Current availability for new clients

✦

In-Person and Telehealth available

✦

Current availability for new clients ✦ In-Person and Telehealth available ✦

A 3D cartoon-like figure of a girl with black hair and a gray shirt sitting on a brown armchair, with a pink potted plant beside her and a white-framed window behind her, all set against a peach-colored textured background.

Authentic, Down-to-Earth Therapy in Essendon, Melbourne or Telehealth.

At Inner Worlds Counselling & Psychotherapy, we are authentic, creative, and ourselves; we believe therapy should be a space where you can show up exactly as you are, without fear of judgment. We combine evidence-based counselling and psychotherapy with a warm, authentic, and non-pathologising approach. Therapy is tailored specifically for you - as we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.

Together, we’ll focus on building self-awareness and creating meaningful change through a strengths-based, trauma-informed, and person-centred approach. Aylin is our principal psychotherapist and she believes therapy can be fun.

Looking for a therapist or counsellor in Essendon or the City of Moonee Valley? Or maybe you travel, study, or work a lot and need a therapist you can see via Telehealth/online? We support and work with adults and adolescents (13+) in-person at our Essendon office and online via telehealth.

Let's chat!

What we offer

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a well-researched, evidence-based approach that focuses on the connection between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
CBT helps you identify unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with more balanced perspectives, while also developing practical strategies to manage emotions and make positive changes in daily life.
By building awareness and learning new skills, CBT supports you in breaking cycles that keep you stuck and moving toward healthier, more fulfilling ways of living.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a practical, evidence-based approach that helps people manage intense emotions and build healthier relationships. DBT combines acceptance strategies with skills for change, teaching tools for mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and effective communication.
It supports you in finding balance - learning to accept yourself as you are, while also creating positive changes that move you toward the life you want to live.
Schema Therapy

Schema therapy is an integrative approach that helps people understand and change long-standing patterns that often begin in childhood.
These patterns, or “schemas,” can influence how we see ourselves, relate to others, and respond to challenges.
It provides both insight and practical tools to create lasting change and build more fulfilling relationships and a stronger sense of self.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT helps you handle difficult thoughts and emotions by building psychological flexibility - the ability to stay present, skills to help you handle life’s challenges, and focus on what matters most to you.
It focuses on accepting what’s outside your control while taking meaningful steps guided by your values, supporting you to create a more fulfilling life.
And so much more...

Narrative Therapy, Relaxation Strategies, Exposure Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)… Contact us to find out more.

A woman practicing yoga outdoors at sunset, sitting cross-legged on a mat with a peaceful expression, surrounded by trees and hills.

Book a free 15 minute chat

We understand that reaching out for support can feel daunting, and it’s not always easy to know where to begin. We’re here to guide you and answer any questions you may have. Simply send us an enquiry, and we’ll be in touch to arrange your free 15-minute consultation.

Send an enquiry below

Clinicians

Aylin Shilling

Director and Clinical Mental Health Social Worker

Inner Worlds Counselling & Psychotherapy was founded by Aylin Shilling, an experienced, passionate and down-to-earth Medicare registered Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW).

Aylin often works with people experiencing anxiety, depression, burn-out, relational challenges, persistent personality patterns, and life transitions. Aylin is especially interested in supporting those who feel stuck in old patterns that began in childhood; working alongside people to recognise long-standing behaviours that may no longer serve them, and help shift these patterns into new ways of relating to themselves and others. She is particularly interested in how psychological wellbeing is influenced by the intersection of cultural identity and wider social and systemic factors.

Aylin offers a safe and supportive space for clients to explore their inner worlds with curiosity and compassion. Aylin supports individuals to navigate their concerns within a holistic, person-centred framework, while remaining attuned to the broader sociopolitical contexts influencing their experiences. Her work ensures each person’s resilience and unique needs are at the heart of their therapeutic journey. She is neuroaffirming and sex positive (including poly, kink, and sex work).

Aylin is known for being a down-to-earth, relatable gamer-uhh… person. She loves drawing, playing video games, coffee, and listening to heavy metal. She brings these things into sessions sometimes if her clients find it helpful (...the music doesn’t have to be heavy metal). She is relational, chill, and professional.

She works with adolescents and adults both in-person and via telehealth.

Ready to work with Aylin?