Doreen Patenall, PACFA
25 years in practice
Doreen Patenall is a counsellor with 25 years of professional experience in Australia.
License and registration
- PACFA
- 20854 · expires June 2026
- Years in practice
- 25
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the registration with the body that granted it.
About Doreen
Doreen Patenall is a counsellor with 25 years of professional experience in Australia. She supports people facing stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, trauma and abuse, and grief. Doreen aims to make the first step less daunting and offers steady support through change.
She creates a calm, non-judgemental space where people can talk about painful thoughts and feelings. Conversations focus on what matters most to the person in front of her. Sessions are practical and grounded, not full of jargon.
Background and approach
Doreen draws on several approaches to fit different needs, including Jungian therapy alongside Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and cognitive behavioural techniques. She adapts the work to suit each person's pace and goals. This means therapy can look reflective one week and action-oriented the next.
Her areas of additional focus include body image, communication problems, control issues, forgiveness, guilt and shame, and life purpose. She also supports people through divorce and separation, hospice and end-of-life concerns, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress, and social anxiety. Doreen works in English and carries a PACFA credential, which she holds in Australia.
If someone wants to explore coaching alongside therapy, she can integrate goal-focused conversations into ongoing work. Her approach is warm, steady and practical, aimed at helping people find clearer ways forward.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Doreen lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Grief
- Coaching
- Body image
- Communication problems
- Control issues
- Divorce and separation
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Hospice and end-of-life counseling
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Panic disorder and panic attacks
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self-love
- Social anxiety and phobia
Approaches Doreen names
- Jungian Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Client-Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Existential Therapy
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
- Systemic Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
Approaches that suit online therapy and how they help
Jungian therapy looks at personal meaning and inner patterns, helping people name recurring themes in their lives and work through them. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings and commit to actions that match their values. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationship patterns affect current connections and helps people build healthier ways of relating.Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the person about their goals, preferences and the problems they bring. Together they decide whether depth-oriented reflection, values-based skills, or attention to attachment patterns will be most useful at a given time.
Online sessions are offered by video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging to give flexibility. Video calls are good for full conversations and visual cues. Phone sessions fit a shorter check-in or times with limited bandwidth. Live chat or messaging works for brief support, check-ins or when writing feels easier than speaking. These options make it simpler to fit therapy around work, family and travel while still using recognised therapeutic methods.
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Questions people ask
What concerns does Doreen commonly help with?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, relationship problems, trauma and abuse, grief and coaching needs. Additional focus areas include body image, communication, control issues and life purpose.
What is her therapy style like?
Her style is calm and down-to-earth. Sessions mix reflective exploration with practical skills and goal-focused work when helpful.
How much experience does she have?
She has 25 years of professional work experience in Australia supporting a wide range of concerns.
What credentials and location are listed?
She holds PACFA and practices in Australia.
Which languages are supported and can international clients attend?
Sessions are offered in English. International clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be held via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to suit different needs and schedules.
How does billing and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.
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