Karinna Johnstone, AASW

Karinna Johnstone is an AASW social worker with 18 years of experience supporting people through major life changes. She focuses on practical, down-to-earth help for stress, anxiety, grief, depression and midlife transitions. Karinna aims to help people feel more capable in day-to-day life and make steady progress towards their goals.

She uses straightforward conversation and collaborative planning. Sessions focus on what is happening now, what a person wants to change, and small steps that can make a real difference. Karinna listens for patterns from relationships, early experiences and current stresses to build a clearer picture together.

Her approach draws on attachment-based thinking to look at how relationships shape feelings, client-centred work to follow each person’s priorities, and cognitive behavioural ideas to test thoughts and change unhelpful habits. Mindfulness and narrative techniques are used when helpful to bring awareness to the body and reframe difficult life stories.

Karinna has worked across many settings and with people facing trauma, addiction, homelessness, parenting conflict and long-term health challenges. That background informs a flexible style that balances practical problem solving with emotional support.

She encourages people to see themselves as the expert in their own life while she offers guidance, tools and steady support. Booking starts with a short matching questionnaire and scheduling according to the therapist’s availability.

How her approaches translate to online care

Karinna commonly combines attachment-based ideas, client-centred talking and cognitive behavioural techniques. Attachment-based work looks at how relationships shape feelings and behaviour and can help with grief, relationship strain and midlife shifts. Client-centred therapy means sessions follow the priorities the person brings and focus on goals they choose. Cognitive behavioural techniques help identify unhelpful thoughts and test new ways of thinking and acting to reduce anxiety or depression.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Karinna collaborates with each person to try methods that match their needs and preferences, and she adjusts the mix as progress is made or priorities change.

The biography does not list specific online session formats, so please confirm current options before booking. Many people find remote sessions easier to fit into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins on hectic days, or remove travel time so therapy can be kept consistent. Talk with Karinna about what would best suit your routine and goals so sessions can be scheduled in a way that works for everyday life.