helping clients take small, practical steps towards change.
Melissa creates an open space where people can talk about painful memories and difficult feelings without judgment. She listens for the story someone is living by and gently questions unhelpful patterns.
Background and approach
Sessions tend to be straightforward and collaborative - she asks questions, reflects back what she hears, and works with each person to set manageable goals. Her work covers trauma and abuse, addiction, relationship and intimacy-related concerns, sleep problems and anger, along with career and life transitions.
She also supports people dealing with adoption and foster care issues, attachment struggles, codependency, dissociation and co-morbidity. The aim is to make daily life feel more manageable and meaningful. Melissa draws on several practical therapies, including Narrative therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, alongside cognitive and client-centred approaches.
That mix allows her to tailor sessions to how a person prefers to work and what they most need right now. Sessions can include skill-building, reflective conversation and practical planning. People who prefer clear, down-to-earth guidance and a collaborative style often find her approach helpful.
If someone is ready to explore change, Melissa supports the next steps with steady, respectful care.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief among the things Melissa works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Self esteem
- Coaching
- Addictions
- LGBT
- Relationship issues
- Family conflicts
- Intimacy-related issues
- Sleeping disorders
- Anger management
- Career difficulties
- Depression
- Coping with life changes
- ADHD
- Abandonment
- Adoption and foster care
- Attachment issues
- Co-morbidity
- Codependency
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Dependent personality
- Dissociation
- Divorce and separation
- Drug and alcohol addiction
- Emptiness
- Family problems
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Multicultural concerns
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-harm
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Somatization
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Client-Centered Therapy: Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Existential Therapy: Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Somatic Therapy: Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Internal Family Systems: Listed by Melissa among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Melissa 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 Melissa directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How therapeutic approaches fit into online therapy
Melissa uses Narrative therapy to help people reframe the stories they tell about themselves, looking for alternative, more helpful meanings. This approach can ease feelings of shame, emptiness or stuckness by separating the person from the problem. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them, then choose actions that align with their values; it is useful for anxiety, depression and stress-related difficulties.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Melissa treats therapy as a collaboration and will discuss which approaches may suit someone based on their needs, goals and preferences. The plan can change as work progresses, with both therapist and client checking what helps most.
Online sessions offer flexibility through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. Video calls let people use visual cues and a fuller conversation. Phone sessions can be easier when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging suit people who prefer writing or need more frequent, brief contact. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work, parenting and other commitments.
Common questions about this listing
What kinds of issues does Melissa support?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief, self-esteem and addictions, among other concerns listed in her profile.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is warm and direct. She listens to someone’s story, asks reflective questions and works collaboratively to set small, practical goals.
What experience does she bring to sessions?
Melissa has 14 years of professional experience working with a range of emotional and behavioural concerns in Australia.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is credentialed with PACFA and practises in Australia.
Can sessions be offered in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Are international clients supported?
International clients are not currently accepted.
Which session formats are available?
Sessions can be delivered via video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging.
How much do sessions cost and how do I begin?
Costs vary with location and therapist availability and use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time. To begin, select Start Therapy, complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a session.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Melissa 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 Melissa where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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