Shannan Marano, ACA

Shannan Marano is a Master-level counsellor registered with the Australian Counsellors Association (ACA) at Level 3, and she brings three years of practical experience across diverse community settings. She has worked with Aboriginal Medical Services, Women's Refuge centres and Employment Services, developing skills in responding to complex social and emotional needs. Shannan's clinical work focuses on supporting people dealing with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, and coping with life changes.

Her practice also attends to issues such as abandonment and attachment concerns, body image, caregiver stress, communication problems, dissociation, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, eating and food-related difficulties, family of origin matters, forgiveness, guilt and shame, hospice and end-of-life counselling, isolation and questions about life purpose. She adapts sessions and treatment plans to each person's circumstances, combining sensitivity with practical support.

Shannan emphasises respect and compassion in her work and encourages clients to take the courageous steps needed to pursue a more fulfilling life. She aims to empower people to build strengths, manage challenges and work collaboratively toward meaningful change.

Therapeutic approaches and online support

Shannan works with several practical approaches to help people manage difficult thoughts, emotions and relationships. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages clients to clarify their values and build psychological flexibility - it is often used for anxiety, stress and coping with life changes. Attachment-Based Therapy explores patterns formed in early relationships and how they influence current connection and trust - it can be especially helpful for attachment issues, abandonment concerns and relationship difficulties. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns to reduce symptoms and improve day-to-day functioning, which can support work with anxiety, depression and addictions.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Shannan works collaboratively with each person to determine which methods best suit their needs, goals and preferences, and adapts the work as treatment progresses. Approaches may be combined or adjusted to match what the client hopes to achieve.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility - sessions can take place by video call, over the phone, via live chat or through text-based messaging. This range of options makes it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving or geographical constraints and helps people access appropriately qualified or registered professionals and therapists from their own home or other convenient locations.