- 15 years experience
- AASW member
- Works with adults and couples
About Michael
Michael Elwan is an Accredited Social Worker (AASW) and therapist based in Australia with 15 years of practice. He works mainly with adults and couples who feel worn down, stuck, or quietly overwhelmed by life rather than shattered by it. Michael aims to make therapy a calm place to slow down and be met without judgement.
Many people he sees are not in an obvious crisis. They present with anxiety, grief, relationship strain, identity questions, burnout or long years of responsibility. Sessions are intended to help people notice the patterns that keep them stuck, and to build clearer, steadier ways of relating to themselves and others.
His approach is trauma-informed and culturally responsive. Michael draws on emotionally focused work, narrative methods, mindfulness, and acceptance-based ideas to help people name what matters and take small steps toward change. Therapy sessions focus on building clarity, emotional steadiness and more grounded day-to-day habits.
Michael's practice is shaped by both professional experience and lived experience. He has personal history as a young carer and has lived through grief after suicide in his family. Those experiences influence how he sits with people in the room and how he hears experiences that are often invisible.
He holds membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AA-CBT), and is completing a PhD in mental health. Outside of work he is a husband and father of two, which informs his practical understanding of relationships and responsibility.
If someone wants a thoughtful, unhurried approach that balances honesty with dignity, Michael offers a steady, experienced presence to work alongside them.
How his approaches translate to online therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify values and take small, practical steps toward a life that matters to them. It focuses on noticing thoughts without getting caught up in them and acting in line with what you care about. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns. It suits worries, low mood and many everyday struggles. Attachment-Based Therapy pays attention to how early and close relationships shape expectations and emotional responses, and it can help when relationship patterns or abandonment fears are part of the problem.Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Michael will work collaboratively to choose methods that fit a person's needs, goals and preferences, and he adjusts the focus as work unfolds. The aim is to help someone feel clearer and more steady, not to force a single model onto every situation.
This profile does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm current session options before booking. Online therapy can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when needed. It also lets the therapist use worksheets, mindfulness exercises and behavioural tasks that can be practiced between sessions to support steady progress.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
15+ years
Credentials
Listed on profile
Languages
English, Arabic
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does Michael commonly help with?
He supports people dealing with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, grief, depression, addiction and codependency among other concerns.
What is his therapeutic style like?
His style is calm and trauma-informed, mixing emotionally focused, narrative and mindfulness-informed methods to help people slow down and understand patterns in their lives.
How much experience does he have?
Michael has 15 years of experience working with adults and couples in Australia, and brings both professional and lived experience to his work.
What credentials and location are relevant?
He is an Accredited Social Worker and a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), practising from Australia.
Which languages are offered in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Arabic.
Can clients from other countries work with him?
Michael does not take international clients at this time.
How are sessions charged?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin a course of therapy?
Start by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing the short matching questionnaire, and scheduling according to the therapist's availability.
Profile details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. Credential and registration rules differ between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.