When Coping Becomes A Full-time Job
Many people appear to be functioning well while quietly expending enormous effort to keep themselves steady. When coping becomes a way of being, insight alone often fails...
Michael Elwan
CBT Psychotherapist
“I am an award-winning mental health professional and therapist with more than 15 years’ experience across clinical practice, senior leadership, and systems advocacy. I am currently completing a PhD in Mental Health. My work integrates trauma-informed therapy, cultural humility, and evidence-informed practice, with a strong emphasis on safety, dignity, and practical support. I work with people experiencing anxiety, grief, burnout, relationship strain, and the emotional weight of navigating complex family or cultural expectations. My work has been recognised nationally and across Western Australia. I share this simply to reassure you that I take this work seriously and hold it with care. Recent recognition includes: • AASW Social Worker of the Year (2025) - Australia’s highest individual honour in social work • WA Mental Health Award - Lived Experience Impact & Inspiration (2025) • Suicide Prevention Australia LiFE Award (2026) - Outstanding Contribution (Western Australia) • Suicide Prevention Australia LiFE Award (2026) - Priority Populations (Western Australia) – Lived Experience Solutions (LEXs) • Western Australian Multicultural Awards (2026) - Outstanding Individual Achievement • R U OK? Barbara Hocking Memorial Award - Finalist”
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About Me
I bring over 15 years of experience as a therapist and mental health professional, working with individuals and families across diverse cultural backgrounds. I am a PhD candidate in Mental Health and an award-winning Accredited Social Worker, with expertise in CBT and trauma-informed practice.
My work is grounded in both professional expertise and lived experience. I understand how grief, migration, caregiving, identity, and system barriers shape emotional distress. Therapy with me is steady, respectful, and collaborative. You do not need to have the right words; we work at your pace, in a space where you are taken seriously and supported to regain a sense of balance and agency.
Approach
Sessions centre on a steady, respectful space where your values and experiences shape each step of the work. I work from Perth with in-person options and English or Arabic telehealth, keeping pace flexible to fit your life. Therapy blends evidence-informed skill-building, value-led experiments, brief between-session practices and regular check-ins, with assessment or advocacy when practical barriers appear. People facing anxiety, grief, cross-cultural strain or burnout often find this practical, collaborative rhythm helpful.
Services
Sessions provide a calm, grounded space where your story, values, and cultural context are central. I am based in Perth and offer telehealth in English or Arabic. The pace is flexible and shaped around what feels manageable for you.
My approach blends CBT-based tools with reflective conversation, values-based exploration, and practical strategies that can be applied between sessions when helpful. We review progress together and adjust as needed. Where appropriate, I can also assist with advocacy, or navigating systems that feel confusing or overwhelming. Many people seek this approach when they want therapy that is thoughtful, culturally responsive, and focused on real-world change rather than quick fixes.
Services Offered:
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ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy)
A form of therapy that teaches acceptance of difficult thoughts and feelings while guiding action aligned with personal values.
Learn more about ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy) - •
Advocacy
Services that help individuals navigate healthcare, education, or social systems to ensure their mental health needs are recognised and met.
Learn more about Advocacy - •
Psych & Diagnostic Assessment
Formal psychological testing to identify conditions, understand cognitive and emotional functioning, and guide treatment planning.
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Clinical Supervision
Professional oversight and reflective practice for clinical practitioners, ensuring quality of care and supporting ongoing development.
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Coaching
A goal-oriented practice focused on identifying objectives, overcoming obstacles, and taking action, centred on the present and future rather than past difficulties.
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Conflict Management
Structured approaches to resolving disputes and improving communication between people in conflict, whether in relationships, families, or workplaces.
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Counseling
A form of talk therapy providing a safe, confidential space to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviours with a trained professional.
Learn more about Counseling - •
Personal Development
The ongoing process of self-awareness, self-improvement, and reaching one's potential, pursued not because something is wrong but to live more fully.
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Relationship Counseling
Counselling for couples or partners focused on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening emotional connection.
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
A therapy combining mindfulness meditation with cognitive behavioural techniques, designed particularly to prevent relapse in depression.
Learn more about Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) - •
CBT
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a structured, evidence-based approach that identifies and changes unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours.
Learn more about CBT
Works With:
- •Adults
- •Communities
- •Couples
- •Individuals
- •Organisations
Area of Expertise
Scope of Practice:
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Anxiety
Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about Anxiety - •
Grief & Loss
The emotional, physical, and psychological response to the death of a loved one or another significant loss.
Learn more about Grief & Loss - •
Cross-Cultural
The psychological challenges of living between two or more cultures, including identity conflicts, acculturation stress, and difficulties with belonging.
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Mood Disorder
A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.
Learn more about Mood Disorder - •
Physical Disability
A condition that limits physical functioning, mobility, or stamina, which can carry psychological impacts including adjustment, identity, and social challenges.
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Stress / Burnout
The body and mind's response to prolonged or excessive demands. When sustained, it can lead to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced functioning (burnout).
Learn more about Stress / Burnout - •
Personal Development
The ongoing process of self-awareness, self-improvement, and reaching one's potential, pursued not because something is wrong but to live more fully.
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Relationship Issues
Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.
Learn more about Relationship Issues - •
Trauma
The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.
Learn more about Trauma
Professional Title:
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CBT Psychotherapist
A psychotherapist specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, an evidence-based approach that changes unhelpful thinking and behaviour patterns.
Qualifications
Charles Sturt University (CSU)
University of New England
Australian Catholic University
Austin Peay State University
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Registrations
Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
Full Membership
Memberships
Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT)
Full Member
