- Family of origin patterns
- Parenting and intimacy
- CBT and attachment
About Vivien
Vivien Ridgway is an AASW social worker with 36 years of professional experience. She works with adults on parenting, gender identity, relationship problems, trauma and leadership coaching. She lists family concerns and related patterns among her areas of focus.
Vivien talks through concrete issues in short, direct sessions. She helps people look at how family roles and expectations affect current choices. Practical skills and clearer communication are a frequent focus rather than long abstract discussion.
Her background in social work means she has worked across community and clinical settings. That experience informs how she looks at stress, anxiety, addiction and grief. She draws on approaches that help people regulate emotion and change unhelpful thinking patterns.
In sessions she uses Attachment-Based ideas alongside Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred approaches. That blend lets her address patterns from childhood as well as day-to-day coping skills. Sessions also incorporate elements from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and mindfulness when useful.
People come to Vivien for help with intimacy, communication and parenting strain. She also supports those coping with career pressure, compassion fatigue or life transitions. If family of origin patterns feel stuck, she helps make them more understandable and manageable.
To begin, clients are asked to complete a short matching questionnaire and then schedule a first session. Costs vary with location and sessions run on a subscription that can be cancelled at any time.
Therapeutic approaches and online sessions
Vivien draws on Attachment-Based Therapy to look at how early relationships shape current reactions. That approach helps people notice recurring roles and patterns from the family they grew up in. She also uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to identify unhelpful thoughts and to build practical coping skills for anxiety, depression and stress.Finding the right approach is part of the work. Vivien will discuss goals and preferences with each person and adapt the plan together. The process is collaborative and may combine attachment insights with skills-based CBT or mindfulness techniques depending on what the client needs.
The original biography does not list specific online formats, so confirm available session types before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time. Vivien uses her clinical approaches in remote work the same way she does in person, focusing on clear communication, practical exercises and steady progress.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
36+ years
Listed in
Australia
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she work with?
Vivien works with stress, anxiety, relationship and parenting issues, as well as trauma, grief, addictions and related concerns such as intimacy and self-esteem.
What is her therapeutic style?
She uses a mix of client-centred conversation, attachment-informed thinking and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to address patterns and daily coping strategies.
How much experience does she have?
She has 36 years of professional work experience as a social worker.
What credentials and location are listed?
She is an AASW social worker based in Australia.
Which languages are supported?
Sessions are offered in English and international clients are not currently accepted.
What session formats are offered?
The original biography does not specify session formats; please confirm current session options before booking.
How are costs handled?
Costs vary with location and sessions are provided via a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I start working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the emergency numbers. Looking for someone else? Find them by surname.