Counselling for Midlife
Online counselling across Australia, with in-person sessions coming soon to Bittern on the Mornington Peninsula.
Support for women who are functioning well and ready to live more deliberately.
You're doing fine. You're just not sure you want to keep living like this.
That's not a crisis. It's a signal. And it's exactly the kind of thing counselling is for.
Many women find their way here when they’re searching for counselling for midlife transitions, identity change or experiencing anxiety in their 50s and 60s.
I work with women who are capable, thoughtful, and used to getting things done. They're not falling apart. They're ready for something to shift and they want support figuring out what that looks like.
This work is a good fit if you’re:
Feeling anxious, overwhelmed or burnt out despite “having it together”
Navigating pre or post retirement or changing work identity
Divorce, separation or dating again in your 50s or 60s
Empty nest and questioning what comes next
Body changes, health shifts or weight loss that bring identity questions
A quiet sense that the old way of living no longer fits
At a Glance
Who I work with: Women in their 50s and 60s
Where: Online across Australia. In person sessions coming soon to Bittern on the Mornington Peninsula
Session format: Online video sessions via Google Meet. Phone sessions also available.
Fees: $150 per 60 minute session
Medicare: Not available
Private health: Some funds may offer rebates
Availability: Currently accepting new clients. Appointments available Fridays.
🕊 "There’s a wisdom in how Joanna works. Nothing was rushed. I felt seen, understood and gently invited back to myself"
A, Canberra
When another service may be a better fit
This work may not be the right fit if you’re currently in acute crisis, need urgent psychiatric care, or require specialist treatment for complex trauma or active addiction.
If that’s where you are, I’m very happy to help you think about what kind of support would be most appropriate.
What brings women to counselling
Women often come during one of these moments. Retirement, and the identity questions it brings. Who am I now that work no longer defines me? Separation or divorce, and the process of rebuilding. Dating again after years away from it. An empty nest, with or without children. A body that's changing in ways that feel unfamiliar. A weight loss journey that's shifted more than just the physical. Or simply a quiet accumulation of years of putting everyone else first, and a readiness to finally ask what they actually want.
Sometimes there's no obvious trigger at all. Just a sense that the old way of living no longer fits and a readiness to look at it honestly.
Professional Qualifications & Memberships
Joanna Wood holds a Master of Public Policy and a Diploma in Counselling.
She is a registered member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and the National Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (NACOS)
Why women choose to work with me
I didn't come to this work from the outside. I spent over 20 years in senior government roles, including 15 years as a Director and diplomatic postings to India, Vietnam and Thailand. I know what it is to be highly competent, to carry a lot, and to keep moving forward even when something underneath is asking for attention.
Midlife found me too. Separation. Single parenting. Repartnering. My own health and weight changes. My own process of working out who I wanted to be in this next chapter.
I hold a Master of Public Policy, a Diploma of Counselling, and training in ACT, yoga and breathwork. I am a registered member of the Australian Counselling Association and the National Australian Counsellors Organisation.
My approach draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, person centred counselling, and solution focused thinking. Sessions are calm and collaborative. You bring what's real and we work from there.
This is not for women in acute crisis or requiring specialist trauma support. If that's where you are, I'm happy to help you find the right person.
Working with me
Individual Counselling online, 60 minutes, $150 AUD. Available across Australia in the Melbourne time zone. Sessions via secure video call.
In person sessions coming soon to Bittern on the Mornington Peninsula.
Free 20 minute discovery call to see if we're a good fit. No commitment, just a relaxed conversation about what's going on and whether working together makes sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Midlife can bring big questions about who you are now and what matters next. Counselling gives you space to reconnect with yourself and move forward with more clarity and intention.
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You’re not alone in this. Many women carry invisible loads — responsibilities, emotions, expectations. This is a space to name those feelings and explore how to make life feel more manageable.
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Yes.
Yes. Shifts in roles, relationships or routines can leave you feeling unmoored. Together we make sense of these changes and look for ways to reconnect — with others and with yourself. -
Purpose can evolve. We explore what feels meaningful to you now and how to honour that through small, steady changes that fit real life.
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Not at all. The idea that growth ends after a certain age is a myth. Change is possible at any stage — especially when it’s supported and aligned with your values.
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That’s part of being human. Real change often needs the right support, at the right time, with more care and less pressure. We go gently and start where you are.
Location and availability
I’m based in Melbourne and currently offer online counselling for women across Australia.
I’ll be opening an in-person counselling practice in Bittern on the Mornington Peninsula when I relocate later this year. If you’d like to be notified when face-to-face sessions become available, you’re welcome to get in touch.
All current sessions are held online via (GoogleMeet) secure video.