Ali El-assad, PACFA

Ali El-assad is a counsellor based in Australia who approaches care with a strengths-focused mindset. He is credentialed with PACFA and works with people facing stress and anxiety, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, motivation and self-esteem concerns. He frames clients as the experts of their own stories and draws on their existing resources to help them move through difficult patterns and build greater confidence.

Ali has supported individuals across a range of issues including depression, relationship and family difficulties, grief, addictions and coping with life changes. He also works with concerns such as intimacy-related issues, eating and sleeping problems, anger, career questions and ADHD. His practice includes attention to both immediate coping strategies and longer-term goals that support recovery and personal growth.

Recognising that starting therapy can take courage, Ali offers a calm, respectful approach that validates where a person is while helping them take practical steps forward. He aims to create collaborative sessions that help clients identify priorities, learn new skills and apply those skills in daily life. Ali accepts clients who prefer to work in English or Arabic and offers a range of online options to suit different needs.

Evidence-based approaches and flexible online care

Ali commonly uses evidence-based cognitive-behavioural strategies that help clients identify unhelpful thought patterns and develop practical skills to manage anxiety, low mood and everyday stress. These approaches focus on changing behaviour and thinking in ways that reduce symptoms and improve day-to-day functioning.

He also employs trauma-informed techniques that prioritise pacing, safety and gradual processing for people who have experienced abuse or significant distress. This style aims to help clients build resilience and regain a sense of control while working through painful memories and reactions.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Ali works with clients to explore which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences, and adjusts the plan over time based on progress and feedback.

Online therapy options include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging, which provide flexibility for people balancing work, family or geographical constraints. These formats allow appropriately qualified or registered professionals and therapists to deliver focused support that fits into daily life and helps clients practise skills between sessions.