- Calm practical focus
- Trauma informed care
- Collaborative goal setting
About Malinda
Malinda Um is an AASW social worker who helps people feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected. She works with clients dealing with anxiety, depression, grief and relationship strain. Her style is calm and straightforward, aimed at making therapy practical and manageable for everyday life.
Malinda has eight years of experience supporting people through trauma and abuse, compassion fatigue, career stress and major life changes. She also addresses family-of-origin issues, attachment and abandonment concerns, body image, codependency and blended family worries. Her background includes working with people from diverse cultural contexts and navigating complex identities.
Sessions focus on noticing repeated patterns, building emotional regulation skills and trying small changes that fit daily routines. Malinda uses tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Attachment-Based Therapy. She works collaboratively, helping each person set goals and test what works in real life.
Her practice pays attention to practical outcomes rather than labelling. People come for help with parenting strain, communication problems, anger and coping after separation. Malinda aims to create a steady, non-judgemental space where clients can be honest and move forward one step at a time.
If you are unsure how to start, she encourages a short initial process to match priorities and plan next steps together. The first conversations are used to clarify what matters most and to begin building manageable strategies.
Malinda has eight years of experience supporting people through trauma and abuse, compassion fatigue, career stress and major life changes. She also addresses family-of-origin issues, attachment and abandonment concerns, body image, codependency and blended family worries. Her background includes working with people from diverse cultural contexts and navigating complex identities.
Sessions focus on noticing repeated patterns, building emotional regulation skills and trying small changes that fit daily routines. Malinda uses tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Attachment-Based Therapy. She works collaboratively, helping each person set goals and test what works in real life.
Her practice pays attention to practical outcomes rather than labelling. People come for help with parenting strain, communication problems, anger and coping after separation. Malinda aims to create a steady, non-judgemental space where clients can be honest and move forward one step at a time.
If you are unsure how to start, she encourages a short initial process to match priorities and plan next steps together. The first conversations are used to clarify what matters most and to begin building manageable strategies.
How therapy approaches guide online work and choice
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on helping people notice unhelpful thoughts and choose actions that match their values. It is often used when someone feels stuck, overwhelmed or unsure about what matters next. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) breaks habits of thinking and behaving that keep problems going and teaches practical skills for mood and anxiety management. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationships shape current patterns and helps people develop safer ways of relating and clearer emotional boundaries.Choosing the right approach is part of the work. Malinda will talk with each person about their goals, preferences and what has or hasn’t helped before. Together they decide which techniques to try and adjust the plan as progress is made.
Confirm the therapist's current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the profile. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when a brief update is needed. It can also support steady momentum between appointments so practical changes can be tested in everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Stress, AnxietyRelationship issuesFamily conflictsGriefParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficulties
Additional focus areas
AbandonmentAttachment issuesBlended family issuesBody imageCaregiver issues and stressCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDivorce and separationEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFirst responder issuesForgivenessGuilt and shameImmigration issuesInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMidlife crisisVeteran and Armed Forces IssuesMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPhobiasPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based TherapyCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Narrative TherapySolution-Focused TherapySystemic Therapy
Experience
8+ years
Credentials
See below
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does this counsellor help with?
Malinda works with issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship strain, plus concerns like grief, parenting stress and career pressure.
How would you describe her therapeutic style?
Her approach is practical and collaborative, using clear tools to notice patterns, build regulation skills and try small changes in daily life.
What experience does she bring?
She has eight years of clinical experience supporting people through trauma, burnout, major life transitions and ongoing stress.
What are her credentials and where is she based?
She is an AASW social worker based in Australia.
Which languages are supported and can international clients connect?
Sessions are offered in English and Malinda does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as formats are not specified in the profile.
How are fees and payments handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Use the continue button on this profile, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule according to the therapist's availability.