Bárbara Leal Reis, ACA

Bárbara Leal Reis trained as a psychologist in Brazil and brings more than seven years of professional experience across counselling, clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and sport psychology to her work. In Australia she practises exclusively as a counsellor, working within the defined scope of counselling and following the relevant ethical and legal boundaries for that role. Bárbara’s experience in Brazil included supporting women affected by abusive relationships and domestic violence, assisting neurodivergent people including those with ADHD and autism spectrum differences, and working with individuals facing anxiety, stress, burnout, trauma, and depression. In her Australian practice she focuses on emotional support, the development of coping strategies, and the promotion of wellbeing without conducting diagnoses, neuropsychological or psychological assessments, or medical interventions.

Bárbara uses a person-centred, evidence-based approach that emphasises attentive listening and the strengthening of personal resources to help people manage everyday challenges - emotional, relational, professional, and adjustment-related. She holds the ACA credential, a professional counselling credential that reflects her commitment to standards of practice. As an immigrant herself, she brings a lived understanding of cultural adaptation, identity shifts, and the effort involved in building new support networks, and she applies that perspective when working with clients navigating migration and multicultural concerns.

Her practice aims to offer an empathetic, non-judgemental space where clients can explore their concerns and build practical strategies for greater balance and meaning in life. Bárbara is committed to collaborating with each person to tailor support to their individual needs while staying within the counselling scope of practice.

Person-Centred and Skills-Based Care Delivered Online

Person-centred counselling focuses on building an empathetic, non-judgemental therapeutic relationship where the client’s priorities guide the work. This approach helps people explore their feelings, clarify values, and strengthen personal resources for facing everyday and relational challenges.

Alongside person-centred work, Bárbara emphasises practical coping strategies and emotion regulation skills that clients can apply between sessions. These evidence-informed techniques support people dealing with stress, anxiety, trauma reactions, and adjustment difficulties by offering concrete tools for managing symptoms and improving wellbeing.

Choosing the right mix of approaches is part of the therapeutic process and is determined collaboratively. Bárbara works with each client to identify goals, preferences, and needs, and she tailors the counselling plan to fit those factors while remaining within the scope of counselling practice.

Online therapy via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging offers flexibility for different schedules and comfort levels. These formats make it easier to access licensed professionals and therapists from home or elsewhere, accommodating busy lives and geographic constraints while supporting consistent, ongoing care.