- guilt and shame
- ADHD support
- grief and loss
About Alana
Alana Thompson is an AASW-accredited social worker with 18 years of clinical experience in Australia. She works with people facing depression, anxiety, stress, grief and loss, workplace and career challenges, and ADHD. She also supports those dealing with family of origin issues, adoption and foster care matters, caregiver stress, and feelings of guilt and shame.
Her approach blends cognitive-behavioural ideas with attention to emotion and safety planning. Sessions are interactive and focus on practical steps that help people manage day-to-day functioning. Alana encourages setting clear, achievable goals and building routines that support emotional regulation.
Before returning to full-time practice she worked in university counselling services and in child protection and family services. That background informs her practice when a client is facing complex or legally involved situations. Her PhD research examined more therapeutic and less adversarial approaches to child protection systems.
Alana holds a Bachelor of Psychology, a Master of Social Work and a PhD in Social Work and Law. She is a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and has completed Mental Health First Aid training. Her experience includes supporting people after trauma and emotional abuse.
In sessions she uses clear, practical planning alongside emotional reflection. Conversations aim to reduce unhelpful patterns and increase small, steady changes. People who come with guilt, shame or regret are supported to understand how those feelings affect decisions and behaviour, and to try different ways of responding.
How evidence-based approaches work in online sessions
Alana uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on thinking patterns and emotional responses. Cognitive-behavioural approaches look at how thoughts, feelings and actions interact and help people try new behaviours to reduce worry, low mood and unhelpful coping. Emotion-focused work helps people name and move through strong feelings like shame or grief so those feelings stop driving every decision.Finding the right approach is part of the work. She will discuss different methods with clients and decide together what fits their needs and goals. That collaborative process helps set short-term goals and practical steps to try between sessions.
The practical benefits of online sessions include easier fitting of appointments into a busy week and avoiding travel time. If you need to check options for session length, or whether video or phone sessions are possible, confirm the current session formats before booking. Online sessions can make it simpler to sustain regular check-ins while juggling work, caregiving or study commitments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
18+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she work with?
She works with depression, anxiety, stress, grief, workplace and career problems, and ADHD. Additional focuses include family of origin issues, adoption and foster care, caregiver stress, and guilt and shame.
How does she approach guilt and shame?
Her approach combines cognitive-behavioural ideas and attention to emotions. She helps people see how guilt and shame influence behaviour and tests small changes to reduce their impact.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 18 years of experience in clinical practice, including work in university counselling services and child protection and family services.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an AASW-accredited social worker practising in Australia and holds a PhD in Social Work and Law.
Can sessions be done in languages other than English?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule the first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.