- 25 years experience
- AASW and AHPRA
- Inclusive practice
About Melissa
Melissa Stokes offers support for stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, grief, sleep and eating concerns, ADHD, bipolar and depression. She also helps with career strain, self-esteem, parenting pressures and the challenges of life change. Melissa is inclusive of all genders and sexual identities and has a long history working with LGBT concerns.
Melissa works in a straightforward, collaborative way. She listens first, then helps people set small, achievable goals. Sessions focus on practical skills, understanding patterns, and building on a person’s strengths. The aim is to make day-to-day life feel more manageable.
She has 25 years of clinical experience in Australia and holds AASW and AHPRA credentials. Her background includes community mental health, youth justice, sexual assault services, hospital work and both public and private practice. That variety informs the practical, grounded approach she brings to sessions.
Melissa draws on several therapeutic approaches to suit different needs. She uses cognitive-behavioural techniques to address thinking and behaviour, acceptance and commitment ideas to clarify values and action, attachment-based ways to look at close relationships, and elements of dialectical and person-centred therapy to build coping skills and emotional awareness.
She also supervises students and other professionals as they develop, and keeps up with research. Outside work she enjoys hiking, foraging, music, board games, yoga and time with her dogs and gardens.
Melissa works in a straightforward, collaborative way. She listens first, then helps people set small, achievable goals. Sessions focus on practical skills, understanding patterns, and building on a person’s strengths. The aim is to make day-to-day life feel more manageable.
She has 25 years of clinical experience in Australia and holds AASW and AHPRA credentials. Her background includes community mental health, youth justice, sexual assault services, hospital work and both public and private practice. That variety informs the practical, grounded approach she brings to sessions.
Melissa draws on several therapeutic approaches to suit different needs. She uses cognitive-behavioural techniques to address thinking and behaviour, acceptance and commitment ideas to clarify values and action, attachment-based ways to look at close relationships, and elements of dialectical and person-centred therapy to build coping skills and emotional awareness.
She also supervises students and other professionals as they develop, and keeps up with research. Outside work she enjoys hiking, foraging, music, board games, yoga and time with her dogs and gardens.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
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 purposeMidlife 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
AASW · Australia, AHPRA · Australia
Languages
English
Therapeutic approaches that translate online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on clarifying personal values and taking small steps in line with those values, which can help with anxiety, depression and life transitions. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at thinking patterns and behaviours and teaches practical skills to reduce distress and improve routines like sleep and eating. Attachment-Based Therapy examines how early relationship patterns affect current connections and can help with trust, abandonment feelings and emotional regulation.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Melissa will discuss different methods with each person and agree on a plan that fits goals and preferences. The process is collaborative and may combine elements from several approaches to suit individual needs.
The biography indicates Melissa works online in addition to in-person practice, but it does not list specific session types here. Please confirm which online formats are offered before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit work on a break, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. They can also let people access a therapist without rearranging distant commitments, while the clinical focus remains on practical skills, values-based actions and building coping strategies.
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she help with?
She supports people facing stress, anxiety, trauma, grief, sleep and eating issues, ADHD, bipolar and depression, plus career and self-esteem challenges.
What is her therapeutic style?
Her style is collaborative and practical. She listens, sets clear goals and teaches skills people can use between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
Melissa has 25 years of professional experience working across community mental health, hospitals, youth justice, sexual assault services and private practice.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds AASW and AHPRA credentials and practises in Australia.
Which languages are supported and can international clients join?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography describes online and in-person work but does not list specific session formats here; confirm current options before booking.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to therapist availability.