Jennifer Altheimer, ACA, PACFA

Jennifer Altheimer is an experienced counsellor who works with individuals, children, adolescents, couples and families from diverse backgrounds to address relationship, family and personal challenges. She is a registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). ACA and PACFA are national professional associations for counsellors and psychotherapists in Australia.

Jennifer brings a warm, approachable manner to her work, helping clients feel acknowledged and empowered as they explore difficult life experiences. She emphasises healing in the relationship people have with themselves as a foundation for improving connections with others. Her practice is strength-based and client-centred, recognising the resources clients already possess while supporting new insight and growth.

She has developed particular expertise in family and relationship dynamics, grief and loss, trauma and abuse, depression and anxiety, parenting and parent-teen conflict, migration-related issues, and family and domestic violence. In couples work she offers premarital support, help for couples seeking to strengthen their relationship, and assistance with uncoupling when separation is occurring. Jennifer also provides family counselling, coaching and group work.

Sessions are tailored to each person or family, combining client-centred care with evidence-informed techniques to improve self-awareness, coping and interpersonal functioning. Jennifer aims to accompany clients respectfully as they navigate change, resolve conflict and build more satisfying relationships with themselves and others.

Approaches that translate well to online therapy

Client-Centred Therapy focuses on the client’s own experience and strengths, creating a respectful, non-judgemental space for people to explore feelings, values and relationships. It is useful for issues such as low self-esteem, relationship difficulties and life transitions.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple awareness and grounding practices to help people respond differently to stress, anxiety and overwhelming emotions. It supports coping with ongoing worry, grief, fatigue and challenges that affect day-to-day wellbeing.

Solution-Focused Therapy is goal-oriented and practical, helping people identify small, achievable changes that move them toward their preferred outcomes. It can be especially helpful for clients seeking clearer direction, coping strategies and rapid improvement in specific problems.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Jennifer works collaboratively with each client to identify which methods best match their needs, goals and preferences, and adapts techniques as the work unfolds so the therapy feels relevant and effective.

Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging offers flexibility for busy schedules, family commitments and clients living outside major centres. These options make it easier to access appropriately qualified or registered professionals from home or work, maintain continuity during life changes and choose the communication style that feels most comfortable.