- Warm and practical
- Goal focused
- Evidence aware
About Alana
Alana Thompson is an AASW-accredited social worker with 18 years of clinical experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, depression, grief, career pressure and ADHD. Her approach is warm and practical, aimed at helping people take small steps that make daily life easier.
Alana listens first and then helps build clear goals. She uses straightforward strategies that combine thinking skills and attention to emotions. Sessions focus on what will improve day-to-day functioning and reduce overwhelm. Practical safety and management plans are used when needed to support coping and stability.
Her background includes work in child protection and family services where she supported young people through trauma, anxiety and depression. She later spent a decade in academia researching social work and the child protection legal system before returning to full-time practice. That mix of frontline and research experience shapes a thoughtful, evidence-aware approach.
Alana believes in collaborating with each person to design interventions that fit their life. She emphasises building resilience, strengthening helpful behaviours, and clarifying meaningful goals. Sessions are delivered with respect, compassion and a non-judgemental attitude.
Clients who want clear steps, emotional insight and practical coping tools often find her style useful. She also draws on her experience supporting students and caregivers when addressing workplace or role-related stress.
Approaches that guide online work and finding the best fit
Alana blends practical cognitive-based methods with attention to emotional experience. Cognitive-focused techniques teach ways to notice and change unhelpful thinking and behaviours, which can reduce anxiety and improve mood. Emotional insight work helps people name and sit with feelings, making it easier to respond rather than react, and is useful for grief and relationship-related struggles.She also uses safety and management planning as a practical tool to support functioning when stress or risk is high. These plans map out steps to reduce immediate overwhelm and to keep routines steady while longer-term goals are developed. Choosing the right mix of approaches is collaborative - she will work with clients to decide what feels most useful based on needs, goals and personal preferences.
If you are considering online sessions, please confirm the available formats before booking as the biography does not list specific session types. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into busy lives, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also suit people who prefer not to be on camera or who need lower-bandwidth options. An appropriately qualified therapist will adapt approaches so the work remains practical and relevant even when not in person.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
18+ years
Credentials
Listed on profile
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does this counsellor commonly help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, career issues and ADHD, and also supports people facing codependency and family of origin problems.
What is the therapeutic style like in sessions?
Her style is warm and interactive, combining cognitive and emotional tools to set clear goals and practical steps for daily life.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 18 years of clinical practice, including time in child protection, university counselling management and a decade in social work research and teaching.
What credentials and region are associated with this counsellor?
She holds a Bachelor of Psychology, a Master of Social Work, a PhD in Social Work and Law, and is an Accredited Social Worker with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) practising in Australia.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can people outside Australia work with this therapist?
This therapist does not accept international clients at this time.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability, and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with this counsellor?
Select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a session according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.