Karinna Johnstone, AASW

Karinna Johnstone is an AASW social worker with 18 years of experience supporting people through major life stresses. She works with issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and burnout. Karinna aims to help people identify practical steps that fit their day-to-day life and build confidence to face challenges.

Her approach treats each person as the expert in their own story. Sessions focus on listening carefully, reflecting what matters most, and helping people set small, doable goals. She uses straightforward tools to manage symptoms, improve sleep, and reduce overwhelm while building motivation and self-esteem.

Karinna has a long background working with people from many walks of life, including those living with disability, addiction, homelessness and complex trauma. That experience informs a down-to-earth style that values people’s strengths and their hopes for change. She also supports those coping with caregiver stress and ageing and geriatric issues.

Her methods draw on attachment ideas, client-centred listening, cognitive behavioural techniques, mindfulness and narrative approaches. These help with unpicking unhelpful thinking, managing emotions, and reshaping stories about identity and loss. Karinna works collaboratively to choose what will help most in each person’s situation.

People who meet with Karinna can expect clear conversation, practical strategies and encouragement to try new ways of coping. She aims to make therapy useful and manageable so progress fits everyday life and personal goals.

How therapeutic approaches work in online sessions

Attachment-based work focuses on how early relationships shape current feelings and reactions. Online sessions can use this framework to notice patterns in relationships, improve emotional connection, and practise new ways of relating. Client-centred therapy places the person’s own experience at the centre and relies on active listening and empathy to help people name their priorities and feel heard. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches practical skills to reduce anxiety, improve sleep and manage mood.

Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs, goals and preferences and collaboratively choose methods that fit. It’s common to combine elements from different approaches to suit changing concerns.

Confirm the currently offered session options before booking, as specific formats are not listed here. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, reduce travel time and allow check-ins during shorter breaks. They also let people use tools such as worksheets, mindfulness exercises and thought records between sessions to support steady progress.