Lisa Mackinnon, AASW

Lisa Mackinnon is an Accredited Social Worker (AASW) based in Melbourne, Australia, with 17 years of counselling experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, anger, grief and the impacts of trauma, and provides focused support for issues such as dissociation, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, self-harm, social anxiety, guilt and isolation.

With additional family therapy training, she supports individuals navigating parenting stresses, relationship difficulties, separations and caregiving responsibilities. Her approach is supportive and validating, tailored to each person’s circumstances and what feels right for them. Lisa collaborates with clients to identify strengths, practical solutions and pathways that reduce distress and create new possibilities.

She draws on mind-body techniques as part of counselling, including Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), often called tapping, to complement talk-based work. Lisa also uses practical tools informed by current understanding of how the brain and body respond to stress. She is experienced in working with the effects of trauma and offers this work in a gradual, supported way.

Lisa listens without judgement and helps people explore their situation, make sense of their struggles and clarify their choices. Her aim is to support clients to move beyond depression, anxiety, grief and anger and to feel more connected to themselves and the life they want to build.

Trauma-Informed and Somatic Approaches for Online Care

Lisa uses a mix of client-centered, somatic and trauma-focused approaches delivered in an online format to meet each person’s needs. Client-centered therapy prioritises the client’s experience and personal goals, offering empathy and collaboration so individuals can explore feelings and choices at their own pace. Somatic therapy pays attention to how stress and trauma show up in the body and uses gentle techniques to help regulate physical responses and reduce tension. Trauma-focused therapy concentrates on safely processing traumatic experiences, building coping skills and reducing the ongoing impact of trauma on daily life.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. These methods are commonly used by licensed professionals and therapists, and Lisa works collaboratively with each person to determine which combination best fits their needs, goals and preferences.

Online sessions by video, phone, live chat or text-based messaging make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and to connect from different locations. This flexibility allows clients to choose the format that feels most comfortable while still accessing the same clinical approaches and support they would receive in person.