- Stress and anxiety
- Grief and loss
- Life purpose
About Derrel
Derrel Drinnan is an AASW social worker with more than 20 years of professional experience. She works with people facing stress, anxiety, grief and loss, low self-esteem, motivation issues and coping with life changes, as well as compassion fatigue and concerns about life purpose.
Derrel writes from both professional training and long personal experience. She practises from a person-centred, strengths-based stance and draws on motivational interviewing and solution-focused ideas to help people move forward. She also uses trauma-informed practice and emotional regulation strategies when these are helpful.
Sessions tend to focus on practical steps and clearer options. Derrel helps people talk through what matters now, notice patterns that hold them back, and try small changes to see what works. Conversations often mix problem-solving with attention to emotions and personal values.
She describes a Christian worldview as part of her perspective. That informs how she listens and the language she may use, while treatment choices are shaped by each person's needs and preferences.
Derrel encourages people who feel stuck after a relationship, career or health change to ask about the process. She explains the first steps, what sessions look like, and how therapy fits into daily life before a first appointment is arranged.
Therapeutic approaches and working online
Derrel draws on motivational interviewing to help people resolve mixed feelings and build motivation for change; this approach is conversational and focuses on a person’s own reasons for wanting something to be different. She also uses solution-focused techniques which concentrate on identifying small, concrete steps and practical strategies that can be tried between sessions. Trauma-informed practice is part of her thinking too, paying attention to how past experience can affect reactions and pacing work to the person’s needs.Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Derrel will work with the person to decide which methods fit their goals and comfort levels, and she adapts plans as progress is reviewed. The emphasis is on testing small changes and learning what helps in everyday life rather than following a fixed plan.
The biography does not list specific online formats, so please confirm available session types before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy around work or caregiving, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Discussing format options at first contact helps line up the best practical arrangement for ongoing sessions.
Areas of expertise
Additional focus areas
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What issues does she commonly help with?
Derrel works with stress, anxiety, grief and loss, self-esteem, motivation and coping with life changes, among other concerns like compassion fatigue and life purpose.
How does she approach someone feeling stuck?
She uses a person-centred, strengths-based approach with motivational interviewing and solution-focused techniques to identify small, practical steps forward.
How much experience does she have?
Derrel has over 20 years of professional work experience as an AASW social worker.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is listed with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and practises in Australia.
Can I see her if I live outside Australia?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not specify which formats are offered.
How are fees handled?
Cost varies by location and sessions are provided through a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.