I am honoured to be recognised as Sydney’s leading couples therapist for 2025, and I serve as the principal therapist at Sydney Wide Counselling Service, specialising in relationship therapy. With over 20 years of experience working with individuals and couples from diverse cultural backgrounds, I am committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based support. I hold a Master of Counselling and am a Certified Practising Clinical Counsellor registered with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).

I bring a warm, professional, and client-centred approach to every session, ensuring that clients feel understood, supported, and empowered throughout their therapeutic journey. I believe that all couples can lose their way at times, regardless of how long they have been together. My role is not to keep you in therapy, but to equip you with the skills you need to thrive—such as effective communication, conflict resolution, emotional safety, and deeper connection—so you can confidently navigate your relationship long after therapy concludes.

I provide a safe, non-judgmental space for exploration and healing, drawing primarily on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to offer practical, transformative strategies that help partners reconnect and rebuild trust.

In addition to my clinical work, I am passionate about mentoring the next generation of therapists. As an ACA-registered clinical supervisor, I support counsellors in developing their professional identity, deepening their skills, and delivering high-quality care to their clients. I am also privileged to work alongside a team of dedicated clinicians who share a collaborative, client-centred approach, ensuring that every person who walks through our doors receives holistic and consistent support.

Erica believes that meaningful counselling begins with trust, safety, and genuine connection. She creates a warm and supportive environment where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered to make positive changes in their lives and relationships.

Working with both individuals and couples, Erica supports clients through a wide range of challenges, including relationship difficulties, family conflict, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, life transitions, and personal growth. Her approach is compassionate, practical, and tailored to each person's unique circumstances.

Drawing primarily from Attachment Theory and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Erica helps clients understand the patterns that may be keeping them stuck and develop healthier ways of communicating, connecting, and responding to one another.

For couples, Erica understands that even strong relationships can experience periods of disconnection, conflict, or frustration. Many couples find themselves having the same arguments repeatedly, feeling unheard, or struggling to navigate life's pressures together. Seeking professional support can provide a safe space to better understand one another, break unhelpful patterns, and rebuild trust, connection, and intimacy.

Erica is passionate about helping individuals and couples create meaningful and lasting change, fostering stronger relationships and greater emotional well-being.

Jordan offers a relational integrative approach to counselling. In relational-centred work, the emergent, 'here-and-now' relationship between client and counsellor is viewed as the primary agent of change and growth.

This therapeutic relationship functions as a collaborative partnership. In this regard, Jordan aims to kindle an atmosphere of openness and creativity, to establish authentic and mutual connections, and to seek a shared and contextual understanding of client's concerns and difficulties.

Jordan's key areas of focus are, but not limited to: Interpersonal dynamics, behavioural patterns, relationship with self, early upbringing issues, estrangement, anxiety, overwhelm, depression, experiential avoidance, grief / bereavement, values work / meaning-making and substance misuse /addictive behaviours.

Additionally, Jordan is keenly interested in male psychology, men's holistic health and men's issues. Committed to ongoing professional development, Jordan's work incorporates evidenced-based techniques and is informed by the humanistic and existential traditions.

Anna has a simple belief that real change happens when clients feel safe, seen, and supported and she works hard to build a relationship of trust with every person she works with, creating a space where you can explore what's really going on without judgment.

Anna works with couples and individuals with a person-centred focus, meeting her clients where they are and following their lead rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all model. Working with therapeutic methods such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness and somatic awareness Anna also has particular interest in inner child work as a way of gently addressing patterns that began early in life.

Anna has trained in Mindfulness and Mental Health First Aid as well as addiction and its impact on individuals and families. She has been in the counselling space for over 10 years and brings both a strong theoretical foundation and a genuine empathic approach to helping people tackle their challenges and create meaningful and lasting change.

Ariane is a compassionate, relationship-focused counsellor with a background in nursing and a Master's degree in Counselling. She brings a holistic approach to mental health, drawing on her deep understanding of the mind–body connection and her clinical expertise to support clients through life's most challenging transitions.

Ariane specialises in relationship therapy, working with individuals, couples, and adolescents to navigate communication breakdowns, recurring conflict, emotional disconnection, trust issues, and attachment wounds. She helps clients understand their relational patterns and build healthier, more secure connections—both with others and with themselves. Her approach is practical, compassionate, and grounded in emotional safety, as she works collaboratively to slow interactions down, explore underlying needs and emotions, and make sense of how past experiences may be shaping present-day relationships.

She also supports clients experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and loss, low self-worth, burnout, and body image and eating-related concerns, with particular insight into the unique challenges women face across different life stages.

Grounded in a person-centred philosophy, Ariane values the individuality of each client's journey and is committed to building strong therapeutic relationships based on trust, authenticity, and genuine connection. Her therapeutic style integrates evidence-based modalities including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills, Narrative Therapy techniques, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and grief and loss interventions. She is passionate about helping clients re-author their stories, uncover their strengths, and develop practical tools for emotional regulation and lasting change.

Ariane is known for her warm, non-judgmental presence and her ability to create a safe space where clients feel truly heard, understood, and respected. She believes meaningful change happens through authentic connection and collaborative exploration, and that healing emerges when clients feel genuinely supported.

I work with individuals who want to understand themselves better and the patterns that shape their relationships, intimacy and emotional connections.

You may be experiencing difficulty with closeness, desire, vulnerability or emotional connection, or noticing patterns of withdrawing, avoiding intimacy, feeling disconnected, or struggling to communicate what you need in relationships.

My approach is relational and psychodynamic, creating a safe and reflective space to explore what may be happening beneath the surface. Together, we can look at attachment patterns, past experiences and emotional dynamics that may be influencing how you experience intimacy and connection today.

I also bring a somatic awareness to therapy, paying attention to what is experienced in the body as well as what emerges within the therapeutic relationship.

Over time, this work can help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself and the patterns that influence your relationships, creating greater choice in how you approach closeness, desire, vulnerability, and connection.

Belkis's approach is caring and grounded in empathy.

She integrates mindfulness, body awareness and a holistic perspective to create a supportive and nurturing space for clients. Her compassionate methods empower individuals to explore how different aspects of their lives influence their emotions and experiences.

With Belkis, you'll work collaboratively to uncover the root of your challenges, identify patterns, and develope healthier habits.

Through this journey, she aims to help you cultivate a deeper understanding of yourself, a greater sense of calm and the tools needed to navigate life's complexities with resilience and clarity.

Theo takes a gentle, integrative, person-centred approach to counselling with a strong emphasis on relationship therapy. He creates a compassionate, non-judgmental space to explore emotional and relational concerns at a pace that feels safe and grounding. With experience in Family and community care, he brings insight into family dynamics, cultural expectations and the realities of life's transitions and challenges. He supports young couples navigating new stages of the relationship or parenting. Theo's lived experience as a husband and a father informs an authentic, grounded therapeutic connection.

Theo helps clients identify patterns affecting wellbeing, build emotional insight, and develop healthier responses to stress and change. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Counselling and is committed to ongoing professional growth.

With warmth and empathy, Rebecca creates a safe space where clients feel heard and supported. Specialising in couples and family therapy, she works collaboratively to improve communication, rebuild trust, and foster healthier connections. She also has a focus on helping couples rebuild and restore a healthy, loving relationship.

Her approach is tailored to each individual and family, focusing on strengthening coping skills and boosting confidence. Rebecca genuinely cares about empowering her clients to make positive, lasting change. She believes everyone has the resilience to overcome difficulties and create the relationships they desire.

Her goal is to guide you toward understanding, growth, and hope for the future.

Maria Simonova is a compassionate and experienced counsellor with over 8 years of experience supporting individuals and couples through a wide range of emotional, relationship and life challenges. She works with clients experiencing anxiety, stress, burnout, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, emotional overwhelm, major life transitions and Adult ADHD.

Maria brings an extensive background in psychology and psychotherapy, together with a Master of Counselling completed in Australia. Having lived, studied and worked in different countries, she understands that every person’s story is different. She tailors therapy to each client’s individual needs, values and goals.

Maria has a particular interest in Adult ADHD. During her clinical placement with the ADHD Foundation, she supported adults navigating the impact ADHD can have on relationships, communication, emotional wellbeing and everyday life. She also helped clients better understand challenges with focus, organisation and maintaining healthy routines.

Alongside her work in Adult ADHD, Maria provides individual and couples therapy for a broad range of concerns. She draws on attachment-informed, person-centred and evidence-based approaches, tailoring therapy to each client’s unique needs and goals.

Maria is known for her warm, compassionate and approachable style. Clients value her knowledge, objective perspective and ability to explore difficult situations without judgement.

Whether you're seeking support as an individual, working through relationship challenges, or looking for guidance in managing Adult ADHD, Maria is committed to helping you gain clarity, confidence and the tools to thrive.

Sam Gattas is a warm, compassionate, and dedicated counsellor who is passionate about supporting individuals through life's challenges and helping them create meaningful, lasting change. With a background in Early Education and experience working alongside children and teenagers, Sam has a strong understanding of the emotional and developmental needs of young people, while also supporting adults through a range of life experiences.

She provides a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space where clients can openly explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences while developing greater self-awareness and resilience.

Sam supports adults and adolescents experiencing concerns such as anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, life transitions, emotional overwhelm, and personal growth. She understands that seeking support can feel daunting and is committed to building a therapeutic relationship founded on trust, empathy, and genuine understanding.

Using a client-centred, evidence-based approach, Sam tailors therapy to each person's unique needs and goals, helping clients strengthen coping strategies, improve emotional wellbeing, and build healthier relationships with themselves and others.

Known for her calm, caring, and approachable nature, Sam helps clients gain clarity, navigate life's challenges, and move towards a more balanced and fulfilling life.

My name is Stephanie Ursino, and I am an experienced counsellor and social worker with over 10 years of support for adolescents, teenagers, couples, families, and individuals.

At Sydney Wide Counselling Service, I lead our Adolescent and Teen Therapy Team, working closely with young people and their families to navigate challenges such as emotional regulation, anxiety, behavioural concerns, and communication difficulties. I also support parents in navigating their teenager’s world, helping them better understand their child, strengthen their connection, and respond to challenges with confidence and clarity.

My focus is on creating a supportive and practical environment where both teenagers and parents feel understood and guided toward meaningful change.

I provide a compassionate, non-judgmental space where clients feel heard, valued, and supported. In addition to my work with adolescents and families, I also offer individual and couples counselling tailored to each person’s unique needs.

Rebekah is a compassionate counsellor dedicated to supporting adolescents as they navigate the unique challenges of growing up. She provides a warm, engaging, and non-judgemental environment where young people can feel heard, understood, and empowered to express themselves openly.

Rebekah works with adolescents experiencing anxiety, low mood, stress, emotional regulation difficulties, low self-esteem, friendship and relationship challenges, family conflict, school-related pressures, identity concerns, and life transitions. She recognises that every young person is unique and tailors therapy to meet their individual needs, strengths, and goals.

Rebekah values collaborating with families where appropriate, recognising that positive support systems play an important role in a young person's wellbeing while ensuring adolescents feel safe and respected throughout the therapeutic process.

She is passionate about helping young people build confidence, strengthen emotional wellbeing, improve communication, and develop healthy strategies that support them through adolescence and beyond.

Alex is a warm and relatable counsellor who works collaboratively with his clients to create lasting change. His practice is grounded in the belief that our painful emotions and struggles offer unique opportunities for growth if we turn towards them and listen.

Alex offers an explorative approach to therapy, inviting clients to deeply acquaint themselves with their inner world and to understand the roots of their difficulties more fully. This process requires courage, but within a trusting and safe relationship, it encourages long-lasting transformation.

Alex holds a Master of Counselling and is a Certified Practising Counsellor with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). His academic research has explored spiritual meaning-making and experiences of self-transcendence in substance addiction recovery. The theoretical and philosophical perspectives informing Alex’s practice are broad, drawing mainly on the psychodynamic, existential, and humanistic traditions.

At Sydney Wide Counselling Service, Hope works with adolescents, adults, and families, with a major focus on eating disorders, disordered eating, body image concerns, and an unhealthy or difficult relationship with food.

Hope supports teenagers and adults experiencing challenges around eating, food, weight, self-esteem, and body image, as well as associated concerns such as anxiety, low mood, perfectionism, emotional regulation, and school or life stress. She understands that difficulties with food and body image are often connected to emotional well-being, relationships, identity, and broader life experiences.

With her combined background in psychotherapy and nutrition, Hope brings a holistic perspective to her work. She supports clients to better understand the emotional and behavioural patterns surrounding food and body image while developing healthier coping strategies, greater self-compassion, and a more positive relationship with themselves.

Hope also works closely with parents and families, particularly when a young person is struggling with eating, body image, anxiety, or emotional well-being. She provides a supportive space for families to better understand what their teenager may be experiencing, strengthen communication, and learn practical ways to provide support at home.

Her approach is warm, empathetic, and client-centred. Hope places a strong emphasis on creating a safe and non-judgemental environment where clients feel heard, understood, and supported at their own pace.

If you or your teenager is struggling with eating concerns, body image, food-related anxiety, emotional well-being, or self-esteem, booking a session with Hope can be an important first step towards developing a healthier relationship with food, body, and self.