Jacob Mangelsdorf, PACFA

Jacob Mangelsdorf is a PACFA counsellor with 18 years of practice in Australia. He works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family concerns, and trauma and abuse. He also lists a range of related focus areas such as attachment and abandonment issues, body image, caregiver stress, and guilt and shame.

Jacob describes starting by understanding how someone arrived at their current difficulties. He listens for patterns from family of origin and life events that shape present problems. From there he works with each person to clarify values, boundaries and steps that feel practical and manageable.

His base approach is person-centred and holistic, with context seen as important for every concern. He draws on elements of acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, Gottman ideas for relationships and family therapy techniques as needed. These are used to address relationship problems, addictions and trauma related distress.

Jacob has particular experience supporting loss and grief, including responses after suicide and work around suicide intervention. He notes many years helping people re-establish rhythms, routines and connections that reduce stress and support recovery.

He often works with men who want clearer communication, better relationships and more satisfying work and family life. Outside work he is a father, partner, runner and musician, and says these roles shape how he thinks about self-care and everyday coping.

Therapeutic approaches and working online