Midlife Counselling Services & Life Programs
For women who are ready to live with more intention.
You're not alone in this.
I'm Joanna Wood, a counsellor working with midlife women in their 50s and 60s who are seeking clarity, connection and direction.
Not because anything is terribly wrong. More because something has shifted. The life you built still works. But it doesn't quite fit anymore. And you're starting to notice.
Many are navigating pre-retirement, not just the financial side but the identity side. We are the new Midlife women. The first generation of women with universal access to careers and economic independence. We don't want to default to roles that don't reflect who we are now. We want this chapter to mean something.
Others come during more obvious transitions: Separation. Dating again. An empty nest. This is a liminal space. You've outgrown the old but aren't sure what the next is.
Living with Intention is your opportunity to work through these questions and find the answers that work for you in the second half of life. 🌿
Where would you like to start?
Each program stands on its own, or work with me one-on-one.
Client Reviews
"An amazing gift and investment in myself. Jo has created a framework and tools to help me elicit what was really important to me. Living a life aligned to my values."
— Lily, Melbourne. Living with Intention participant"Living with Intention is understanding joy is not earnt, it’s chosen. It’s making the decision to jump in and trusting the journey with others who are like-minded."
— Mel, Brisbane: Living with Intention participant"Whatever your issue, you will learn that small habits practised regularly can set you on a new path. It was so helpful designing the next chapter of my life."
— Clare Melbourne, Living with Intention participantAbout Joanna Wood
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, carry a lot, and 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 bring that combination of professional rigour and lived experience to everything I do here.
Who this is for
Online counselling for women aged 50–60 across Australia, with in-person sessions coming soon to Bittern on the Mornington Peninsula.
This work is for you if you recognise yourself in any of these.
You're functioning well but ready for something to shift. You're retiring or reconsidering what work means to you now, not the financial side but the identity side. You're navigating divorce, dating again, an empty nest, a body that's changing or a world that suddenly feels like it’s looking past you. You've built a good life and you're wondering why it doesn't feel like enough. You want to move into this next chapter with intention and choice, rather than just letting it happen to you.
This is not for women in acute crisis or requiring specialist clinical support. If that's where you are, I'm happy to help you find the right person.
🌱 Counselling support
Online counselling for women aged 50–60 across Australia, with in-person sessions coming soon to Bittern on the Mornington Peninsula. For women ready to reconnect with their voice, values and calm.
You’ll leave each session feeling more grounded, understood, and with a clearer sense of what’s next.
The Programs
Everything I offer is built around one idea. That small, deliberate choices made with clarity and care change how a life feels.
I offer small group programs online, and I work with women one on one through individual counselling.
🌀 Living with Intention Program
For women who want to live more deliberately. We clarify values, notice what's keeping you stuck, and find small realistic ways to move forward.
Learn more →
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💞 Dating with Intention Program
For women who are thinking about dating again, preparing to take that first step, or already out there and wondering why it feels so hard. Not strategy, not performance. Clarity, self trust, and choosing from your values.
Learn more →
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Think of these programs as your midlife journey with community, care and intention.
Dating with Intention
For women who are thinking about dating again, preparing to take that first step, or already out there and wondering why it feels so hard. Not strategy, not performance. Clarity, self trust, and choosing from your values.
🌿 The Intention
After fourteen years of being single, I created the Dating with Intention Program because I know what it's like to want love without losing yourself. I was done repeating old patterns.
I stopped dating by accident and started dating with intention. I learned to centre myself, ask better questions, trust myself more and honour my values.
Yes, I found love and the love of my life.
Let's find your dating path, together.
Joanna x
📝 The Quiz
Not sure where you're at with dating right now? The free Dating with Intention quiz helps you understand what's shaping your love life and what might be keeping you stuck.
- Free and private
- Takes around five minutes
- Honest personalised insights
- Helps guide your next step
💬 The Program
Dating with Intention is a four week group experience for midlife women who want to date with clarity, self respect and emotional maturity.
- Reconnect with your values and boundaries
- Feel calmer and more confident when dating
- Stop overthinking and second guessing yourself
- Be supported by women walking the same path
About Joanna Wood Counselling
Joanna Wood is a counsellor based in Melbourne, offering online counselling across Australia for women in their 50s and 60s who appear to have it together on the outside but feel ready for something to change. She supports women navigating midlife transitions such as retirement and identity shifts, divorce or dating again, empty nest, body and health changes, and a growing sense that the old way of living no longer fits. Her work is warm, practical and values-based, drawing on ACT and person-centred approaches.
What Women Are Saying About Living with Intention
🏠 Designing the Next Chapter
"I wanted some help designing the next chapter of my life in retirement. Whatever your issue, you will learn that small habits practised regularly can set you on a new path. Highly recommended!"
— Clare M., Melbourne, VIC
🌱 Back to Your True North
"If you feel you may have lost your way or are out of alignment with your true north, Living with Intention is brilliant. Supportive and gentle, yet powerful. It helped me reconnect with tools, knowledge and confidence that I know I have within."
— Jenny, Canberra, ACT
💪 So Much to Gain
"Do it. No regrets. Nothing to lose, so much to gain. I now know that I am capable of change—small steps at a time. It’s a therapeutic experience where exploration of self is encouraged."
— Angelique, Cairns, QLD