Dragana Mandic, PACFA

Dragana Mandic is a PACFA counsellor with ten years' experience helping people cope with stress, anxiety, trauma and parenting challenges. He works with individuals who are dealing with family conflict, separation, depression, or the ongoing strain of caring for someone with illness or disability. Sessions are practical and focused on what a person needs right now.

He uses approaches that centre relationships and present-day problems. That often means looking at how attachment patterns affect current behaviour and using CBT tools to manage overwhelming feelings. The work is collaborative - goals are set together and reviewed as progress is made.

Dragana has a background in community and family services and has supported children and vulnerable people through child-inclusive practice. He draws on emotion-focused and dialectical strategies when emotions feel intense, and on client-centred methods to keep the session grounded in each person’s experience.

People come to him for a mix of short-term coping skills and longer-term change. Practical techniques are taught and practised in sessions, then adapted to everyday life. He also helps parents and carers develop clearer communication and routines that reduce stress at home.

Sessions are delivered in English, Croatian and Serbian. Prospective clients are asked to confirm current session options before booking. To start, clients complete a short questionnaire and choose a time that fits with the therapist’s schedule.

How his approaches guide online work

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns shape current reactions and connections. It helps when fear of abandonment, attachment issues or repeated conflict make relationships and parenting harder. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings and actions. It teaches concrete tools for managing anxiety, low mood and unhelpful thinking patterns.

Deciding on the right approach happens together. The therapist will talk with each person about their needs and goals, and suggest which methods to try first. Sessions are adjusted over time so therapy matches changing circumstances and progress is reviewed collaboratively.

Session formats should be confirmed before booking, as current options are not specified here. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life - for example it can reduce travel time, allow for shorter check-ins during a work break, or remove the need to be on camera when sound-only contact suits better. These practical choices help people keep therapy consistent while they manage family, work or health demands.