Real change begins with feeling truly understood.
Glad you’re here.
I’m Dr Mitchell Coates, a registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association and an accredited member of the Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP). My journey into counselling began with a long-standing interest in emotional development, resilience, and what it means to feel understood. Spending well over a decade in school and university systems that often overlook the very people they aim to serve taught me that I could do more by working alongside people, not from within what’s wearing them down.
My work with people across many settings has shaped an approach that values empathy and curiosity, informed by a grounded understanding of how complex life can be. Therapy with me is a collaborative process that centres your experiences and preferences at your own pace. You are the expert in your life, my role is to support you in working toward meaningful change.
Registrations
Australian Counselling Association (Level 2: 82203)
Australian Register of Counsellors & Psychotherapists (ARCAP)
Qualifications
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Master of Education (Guidance & Counselling) with Distinction
Master of Teaching (Primary)
Bachelor of Creative Arts & Culture (Behavioural Science/Visual Arts)
Research & Therapeutic Foundations
My PhD focused on autism and inclusion in Queensland schools, exploring the systemic barriers neurodivergent students face and the need for stronger, evidence-informed teacher training. This commitment to accessible, humanising support is something I carry into counselling work as well.
My MEd (Counselling) research centred on developmental psychopathology, investigating how early-life risk factors affect people’s emotional and behavioural development, and the protective power of resilience. Earlier studies through a Master of Teaching examined the mental health of teacher trainees, particularly the financial and emotional stress linked to unpaid practicums.
My undergraduate training in behavioural science continues to shape my understanding of individuals in context, an approach that blends person-centred care with systemic insight.
My Counselling Philosophy
You set the pace
Counselling isn't always a straight line, and it's important to take your time when necessary. If your life calls for us to hit the pause button for whatever reason, that's okay too.
This space is yours
My goal is to design sessions that are driven by your needs rather than a diagnostic formula.
Your lived experience matters
I don't pathologise because the key is connection. In counselling, it is important that you can feel heard and seen without fear of judgment.
Practical approach
Simply feeling better in the room isn’t the goal. Real, long-lasting change that you can incorporate into your daily life in ways that are significant to you should be supported by therapy.