Gillian Ashby

Gillian Ashby is an ACA counsellor in Australia with nine years' experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship strain and life transitions. Her practice also supports those wrestling with questions about purpose and next steps after change.

Gillian combines practical planning with person-centred and attachment-based ideas. She aims for therapy that is grounded and structured so changes fit into everyday life. Sessions focus on what a client can do between meetings as much as what happens in them.

Her background includes a Master of Counselling and a Bachelor of Education. She holds Level 4 clinical registration with the Australian Counsellors Association and has training in addictions counselling and family and loved-one support. That experience informs work with people affected by someone else’s substance use as well as those managing their own recovery.

In practice she uses an integrated approach. Conversations look at patterns in relationships, attachment experiences from the past, and practical steps for coping now. Gillian also supports career and parenting concerns, and transitions such as separation or retirement.

Sessions are goal-focused and often include straightforward tools and check-ins. She invites people who are used to being the strong one to look at what’s building beneath the surface. If someone wants to explore life purpose or find clearer direction, Gillian helps map practical next steps.

How attachment and person-centred approaches work online

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current patterns. Online sessions can focus on understanding those patterns and how they affect close relationships and stress responses. Client-Centred Therapy prioritises the client’s experience and aims to create a respectful, non-judgemental space for people to talk through what matters and decide next steps.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. Gillian will collaborate with each person to choose which elements to use based on goals, preferences and what feels most helpful. That planning is revisited as progress is made so the approach can change if needed.

The therapist's biography does not specify which online session formats are offered, so confirm options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited and remove travel time. It can also help people continue support during relocations or other life transitions while focusing on practical strategies and attachment patterns.