Profile / Australia
Mercedes Alia, AASW
Australia
AASW social worker - relationships and addiction focus
See online therapy options- Addictions support
- Relationship work
- CBT informed methods
About Mercedes
Mercedes Alia is an AASW social worker with six years of clinical experience in Australia. She works with people facing addictions, relationship strain, family and parenting pressures, and low self-esteem. She also supports those dealing with separation, communication breakdowns, and the stress of caregiving.
Her approach is straightforward and practical. She uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alongside attachment-based and client-centred ideas to help people notice unhelpful thoughts and try different responses. Sessions focus on clear goals, small experiments and skills people can use between meetings.
Mercedes often uses motivational interviewing to help people find reasons to change when motivation is low. She also draws on narrative therapy to look at how stories about the past shape present behaviour. Conversations are paced to each person, moving between practical coping strategies and exploring relationship patterns.
People can expect collaborative planning in sessions. Mercedes talks through options, helps set achievable steps and reviews what works. The emphasis is on concrete skills for handling conflict, managing urges connected to addiction, and improving communication.
She speaks English, Albanian and Italian, which can help where language or culture matters in talking about relationships and family roles. To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and book an initial session to set priorities and plan next steps.
How Mercedes uses therapy approaches online
Mercedes commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours; this is useful for anxiety, low mood, addictions and improving daily coping. Attachment-Based Therapy is used to look at how early relationship patterns shape current conflicts and communication problems, which helps when family or relationship dynamics are central. Client-Centred Therapy provides a conversational framework where the person sets the pace and the therapist reflects and clarifies what matters most.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Mercedes will discuss goals, try practical strategies and check what feels useful. That collaboration guides whether sessions lean more on skills-based CBT exercises, attachment-focused exploration, or person-centred reflection.
The practical advantages of online work include fitting sessions around work and family commitments and reducing travel time. If you need to know which session formats are offered right now, please confirm the current options before booking. Online sessions are arranged to fit everyday life and to allow regular check-ins, skill practice between meetings, and follow-up conversations without needing to commute.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
6+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English, Albanian, Italian
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly address?
She works with addictions, relationship difficulties, family and parenting stress, and self-esteem problems. Additional focus areas include separation, communication problems and caregiver stress.
How would she describe her therapy style?
Her style is practical and goal-focused. She combines hands-on skills training with discussion of patterns that affect relationships.
How much experience does she have?
She has six years of experience working with individuals on the issues listed in her profile.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is an AASW social worker based in Australia.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English, Albanian and Italian.
Can international clients work with her?
She does not accept international clients at this time.
How are sessions charged?
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 the first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A registration can be checked with the body that issued it.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are not safe, use the crisis numbers.