Camila De Oliveira Mendes Leal, ACA

Camila De Oliveira Mendes Leal is a counsellor who helps adults and adolescents facing stress, anxiety and life changes. She works with people dealing with trauma, parenting challenges, low self-esteem and coping with illness or caregiving responsibilities. Camila speaks English and Portuguese and draws on ten years of clinical experience in Australia and abroad.

She trained in Brazil as a psychologist and holds Level 4 counselling membership with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). Her practice blends depth-oriented listening with practical tools to manage intense feelings. Sessions aim to identify patterns that cause repeated distress and to build small, steady changes that improve day-to-day functioning.

Camila uses psychoanalytic ideas to look at hidden emotions and recurring relationship patterns. She also incorporates mind-body breathing techniques drawn from HeartMath to reduce anxiety and ease physical tension. Neuro-linguistic programming and hypnotherapy methods are used selectively to help reframe unhelpful habits and access internal resources.

Her work can include focused support after trauma, help during the perinatal period, and strategies for long-term stress or chronic health conditions. Camila tailors each session to the person in front of her, combining reflective conversation with practical exercises that can be used between sessions.

People who choose her often want a calm, attentive space to talk and simple tools to manage emotions. To begin, clients complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule sessions according to Camila's availability.

How therapeutic approaches shape online care

Camila draws on a mix of depth-oriented and practical techniques to address emotional difficulty. Psychoanalytic work focuses on uncovering repeating emotional patterns and early influences that shape current reactions; this can help people understand why certain situations trigger strong responses. Breathwork techniques influenced by HeartMath are used to lower anxiety and calm the nervous system through regulated breathing and simple exercises.

She also uses elements of neuro-linguistic programming and hypnotherapy as tools to reframe unhelpful thinking and support behaviour change. These methods are used alongside talking therapy to create a blend of reflection and action. Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process - the therapist and client review symptoms, goals and preferences together and agree what to try first, then adjust as needed.

If you are considering online therapy with Camila, confirm the session options before booking as formats were not specified in the biography. Online work can make it easier to fit sessions into a busy day, remove travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. It can also let people use breathing and grounding exercises in the moment, with guidance from an ACA counsellor who helps tailor techniques to everyday life.