Saijel Dheda, ACA

Saijel Dheda is an ACA counsellor with five years' experience working in Australia and New Zealand. She trained to a master's level in counselling at the University of Auckland and has worked mainly with individuals and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Saijel focuses on practical support for parenting, family stress and intimacy-related concerns, and she also helps carers who are feeling overwhelmed by ongoing responsibilities.

Saijel's background includes work with issues linked to migration, identity and intergenerational trauma. Her practice often touches on domestic violence, complex childhood trauma, and the pressures that come from caregiving roles. She uses straightforward talking and listening to help people name problems and find steps forward.

Her approach is rooted in client-centred therapy, which means the conversation follows the client's pace and priorities. She also draws on mindfulness techniques to help people manage strong emotions and stay present during difficult moments. Sessions aim to be calm and practical rather than technical.

Saijel works with a wide range of relationship and personal issues, including communication problems, attachment concerns, blended family stresses, and body image or self-esteem struggles. She also supports people dealing with abandonment, adoption and foster-care related worries, and the strain of caring for others.

People who choose Saijel can expect a respectful, non-judgemental space where the therapist listens closely and helps identify small, achievable changes. For carers, she offers focused support around burnout and compassion fatigue while keeping everyday routines and demands in mind.

How Saijel uses client-centred and mindfulness work online

Client-centred therapy focuses on listening closely to the person in front of the therapist and following their priorities. It helps when a parent or carer needs a trusted space to talk through decisions, relationship tensions, or daily stressors without being steered towards a fixed plan.

Mindfulness therapy teaches simple awareness and grounding skills to manage strong emotions. These techniques can be useful for people feeling overwhelmed by caregiving duties, compassion fatigue, or recurring anxiety about relationships and family changes.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then shape sessions around those needs. This is a collaborative process rather than a one-size-fits-all prescription.

Session formats are not listed in the biography, so confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can help fit counselling into busy days, reduce travel time and make it easier to schedule a short check-in between other commitments. They also allow people to use quieter surroundings or a shorter session when that better suits their routine. Appropriately qualified therapists adapt their methods so practical tools can be used in everyday life.