I’m Sureen De Silva, an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) and a proud member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). I hold specialist training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) therapy at Level 1.
My practice, Sureen De Silva Therapy, is a telehealth-only counselling and mental health service. I work with teenagers aged 15 and over, and adults across Australia — because I believe that where you live should never be a barrier to getting quality mental health support.
Before establishing my private practice, I worked across some of the settings where people’s mental health needs are often most overlooked. I began in forensic disability with the Department, then moved into private practice as a clinician supporting children on the NDIS, before spending several years as a high school counsellor working with young people who were school-avoidant or navigating significant behavioural challenges. Along the way I’ve run group programs, supported teachers and schools with behaviour-change strategies, and completed formal training in DBT skills (with Julie Brown) and structured risk assessment from my forensic work. More recently, I’ve spent the past two years providing trauma therapy to police officers — while continuing my work with young people and families.
What’s stayed with me across all of these settings is how much difference it makes when someone feels genuinely heard — not just assessed.
While I welcome clients presenting with a range of concerns, I have a passion in supporting:
My interest in this work comes from both professional experience and a personal understanding of how much harder the world can be when it isn’t built for your brain. I aim to offer a space that is neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-focused, and free from the shame that so many clients have picked up along the way.
I work from a person-centred, strengths-based foundation — which means I see you as the expert in your own life. My role is to walk alongside you, not to tell you what to do.
I draw on a range of evidence-based approaches, tailoring the therapy to what works best for you and what you’re working through.
The principles that guide every conversation, every session, and every interaction with my clients.
Every client receives unconditional positive regard, regardless of background or identity.
Therapy is a shared process; you are actively involved in your goals and the direction of our work together.
I am committed to inclusive, culturally responsive practice for clients of all backgrounds.
The potential impact of trauma is recognised in every interaction, and care is delivered with that awareness.
I acknowledge the social, structural, and systemic factors that shape mental health.
I draw on current research while staying responsive to your individual needs and preferences.
As an AMHSW and AASW member, I am bound by the AASW Code of Ethics (2020) and AASW Practice Standards (2023). This means I:
AASW Membership:
476590 You can verify my AASW membership at www.aasw.asn.au
All sessions are delivered via secure telehealth using Halaxy — a purpose-built, Australian healthcare platform. Telehealth has been shown to be equally effective as in-person therapy for most presentations, and allows you to access support from the comfort and privacy of your own space.
For clients who are new to telehealth, I offer a brief orientation at the start of our first session.
