Narelle Simmons , AASW

Narelle Simmons is an Accredited Social Worker with 18 years of experience who brings a blend of clinical and community practice to her therapeutic work. She holds the AASW credential, which indicates accreditation with the Australian Association of Social Workers, and uses that professional grounding to explore how systems, power and social inequalities affect wellbeing. Her practice emphasizes resilience and social justice while attending to each person’s unique history and circumstances.

She collaborates with people to develop practical, meaningful strategies that fit their lives and goals. Narelle believes that sustained change is possible when support, time and individually tailored approaches are combined with a client’s own expertise about their life. Her work focuses on creating an open, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be explored and understood.

Narelle has experience supporting people with stress and anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges and depression. She also addresses related concerns such as attachment and abandonment issues, communication problems, guilt and shame, mood and panic disorders, post-traumatic stress, pregnancy and childbirth matters, social anxiety and women’s issues. Her approach centers on assessment, practical strategies and collaborative planning to help people move toward better functioning and wellbeing.

Evidence-based approaches and online therapy options

Narelle draws on trauma-informed practice to help people process and respond to the effects of traumatic experiences. This approach focuses on safety, understanding how trauma shows up in thoughts and behaviours, and building coping skills to reduce distress. She also uses strengths-based and systemic perspectives, working with a person’s existing resources, relationships and social context to develop realistic, meaningful strategies that support long-term wellbeing. In work with attachment-related concerns she emphasizes understanding patterns in relationships and developing tools to improve connection and communication.

Choosing the right therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Narelle works with clients to clarify goals, consider preferences and try methods that fit each person’s needs, adapting over time as progress is made.

Online therapy through video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging offers flexibility for people balancing work, family and other commitments. These options make it easier to access licensed professionals and therapists from home or elsewhere, support consistent scheduling, and allow clients to use the communication style that feels most comfortable for them.