Counselling in Brisbane for anxiety, trauma, burnout and life transitions

Paula Borges

Counsellor/ Brisbane

(She/Her)

About me

Hi, it’s a pleasure to have you here.

I am a registered Counsellor and Psychotherapist with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA Level 4 – 81744). I was originally trained as a psychologist in Brazil and have more than a decade of experience supporting people through emotional, relational and life challenges.

I work with adolescents (14+) and adults experiencing anxiety, burnout, chronic health conditions, sustained stress, migration and cultural adjustment, trauma-related experiences, relational difficulties, and coping patterns that may feel difficult to change.

Many of my clients are capable and high-functioning, yet privately carrying challenges that are not always visible to others.

My Approach

My approach is collaborative and evidence-based.

I draw from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Process-Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills, and trauma-informed counselling to support adolescents aged 14+ and adults experiencing anxiety, burnout, chronic illness, ongoing stress, trauma-related experiences and life transitions.

Therapy with me is a space to feel heard, make sense of what has been happening, and gently build new ways of responding to life’s challenges.

Together, we work toward more clarity, flexibility, self-compassion and a life that feels more manageable and meaningful.

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Areas of Expertise

  • Living with ongoing health conditions can affect many areas of life, physically, emotionally, and relationally. Many people carry invisible challenges such as uncertainty, frustration, loss of independence, or changes in identity. Therapy can offer a space to process these experiences, develop steadier ways of responding to difficult moments, and continue building a meaningful life alongside the realities of health.

  • At times life can feel heavy, overwhelming, or emotionally draining. You may experience persistent worry, self-criticism, emotional ups and downs, or a sense of disconnection from yourself and others. Therapy can help create space to process these experiences and develop steadier ways of relating to thoughts, emotions and to ourselves.

  • Adapting to a different culture can be both enriching and deeply challenging. Many people navigate shifts in identity, belonging, relationships, and expectations during these transitions. Therapy can offer a space to process these experiences and reconnect with a sense of direction and stability.

  • Sometimes we notice ourselves wanting to change certain ways we cope with stress or emotional discomfort, such as pornography, gambling, eating patterns, or alcohol use. These patterns often develop for understandable reasons and may once have helped us manage difficult experiences. Over time, however, they can begin to get in the way of the life we want to live while still feeling difficult to shift.

    Change rarely happens all at once. Our work focuses on understanding what these patterns are trying to solve, meeting you wherever you are in the process of change, and gradually developing more flexible and supportive ways of navigating them.

Contact

Fill out some info and I will be in touch shortly.

Appointments in-person available in Spring Hill at Brisbane Counselling Centre and online sessions available Australia wide.