Karinna Johnstone, AASW

Karinna Johnstone is an AASW social worker with 18 years of experience supporting people through hard life moments. She offers calm, practical help for stress, anxiety, grief, depression and relationship concerns. Her work also covers parenting strains, sleeping problems, compassion fatigue and jealousy-related worries. Karinna believes people know their own story and that therapy is a collaborative process. She listens first, then helps set small, doable goals. Sessions often focus on building confidence, managing strong emotions and finding practical coping strategies. Her background includes work with people living with trauma, addiction, disability and housing stress. That experience informs a flexible approach when coping with complex losses, abuse or long-term mental health challenges. She draws on short-term strategies alongside deeper narrative work to make progress that fits daily life. Karinna combines attachment-based ideas with cognitive behavioural tools and mindfulness practices. She uses narrative techniques to help people reframe difficult experiences and discover strengths they may have overlooked. The aim is steady change rather than quick fixes. People who come to Karinna often want clearer boundaries, better communication and more confidence after painful events. She supports clients to try new behaviours, reflect on what works, and adjust plans as needed. Her style is warm, direct and focused on practical steps. To begin, Karinna asks people to share what matters most and what they hope to change. From there she helps build a plan that fits each person’s life and goals.

How attachment, CBT and mindfulness translate to online therapy

Karinna uses attachment-based ideas to help people understand how early relationships shape current patterns. This often involves noticing how people react in close relationships and practising different ways of connecting that feel safer and more effective. She also uses cognitive behavioural therapy to break unhelpful thinking and behaviour cycles. That can mean testing small changes, trying different responses, and tracking what helps reduce anxiety or low mood. Mindfulness practices are offered as short, practical exercises to help manage stress and stay present during difficult moments. Finding the right approach is part of the work. Karinna will discuss options and tailor the mix of attachment, CBT and mindfulness to match the person’s goals and preferences. This is a collaborative process where strategies are adjusted as progress is made. Please confirm which session formats are available before booking, as they are not specified here. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It can also suit people who prefer working from a familiar setting or who need flexibility around work and caregiving commitments. Appropriately qualified therapists will help match the format and approach to the client’s needs.