- Practical coping skills
- Relationship focus
- Values and meaning
About David
David Chittenden is an ACA counsellor with 16 years of professional experience in Australia. He focuses on stress, anxiety, relationships and the everyday strains that make life feel harder. David aims to make the first step easier by meeting people with respect and practical support.
He helps people facing big life changes, grief and compassion fatigue. He also supports those dealing with chronic pain, illness and disability, and people navigating fertility or parenting challenges. His work includes concerns around intimacy, sexuality, kink culture, and ADHD-related difficulties.
Sessions are shaped around each person’s needs. David uses a mix of approaches such as cognitive behavioural techniques, existential reflection and relationship-focused work. He draws on hypnotherapy and Jungian ideas when they suit the client’s goals.
In conversations he keeps language straightforward and practical. Expect clear goals, homework you can actually do, and calm exploration of painful memories or difficult patterns. The therapist aims to balance problem-solving with understanding how values and meaning affect everyday choices.
David works with individuals and couples, and offers support around family and blended family issues. He will discuss how to pace work, whether focusing on coping skills, communication, or deeper personal themes. To begin, he asks people to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule their first appointment.
He helps people facing big life changes, grief and compassion fatigue. He also supports those dealing with chronic pain, illness and disability, and people navigating fertility or parenting challenges. His work includes concerns around intimacy, sexuality, kink culture, and ADHD-related difficulties.
Sessions are shaped around each person’s needs. David uses a mix of approaches such as cognitive behavioural techniques, existential reflection and relationship-focused work. He draws on hypnotherapy and Jungian ideas when they suit the client’s goals.
In conversations he keeps language straightforward and practical. Expect clear goals, homework you can actually do, and calm exploration of painful memories or difficult patterns. The therapist aims to balance problem-solving with understanding how values and meaning affect everyday choices.
David works with individuals and couples, and offers support around family and blended family issues. He will discuss how to pace work, whether focusing on coping skills, communication, or deeper personal themes. To begin, he asks people to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule their first appointment.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
LGBTTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersParenting issuesAnger managementCareer difficultiesDepressionCoachingCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional focus areas
BDSM, kink, and alternative sex cultureBlended family issuesChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommitment issuesCommunication problemsControl issuesCoping with natural or human-caused disasterDissociationDivorce and separationFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesFertility issuesFirst responder issuesGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameImmigration issuesInfidelityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMulticultural concernsPanic disorder and panic attacksPolyamory / non-monogamous relationshipsPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationProcess addiction (porn, exercise, gambling)Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-harmSexual assault and abuseSexualitySmoking / vaping cessationSocial anxiety and phobiaTraumatic brain injuryVisually impairedWomen's issuesWorkplace issuesYoung adult issues
Therapeutic approaches
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Existential TherapyGottman MethodHypnotherapyJungian TherapyMindfulness TherapyPsychodynamic TherapySolution-Focused TherapyTrauma-Focused TherapyInternal Family Systems
Experience
16+ years
Credentials
ACA · Australia
Languages
English
How David’s approaches translate to online work
David commonly uses cognitive behavioural techniques and the Gottman Method in his work. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on identifying unhelpful thoughts and testing them with practical experiments to reduce anxiety and improve mood. The Gottman Method centres on improving communication and problem-solving between partners to reduce conflict and build connection.He also draws on existential therapy to look at meaning, choice and values when life changes feel overwhelming. This helps people facing grief, major life transitions or questions about their priorities to clarify what matters and make purposeful decisions.
Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. The therapist works collaboratively to choose methods that match your goals, comfort and the issues you bring. Occasionally techniques such as brief hypnotherapy or Jungian insight work may be suggested when they suit the client’s aims.
Session formats are not specified in the supplied biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. The focus is on making therapy practical and usable in everyday life rather than on any specific delivery method.
Frequently asked questions
What sort of concerns does David help with?
He works with a wide range of issues including stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family problems, grief, intimacy and sexuality concerns, ADHD, and coping with chronic illness or disability.
How would you describe his therapeutic style?
He uses plain language and practical steps alongside reflective work. Sessions combine goal-setting, skills practice and exploring personal values to help with everyday functioning.
How long has he been practising?
He has 16 years of professional experience working with individual and relationship concerns across a variety of contexts.
What credential does he hold and where is he based?
He is listed as ACA, which is presented as his professional credential, and practises in Australia.
Which languages are sessions offered in?
Sessions are offered in English.
Can international clients work with him?
International clients are not currently accepted.
How are fees and payment arranged?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
What do I need to do to start?
Use the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and then schedule according to therapist availability.