- Guilt and shame
- Grief and loss
- ACT and CBT informed
About Doreen
Doreen Patenall is a PACFA counsellor in Australia with 25 years of professional experience. She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, and coaching. Her work also covers issues such as body image, control and communication problems, divorce and separation, forgiveness, guilt and shame, and isolation.
Doreen listens first and asks practical questions. She helps people say what they are holding onto and notices the patterns that keep them stuck. Sessions are straightforward and conversational, aiming to make difficult feelings easier to name.
Her approach draws on a mix of evidence-informed methods, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and elements of Attachment-Based and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She uses these tools to help people notice thoughts, try different responses, and practise new ways of relating to themselves and others.
Doreen often works with grief, end-of-life concerns and clients facing separation. She supports people who carry shame about who they are or guilt about something they did or didn’t do. The focus is on practical steps and clearer thinking rather than labels.
Sessions are conversational and paced to each person. Doreen helps people set small goals, test out changes between sessions, and reflect on what works. She asks clients to be curious about their reactions and to experiment with simpler ways of coping.
People can expect a coach-like clarity alongside talk therapy. The intent is to reduce the day-to-day friction caused by worry, shame or unresolved loss and to build more reliable ways of responding to stress.
How Doreen uses therapeutic approaches online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and still choose actions that matter to them. It can help when guilt or shame gets in the way of meaningful life steps by focusing on values and small committed actions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviour and offers practical experiments to test unhelpful beliefs. This can be useful for panic, social anxiety, or persistent self-criticism.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Doreen will talk with each person about their needs, goals and how they prefer to work. Together they decide which methods to try and review what is helping as sessions progress.
The biography does not list which online session formats are used, so please confirm current options before booking. Many people appreciate online sessions because they can fit appointments into a busy day, avoid travel time, and choose a quieter time for check-ins or a shorter session when needed. Working online also makes it easier to keep momentum between appointments and to practise skills in real life shortly after a session.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
25+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of issues does she work with?
Doreen works with stress and anxiety, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, grief, and coaching. She also addresses body image, control issues, communication problems, divorce and separation, forgiveness, and guilt and shame.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
Her style is conversational and practical, using questions and reflection to notice unhelpful patterns. She blends talk therapy with exercises to try between sessions.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of professional experience working with adults on a range of life and emotional concerns.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
Doreen is credentialed with PACFA and works in Australia.
Are sessions offered in other languages or to people overseas?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
The original biography does not list specific session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are costs handled?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.