Josh Arminio, ACA

Josh Arminio brings six years of experience in the mental health field, with a career that began as a sexual assault victim advocate before he completed a master’s degree in counselling in 2020 at Monash University in Melbourne. During his master’s studies he completed internships at a high school and an employee assistance program agency, gaining practical experience across different service settings.

After completing his master’s and a follow-on graduate certificate in health and human services from the University of Melbourne, he worked across diverse roles including veteran services as a group therapy facilitator, community telehealth, academic advising, counselling within a carceral setting and providing clinical supervision to counselling graduate students. He also holds a clinical certificate in group therapy and multicultural counselling from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, USA.

Josh has provided mental health counselling to many populations such as military veterans, sex workers, LGBTQIA+ people, educators, international students and immigrants, older adults, people experiencing homelessness, Indigenous Australians and small business owners. His approach is rooted in Rogerian person-centred strategies and supplemented by training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). He also integrates existential, ontological and spiritually informed perspectives when appropriate. Social justice advocacy and cultural competency are central values that inform his practice.

Therapeutic Approaches for Online Counselling

Josh draws on person-centred counselling, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to guide online work. Person-centred counselling focuses on a respectful, empathetic relationship that helps people explore their own values and choices - it is useful for building self-esteem, navigating life changes and deepening self-understanding. ACT works with thoughts and feelings by encouraging acceptance and committed action towards meaningful goals - it can help with stress, anxiety and coping when facing difficult emotions. CBT identifies patterns of thinking and behaviour that maintain distress and teaches practical skills to shift those patterns - it is often used for anxiety, stress and social phobia.

Finding the right therapeutic approach is part of the process. He works collaboratively with each client to assess needs, goals and preferences, and will tailor techniques so therapy fits the person rather than presuming a single method will suit everyone. Appropriately qualified or registered professionals and therapists often combine elements from different approaches to achieve the best fit.

Online therapy offers practical benefits such as flexible scheduling and easier access across distances. Video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging allow clients to engage in therapy from home, work or other convenient places, and make it simpler to maintain continuity of care around work, study and family commitments. These options support ongoing progress while accommodating different communication styles and life circumstances.