Joanna Ekevati, AASW

Joanna Ekevati brings 13 years of clinical experience to her work as a senior clinician, combining trauma-informed and evidence-based interventions to support people through significant life challenges. She works with both children aged 3 to 18 and adults across a broad range of settings, including health, crisis and mental health services, corrections, and community and hospital environments such as emergency departments and intensive care. Her practice has involved supporting people experiencing suicidal ideation, domestic and family violence, ADHD, autism spectrum conditions, emotional and relationship difficulties, and the needs of incarcerated individuals and child protection clients.

Born in New Zealand with Pacific heritage and having travelled to the United States and Pacific Islands, Joanna applies a culturally responsive approach when working with people from diverse and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. She holds a Masters of Applied Social Work and is associated with the AASW - the Australian Association of Social Workers - reflecting her professional engagement with social work standards. Joanna’s strengths include quick rapport building and a genuine commitment to supporting others with care, humility and non-judgemental attention.

Now based in Australia, she uses a client-centred, strength-based framework to help individuals and families navigate grief, trauma, anxiety, relationship problems and major life transitions, aiming to foster resilience and greater wellbeing over time.

Therapeutic approaches and flexible online support

Joanna uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help people clarify what matters most to them and develop practical steps to live in line with those values. ACT can be useful for anxiety, stress and coping with life changes by teaching strategies to accept difficult thoughts and commit to meaningful action.

Attachment-Based Therapy is used to explore early relational patterns and how they influence adult relationships and emotional responses. This approach can help people working through abandonment, attachment issues, communication problems and the impact of family of origin dynamics.

Her client-centred work prioritises the person’s own experience, offering empathy, respect and collaboration so clients feel heard and supported as they set their goals. Finding the best therapeutic approach is a collaborative process - Joanna will work with each person to tailor methods based on their needs, goals and preferences and may integrate different techniques as appropriate, alongside appropriately qualified or registered professionals and therapists when necessary.

Online sessions by video, phone, live chat or text-based messaging make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life and to access support from a distance. These options provide flexibility in scheduling, allow people to choose the format that feels most comfortable, and can help maintain continuity of care across changing circumstances.