Barbara Wasilewski

Barbara is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with more than 20 years of experience supporting adults and adolescents experiencing a range of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, stress, grief and loss, and major life transitions. She has worked across a variety of mental health settings and brings a warm, practical, and collaborative approach to therapy.

Her focus is on creating a safe space where you can talk openly about what is happening in your life and work toward meaningful, achievable steps that support improved wellbeing. She takes a client-centred and recovery-focused approach, drawing on evidence-based therapies including Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based approaches, and Solution-Focused Therapy.

She has a strong interest and experience in working with trauma, including complex trauma and the long-term effects of childhood experiences. She has undertaken further training in EMDR and uses this approach to support clients in processing and recovering from distressing or overwhelming life events. She also support individuals experiencing specific traumas, including birth-related trauma, and those navigating the emotional impacts of significant life changes.

She has a strong interest in supporting people navigating migration and cross-cultural experiences, and enjoys working with individuals and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and also speaks Polish fluently.

She work with adults and adolescents aged 15+ and offers Face to Face and telehealth appointments, making it easier to access support from anywhere it is required.

She offers after-hours appointments, which can be helpful for people who find it difficult to attend sessions during the workday.

Areas she works in include: • Depression • Mood and anxiety concerns • Stress and burnout • Trauma and PTSD, including complex and childhood trauma • Birth-related trauma • Postnatal anxiety and depression • Grief and loss • Workplace stress • Self-esteem difficulties • Life transitions, including transition to parenting • Suicide prevention and emotional distress • Cross-cultural and migration experiences

Barbara's Fee is $195- per session.

Some Information on Accredited Mental Health Social Workers -

 When seeking mental health support, many people first think of psychologists. However, Accredited Mental Health Social Workers (AMHSWs) offer a comparable level of clinical expertise and therapeutic care.

AMHSWs are highly trained professionals who specialise in mental health. In addition to a social work qualification, an AMHSW completes extensive training in areas such as counselling, psychotherapy, and mental health treatment. After acquiring significant clinical experience, they are eligible for accreditation through the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

This accreditation recognises advanced skills in mental health practice and qualifies AMHSWs to provide services under Medicare, offering clients access to rebates similar to those available when seeing a psychologist. They also offer counselling under work cover, NDIS and other third parties.

Like psychologists, AMHSWs are trained in a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and trauma-focused therapies. Many also specialise in working with particular populations or issues, such as anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or relationship difficulties.

Accredited Mental Health Social Workers bring a holistic, client-centred approach to care, integrating psychological insight with a deep understanding of social and environmental factors that affect wellbeing. They are an excellent option for individuals seeking high-quality, professional mental health support.