- Guilt and shame work
- ACT and CBT methods
- Narrative and attachment
About Malinda
Malinda Um is an AASW social worker with eight years of clinical experience in Australia. She works with adults facing anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, stress, compassion fatigue and relationship or family concerns. People who feel stuck, overwhelmed or disconnected often come to her for help untangling difficult feelings such as guilt and shame.
She typically works with clients who are carrying heavy responsibilities or who appear high-functioning but feel depleted inside. She also has experience with issues tied to culture, identity and patterns passed down through families. Malinda aims to take the whole context of a person’s life into account rather than asking for a simplified story.
Her style is practical and collaborative. Sessions move beyond just talking; they look at recurring patterns, emotion regulation skills and small changes that can be tried between meetings. She draws on approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Narrative Therapy to help people notice what matters and act on it.
Malinda supports people dealing with parenting stress, grief, career pressures, anger and difficulties with attachment or abandonment. She also addresses blended family issues, body image, codependency and communication problems. Clients work on clearer boundaries, steadier mood management and more workable day-to-day routines.
Sessions are offered in English in Australia. Cost varies with location and uses a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session.
How her approaches translate to online work
Malinda draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in her practice. ACT focuses on noticing thoughts and values so clients can choose actions that matter despite painful feelings. Attachment-Based work looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and what shifts might help with closeness or trust. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps identify unhelpful thoughts and test new behaviours to reduce anxiety and low mood.Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. Malinda will discuss goals and preferences in early sessions and recommend methods that suit the person’s situation. She treats this as a collaborative process and adjusts the plan as things change.
The biography does not list specific session formats, so confirm current session options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit meetings into busy lives, for example by avoiding travel, allowing a shorter check-in on a lunch break or letting someone join from a quieter spot without needing extra equipment. Therapists in this context aim to help clients apply skills and experiment with small changes between sessions to support everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
8+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with trauma and abuse, anxiety, depression, stress, relationship and family issues, grief, parenting and career pressures, among other areas.
How does she approach feelings of guilt or shame?
She uses practical interventions from therapies like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Narrative Therapy to help clients notice patterns and respond differently to painful self-judgement.
What is her professional background?
She is an AASW social worker with eight years of clinical experience working with adults on trauma, burnout and life transitions.
Where is she based and what credential does she hold?
She practises in Australia and lists AASW as her credential.
Can sessions be conducted in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English.
Does she work with international clients?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions paid for and what do they cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule your first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.