About Derrel
Derrel Drinnan is an AASW social worker with 20 years of professional experience. She supports people facing stress, anxiety, grief and loss, and difficulties with self-esteem. Her style is warm and straightforward, aimed at helping people take practical steps forward.
Derrel brings both professional training and lived experience to sessions. She works from a strengths-based, person-centred stance and believes people already hold resources for change. Sessions focus on practical tools, clearer thinking and steady emotional coping rather than jargon.
Background and approach
She uses approaches such as motivational interviewing to help people find what matters to them. Solution-focused ideas are used to set achievable goals, while trauma-informed practices guide sensitive work with painful memories. Emotional regulation strategies are taught to reduce overwhelm and support day-to-day functioning.
Derrel often helps people who are dealing with abandonment, codependency, emptiness, guilt and shame, or questions about life purpose. She also supports those facing hospice and end-of-life concerns, midlife shifts, money stress, and issues specific to women. Sessions aim to be collaborative and paced to each person.
Derrel invites anyone feeling stuck or overwhelmed to consider a short matching process to see if she is the right fit. Taking that first step is described as a courageous action and the start of a different kind of conversation.
Approaches that translate well to online care
Derrel draws on motivational interviewing to help people clarify their priorities and find internal motivation for change. This approach uses curious, non-judgemental conversation to move from stuckness to small, doable goals.She also uses solution-focused techniques to set clear, short-term targets and notice progress. These methods suit issues like anxiety and stress where identifying practical steps can reduce overwhelm. Emotional regulation strategies are taught in-session so people can practise breathing, grounding and planning tools between appointments.
Choosing the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist and client talk through goals, preferences and what feels most helpful, then adjust methods as needed. That collaborative process makes it easier to try different strategies and keep what works.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. Video is useful for deeper conversations when visual contact helps, while phone calls can fit a shorter break at work or when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and messaging suit brief check-ins, step-by-step planning or ongoing encouragement between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life.
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What this therapist works with
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Also listed
- Experience
- 20 years
- Licensed
- Languages
- English
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