- Addictions support
- Relationship work
- Attachment focus
About Mercedes
Mercedes Alia is an AASW social worker with six years of experience working in Australia. She supports people dealing with addictions, relationship strain, family and parenting pressures, and low self-esteem. She also works with issues like abandonment, attachment concerns and body image worries.
Her sessions focus on clear conversation and practical steps. She listens to what matters and helps clients name patterns in their thinking and behaviour. Sessions often include talking through past events, current choices, and small experiments to try between meetings.
Mercedes uses a mix of approaches depending on the person. Attachment-based ideas help when early relationships still shape how someone relates now. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers straightforward ways to test and change unhelpful thoughts and habits. Narrative therapy can help people reframe how they tell their story and reduce shame tied to past actions.
She also draws on client-centred methods to prioritise the client's voice, and motivational interviewing to support change when motivation feels stuck. That blend is used to address problems like codependency, communication breakdown, control issues and caregiver stress.
Sessions are practical and conversational. Mercedes encourages small, achievable steps and reflection on what works. People who come because of guilt or shame often begin by naming the specific event or pattern, then work on understanding its effects and finding more manageable ways to move forward.
How therapeutic approaches are used online
Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current connections. Online sessions can map those patterns through guided conversation and exercises to notice repeated responses in relationships. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) breaks problems into thoughts, feelings and behaviours and uses practical strategies to test and change unhelpful thinking. In remote work this often means short exercises and clear tasks to try between sessions. Narrative Therapy focuses on the stories people tell about themselves and helps separate the person from the problem, which can reduce shame tied to a single event or past choices.Choosing an approach is collaborative. Mercedes will discuss options and try methods that suit the client's goals and preferences. If one way of working doesn't fit, she will suggest alternatives based on what the client finds helpful.
Confirm current session formats before booking, as the biography does not list specific delivery methods. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life - for example a shorter check-in during a work break, audio-only calls when bandwidth is low, or scheduled sessions that avoid travel time. Talk with Mercedes about practical arrangements so sessions fit day-to-day routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English, Albanian, Italian
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she address related to guilt and shame?
She works with relationship guilt, family and parenting worries, low self-esteem, and related areas like abandonment and body image.
How does she approach feelings of guilt?
She uses conversational, practical methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and narrative techniques to examine unhelpful thoughts and reframe personal stories.
What experience does she bring?
Mercedes has six years of clinical experience supporting people with addictions, relationship difficulties, grief, and self-esteem concerns.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an AASW social worker practising in Australia.
Can I see her if I don’t speak English as a first language?
Sessions are offered in English, Albanian and Italian.
Does she work with clients outside Australia?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions arranged and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time; specific rates can be found during booking.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule your first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.