Mehtap "May" Cigdem, PACFA

Mehtap "May" Cigdem is a PACFA counsellor with ten years of practice in Australia. She supports people who feel overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, grief or difficult relationships. She also helps with parenting strains and the lasting effects of trauma and abuse. May writes short, clear plans together with each person she sees. Her approach is conversational and down to earth. She listens first, then helps people make sense of what they are facing. Sessions focus on practical steps, skills to manage strong emotions, and ways to change unhelpful patterns over time. May draws on a mix of approaches to suit different needs. She uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people live by their values, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to shift thinking and behaviour, and Attachment-Based ideas to look at relationship patterns. She adapts sessions to each person’s situation rather than following a fixed formula. People come for many reasons beyond common stress and anxiety. May supports work around attachment and abandonment, blended family and fatherhood issues, chronic illness and caregiver strain, communication breakdowns, separation and domestic violence, and end-of-life concerns. She lays out options plainly so people can choose what feels right. May aims to help people build emotional resilience and take small steps toward change. She explains options, co-designs goals, and helps track progress. If someone wants a calm, practical counsellor who listens and offers clear tools, May is an option to consider.

Therapeutic approaches and online options

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify what matters to them and take actions that match those values. It can be useful for anxiety, stress and life transitions by shifting focus from avoiding feelings to building a meaningful life. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on practical tools to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. It often includes simple exercises between sessions to break cycles that keep problems going. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current connections and emotional responses. This approach can help when relationship issues, abandonment or attachment wounds are part of the difficulty. Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each person to choose methods that fit their goals, needs and preferences. That means trying things, tracking what helps, and adjusting the plan together rather than following a single model. Session logistics should fit everyday life. The biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm available options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, reduce travel time, or let people choose whether to use video depending on how they feel. Appropriately qualified therapists often use these practical benefits to keep therapy accessible and consistent.