Tara Bruin, AASW

Tara Bruin is an Accredited Social Worker registered with the AASW - a credential that recognises formal social work training and professional standards. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, family conflict, separation, grief and loss, parenting challenges, depression, addictions, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, and the many adjustments that come with life change. Drawing on both professional training and personal experience, she approaches each person with respect, sensitivity and compassion, shaping treatment to reflect an individual’s needs and circumstances.

Before focusing on counselling, Tara spent 16 years teaching in schools and maintains teacher registration in Queensland, experience that informs her work with children and families and supports a practical, collaborative style. She encourages people to take the courageous step of seeking a more fulfilling life and aims to support and empower them through that process. As a practitioner who has lived with mental illness, trauma and grief, Tara blends professional skills with personal insight to help clients develop coping strategies, improve communication, and rebuild a sense of direction and wellbeing.

Approaches that guide online work with Tara Bruin

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) invites people to clarify what matters to them and to take steps toward those values while learning practical ways to accept difficult thoughts and emotions. It is useful for stress, anxiety, depression and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current connections and helps repair trust, communication and emotional closeness - often helpful for relationship difficulties, attachment issues and family dynamics. Client-Centered Therapy centers the person’s own experience, offering empathetic listening and collaborative goal-setting so clients feel heard and gradually build confidence and self-direction.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process. Tara works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences, adjusting the plan as therapy progresses. Clients are encouraged to shape the work and to share feedback about what helps.

Online therapy with Tara is offered by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging, making it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, manage caregiving responsibilities, or access support from home. These options provide flexibility in how and when people connect with a licensed professional, while maintaining the core therapeutic relationship and focus on progress.