Dr Coby Liew

● Clinical Supervisor    ● Psychotherapist    ● Mental Health Social Worker    ● Counsellor

Coby is an experienced mental health practitioner with a passion for life, health, and healing. As an advocate for good mental health, he regularly presents at conferences, media programs, and workshops across Australia and internationally (including in Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore), advocating for good mental health and emotional wellbeing. He has extensive clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and adults from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds, supporting them to identify and strengthen their resilience and inner resources. 

Coby's life experiences provide him with a unique perspective that sets him apart from other therapists. As an openly gay individual who was born and raised in Borneo (Malaysia) and has lived in multiple countries before calling Australia home, Coby has first-hand experience with the challenges and complexities that individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures face. This experience allows Coby to provide culturally sensitive and informed counselling that considers each client's unique needs and experiences.

Coby's approach to counselling and psychotherapy is grounded in the belief that individuals possess the inner strength and resilience necessary to overcome their mental health challenges. His educational training and more than a decade of clinical experience have equipped him with a deep understanding of mental health and therapeutic approaches grounded in counselling and psychotherapy. He has developed an exceptional ability to identify and maximise an individual’s inner strengths and offer his clients a safe and supportive space to work through their mental health challenges. 

Coby's passion for helping others extends beyond his work with clients in the therapy room. He was a passionate Board Member of the Midsumma Festival, Victoria's largest LGBTIQA arts organisation, where he provided strategic leadership and governance for the organisation. Additionally, he also served as the Director for Volunteer Support at GLOBE Victoria, a reputable networking organisation for LGBTIQA+ professionals and business owners. Coby is also the Founder of two community projects focusing on social advocacy, namely "My Rainbow Story Project" and "Unspoken Story". His dedication to the communities and his unwavering commitment to the well-being of others makes him a unique and invaluable asset to the mental health profession.

In addition to his professional expertise, Coby brings a wealth of personal qualities to his counselling practice. He is described as down-to-earth, gentle, honest, and practical in his approach to life. This warm and approachable demeanour allows clients to feel comfortable and supported during therapy sessions, facilitating a trusting and productive therapeutic relationship that makes him easy to communicate with. Coby communicates in a style that engages his clients, and he speaks fluently in several languages, including English, Mandarin, Malay, Cantonese, Hakka, Bahasa Indonesia, and Thai.

Coby specialises in the following areas:

• Grief and loss
• ASD and ADHD
• Gender and sexuality (LGBTIQA+)
• Trauma and abuse (including PTSD, complex PTSD, domestic and family violence)
• Relationship counselling and intimacy issues
• Inter-cultural adjustment, adaptation, and attachment issues (multicultural counselling)
• Anger management and emotional regulation
• Sexual health issues
• Eating Disorders
• Depression, anxiety, stress management, and panic attacks
• Workplace conflicts, bullying, and harassment
• Issues faced by international students, asylum seekers, migrants, and people of colour.

Coby's therapeutic orientation is primarily influenced by Narrative Therapy, Hypnosis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, and Positive Psychology. Within this therapeutic framework, he draws on a range of evidence-based counselling and psychotherapeutic modalities, including Person-Centred Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Psychoeducation, Psychoanalysis, and Art Therapy.

Qualifications:

• Doctor of Psychology (Grief and Loss)
• Master of Psychology
• Bachelor of Social Work
• Bachelor of Psychological Science
• Diploma in Social Science (Counselling Psychology)
• Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy
• Practitioner Certificate in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
• Practitioner Certificate in Life Coaching
• Accredited Mental Health First Aider (MHFA)

Accreditations:

• Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
• Australian Counselling Association (ACA) 
• Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP)

Coby is a mental health practitioner recognised by:

• Medicare Australia
• Private Health Insurance Providers
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - international students
• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

*** Medicare and private health rebates are available to eligible clients only ***

Note: Coby has undertaken advanced academic training in psychotherapy, counselling and related disciplines and brings over a decade of experience supporting individuals with their mental health and wellbeing. However, please note that Coby is a psychotherapist and mental health social worker, not a psychologist and does not claim to be one. His work is grounded in evidence-based counselling and psychotherapeutic practices, delivered with professionalism, compassion, and care.