Elizabeth "Lizzie" Elleson , PACFA

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Elleson is a clinical psychotherapist with 10 years of experience working across the public, NGO, and private sectors in Australia. She is a member of PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia), a national professional association for counsellors and psychotherapists, and brings a warm, creative, interactive, and relational approach to therapy that is trauma informed and client centered. Her work emphasizes harmony between body and mind with a gentle focus on somatic mindfulness, helping people tune into physical experience as part of healing.

Lizzie's early career in the public sector as a drug and alcohol clinician revealed strong connections between addiction and unresolved early-childhood trauma. That experience led her to pursue further training in trauma-informed methods, including Mindfulness-integrated CBT, Internal Family Systems, and Polyvagal Theory. She went on to work for a National Centre of Excellence supporting people with complex trauma and disability, where she worked with marginalised communities and neurodivergent clients and witnessed the broad behavioural, emotional, and psychological impacts of unresolved suffering.

In private practice in Melbourne and Sydney, Lizzie specialises in supporting highly sensitive people recover from complex trauma and offers coaching for those managing PMDD. She tailors therapeutic work to each person’s needs, and people who have worked with her often report feeling more at peace with themselves, better able to hold space for life’s challenges, and experiencing more harmonious relationships. She describes her role as partnering with clients through their inner transformation and personal growth.

Therapeutic approaches and flexible online care

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape current patterns of connection and safety. It helps people understand attachment wounds and develop more secure ways of relating, which can be particularly useful for relationship difficulties, abandonment issues, and attachment-related trauma.

Client-Centered Therapy puts the person at the centre of the therapeutic process, offering empathic listening and unconditional positive regard so clients can explore their feelings and values at their own pace. This approach supports growth for a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and life transitions.

Mindfulness Therapy teaches present-moment awareness and gentle acceptance of internal experience. It can reduce reactivity to stress, improve emotional regulation, and complement work on trauma, chronic pain, and mood concerns.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. A therapist will work with each person to clarify goals, assess needs, and adapt techniques so the therapeutic style fits the client’s preferences and aims.

Online sessions offered by licensed professionals provide practical benefits - video calls allow face-to-face connection from home, phone sessions offer convenience, and live chat or text-based messaging can suit those who prefer written communication. These options increase flexibility and accessibility, making it easier to maintain consistent therapeutic work around life commitments.