Melissa Stokes, AASW, AHPRA - Therapist in Australia

Sleep and rest focus
25 years experience
Inclusive approach

About Melissa

Melissa Stokes welcomes people who are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, low or struggling with sleep. She helps with stress, trauma, grief, identity questions, eating concerns, ADHD, bipolar and career or parenting strains. Her tone is practical and calm, aimed at making the first step easier for worried parents and busy adults.

Melissa brings 25 years of clinical experience in Australia and holds AASW and AHPRA credentials. She has worked across community mental health, youth justice, hospitals, sexual assault services and both public and private practice. That background gives her a broad view of common problems and what tends to help.

Her approach mixes practical skills and therapeutic conversation. Clients learn breathing and grounding skills, ways to manage difficult thoughts, and step-by-step routines to improve sleep and daily functioning. Sessions focus on small, realistic changes that fit day-to-day life.

Therapy is collaborative and person-centred. Melissa draws on cognitive behavioural ideas, acceptance and commitment work, attachment-informed thinking and dialectical strategies to suit each person. She aims to listen first, then build simple plans together that reflect a client’s values and strengths.

Melissa also supervises students and other practitioners and keeps up professional development and research. Outside work she enjoys hiking, foraging, music, board games, yoga and time with her dogs and gardens.

How Melissa’s approaches translate to online work

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice unhelpful thoughts, choose what matters to them, and take small guided steps towards those values. It is useful for anxiety, low mood and sleep problems where worry interferes with routine. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on changing patterns of thinking and behaviour that keep problems going, with practical exercises and sleep routines to try between sessions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how close relationships shape emotional responses and can help with trauma, trust issues and difficulties sleeping that relate to relational stress.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Melissa will discuss goals, preferences and what has or hasn't helped before. Together the therapist and client decide which methods to try and adjust them over time based on what works and what feels manageable.

Confirm current session options before booking. The practical benefits of online therapy can include fitting sessions into a busy week, easier access when travel is difficult, and selecting shorter check-ins when days are tight. Online work can also let people try tools such as sleep scheduling or mindfulness practice in their normal routines, then talk through what happened in the next session. Appropriately qualified or registered professionals can adapt therapy so it fits daily life while keeping the focus on clear goals and simple, useful strategies.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyLGBTTrauma and abuse Coping with life changesCoaching

Also works with

GriefEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepressionADHD

Additional focus areas

AbandonmentAging and geriatric issuesAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCancerCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDependent personalityDissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameImpulsivityInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purpose Midlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesNarcissismObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPersonality disordersPhobiasPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSexual assault and abuseSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationTrichotillomaniaWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)Mindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused Therapy

Experience

25+ years

Credentials

Australia

Languages

English

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of problems does Melissa help with?

She supports people with stress, anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, grief, eating concerns, ADHD and related issues such as trauma and attachment problems.

What is her therapeutic style like?

Her style is collaborative and person-centred with practical tools. Sessions mix skill teaching, values-focused work and talk therapy to help with everyday routines and sleep.

How much experience does she have?

Melissa has 25 years of professional experience working in community mental health, hospitals, youth justice, sexual assault services and private practice.

What credentials and region apply to her practice?

She holds AASW and AHPRA credentials and practises in Australia.

Which languages are sessions offered in?

Sessions are offered in English.

Can international clients work with her?

International clients are not currently accepted.

How are costs and billing handled?

Costs vary with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I begin working with Melissa?

Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist’s availability.