Michael Elwan, AASW - Therapist in Australia

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Attachment-Based Therapy
Client-Centred Therapy

About Michael

Michael Elwan is an Accredited Social Worker (AASW) with 15 years' experience based in Australia. He works with adults and couples carrying anxiety, grief, relationship strain, burnout and the slow weight of life. He also lists social anxiety and phobia among his focus areas and supports people facing identity questions and the strain of long-term responsibility.

Many people who come to him are not in obvious crisis. They keep functioning while feeling worn down or stuck. Sessions are described as a space to slow down, talk through what’s hard, and notice recurring patterns that shape daily life.

Michael uses a trauma-informed and culturally responsive way of working. He draws on emotion-focused, narrative, mindfulness-based and acceptance-based ideas. Sessions aim to build clarity, steadiness and different ways of relating to self and others rather than only treating symptoms.

His perspective is shaped by both professional and lived experience. He grew up as a young carer and has navigated grief from suicide in his family. Those life experiences influence how he listens and how he supports people with long-term burdens.

He holds formal professional membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and is a member of the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AA-CBT). He is also completing a PhD in mental health. Outside work he is a husband and father of two, which informs his view of everyday relationships and responsibilities.

How his approaches translate to online work

Michael draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people notice difficult thoughts and choose values-driven actions. ACT focuses on acceptance of private experience and on taking steps that matter, which can help with anxiety and avoidance. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns shape current ways of relating; it helps people understand closeness, distance and trust in relationships.

Finding the best therapeutic approach is part of the work. He will collaborate with each person to decide which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences. That choice can change as sessions progress and as different issues come into focus.

Please confirm current session options before booking because formats are not specified here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy around work, family and daily life. They can allow shorter check-ins, reduce travel time and offer a way to see a therapist without moving your schedule as much. Appropriately qualified therapists can adapt ACT and attachment-based techniques to an online setting so the work still focuses on emotional steadiness, clearer patterns and practical steps toward change.

Areas of expertise

Primary focus

Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesTrauma and abuse Grief Self esteem

Also works with

Addictions LGBTFamily conflictsIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderDepression Coping with life changesCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD

Additional focus areas

Abandonment Attachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityCaregiver issues and stressChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problems Control issuesDependent personalityDivorce and separationDomestic violenceEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesForgiveness Guilt and shameImmigration issuesImpulsivity Infidelity Isolation / loneliness Jealousy Life purpose Men's issuesMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issues Mood disorders Multicultural concerns Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD Panic disorder and panic attacks Phobias Post-traumatic stress Prejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSelf-loveSex addictionSexual assault and abuseSmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues

Therapeutic approaches

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyClient-Centered TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)Existential TherapyMindfulness TherapyMotivational InterviewingNarrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapySomatic TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family SystemsSystemic Therapy

Experience

15+ years

Listed in

Australia

Languages

English, Arabic

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of concerns does he help with?

He supports people coping with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, depression and related issues such as addiction, sleep problems and anger.

What is his approach in sessions?

Sessions combine trauma-informed listening with emotion-focused, narrative and acceptance-based techniques to build clarity and steadiness.

How much experience does he have?

He has 15 years of professional experience working with adults and couples on a wide range of concerns.

What are his credentials and where is he based?

He is an Accredited Social Worker and full member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), based in Australia.

Which languages are supported?

Sessions are offered in English and Arabic.

Can international clients work with him?

He does not accept international clients at this time.

How are sessions paid for?

Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.

How do I begin a first session?

Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule an initial session.