DS Portrait of Durre Shahwar

Durre Shahwar, AASW

Calm, practical support for anxiety and stress

7 years in practice · based in Australia · sessions in English, Urdu · online sessions

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About Durre

Durre Shahwar is an AASW social worker with seven years of clinical experience. She focuses on stress and anxiety along with relationship strain, grief and depression. She uses clear, everyday language to help people feel heard and find practical steps forward.

Durre believes people bring strengths and knowledge about their own lives. She aims to build on those strengths while gently challenging habits that get in the way. Sessions are collaborative and paced to each person's needs, so people leave with small, doable strategies to try between appointments.

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Background and approach

Her work covers trauma and abuse, attachment issues and mood concerns. She also supports people facing blended family challenges, caregiver stress, immigration-related strain and postpartum depression. Communication problems, guilt and shame, and the fallout from separation are areas she helps address.

Durre draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy alongside mindfulness and client-centred approaches. Motivational Interviewing is used when people want help finding motivation and making changes. Techniques are explained simply, and choices are made together during sessions.

Sessions are offered in English and Urdu for people in Australia. Durre uses a conversational style that aims to calm worry and increase clarity. She encourages small experiments between sessions so progress can be noticed and adjusted over time.

Therapeutic approaches and how online sessions help

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to notice their thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, then commit to actions that match their values. It is often useful for anxiety, stress and situations where worry limits choices. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the link between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and offers specific exercises to change unhelpful patterns; it can help with anxiety, low mood and problem thinking. Client-Centred Therapy focuses on a respectful, non-judgemental relationship where the person is treated as the expert in their life and the therapist follows their lead.

Finding the right approach is part of the work together. Durre will talk through different methods and test what helps most for the person's goals and preferences. That collaborative planning means the choices are based on what feels useful, not a one-size-fits-all formula.

Online therapy offers flexible ways to connect. Video calls are good for face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions suit people who need a lower-bandwidth option or who prefer not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging are useful for shorter check-ins, gentle support between sessions and for people who prefer writing. These formats make it easier to fit therapy into busy schedules and to keep progress moving forward.
Explore online therapy options See what online therapy involves and what your next steps would be.

Questions people ask

What concerns does Durre focus on?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship strain, trauma and abuse, grief and depression. Additional areas include attachment issues, postpartum depression and multicultural or immigration-related concerns.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is conversational and collaborative. She uses simple tools from ACT, CBT, mindfulness and client-centred methods to help people practise new ways of coping.
How much experience does she have?
She has seven years of professional work experience supporting people with mood and stress-related concerns.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is listed with the Australian Association of Social Workers, shown as AASW, and practises with people in Australia.
Which languages are available for sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Urdu.
Can international clients book with her?
International clients are not currently accepted; her practice is focused on people in Australia.
What session formats does she offer online?
She offers video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging depending on what suits the person best.
How are fees and getting started handled?
Costs vary with location and are billed through a subscription that can be cancelled at any time. To begin, select the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule according to therapist availability.

What this therapist works with

Most often

Experience
7 years
Licensed
Languages
English, Urdu

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