Melissa Stokes, AASW, AHPRA

Melissa Stokes is a psychologist and AASW-accredited social worker registered with AHPRA. She has 25 years of professional experience and works with stress, anxiety, LGBT concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, parenting issues, eating and sleeping problems, mood conditions and ADHD. She also supports people facing career pressures, relationship patterns originating in childhood, and major life changes.

Her approach combines practical therapy methods with person-focused conversation. Sessions involve noticing patterns that come from family of origin and looking at how those patterns play out now. She uses skills training, discussion and structured exercises to help people manage distress and improve day-to-day functioning.

Melissa draws on cognitive behavioural techniques alongside acceptance and commitment methods to help people change unhelpful thoughts and respond differently to strong feelings. She also uses attachment-focused ideas to look at how early relational roles affect current relationships and choices. Dialectical behaviour strategies feature where emotional regulation and distress tolerance are needed.

Her background includes work in community mental health, youth justice, sexual assault services, hospitals and both public and private practice. That variety informs a practical focus on reducing distress and building skills for everyday life. She supervises students and other clinicians and continues professional development through research and teaching.

Outside work Melissa spends time hiking, foraging, playing music and board games, doing yoga, and gardening with her dogs. She brings a straightforward, experience-based approach to sessions and helps people name patterns, try new behaviours, and make steady changes.

How her approaches translate to online work