About

Aleesha Shimeld is a Clinical Psychologist with nearly two decades of experience supporting people through some of the most challenging moments of their lives. She spent 17 years working in mental health within the Australian Defence Force, both in uniform and as a contractor, including four operational deployments to Timor Leste, the Solomon Islands, and the Middle East (twice!). These experiences shaped how she works to this day - calm under pressure, practical, and deeply respectful of the complexity of human behaviour, while not minding a little dark humour when called for.

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Aleesha has supported individuals both from the general community and within Defence or Veteran's spaces with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. She has provided neurodiversity affirming care to people with ADHD and ASD, and has worked in performance coaching at the individual and group level. Aleesha has also had the challenge and privilege of working in residential rehabilitation settings with young people with serious drug and alcohol problems. Regardless of 'the job', Aleesha places the strongest value on real, human connection, and remembering that we are all doing the best we can with the resources we have.

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At the present time, Aleesha has a particular interest in working with PTSD and CPTSD, and her post-graduate research was regarding the impact of injury or illness following traumatic exposure in Defence personnel deployed to the Middle East. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in evidence-based therapies, including Exposure Therapy (single session or mass), Cognitive Processing Therapy, EMDR, CBT, Schema Therapy and ACT, but she doesn’t believe in one-size-fits-all treatment.

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Aleesha aims to work collaboratively with clients to understand what’s going on beneath the surface and to find strategies that are both effective and sustainable in real life (not just in the textbook). In founding Strength Within, Aleesha aimed to create a space where people feel understood without judgement - and supported to make meaningful progress at their own pace, using science backed practices. All subsequent clinicians employed by Strength Within also fit this mold.

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Alongside her clinical work, Aleesha is an AHPRA-approved supervisor and have spent many years mentoring and supporting other psychologists. Aleesha also enjoys delivering psychoeducation and has presented to small groups ranging from 5 to large audiences of more than 600. 

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In her spare time, Aleesha has created a podcast & Youtube channel about sustaining mental health in and out of uniform, with a particular focus on healthy transitions from Defence. She otherwise enjoys time being active with her husband, two teenage children and two large and often unruly dogs.

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Whether you’re seeking support for yourself or referring someone into care, Strength Within's focus is the same: thoughtful, evidence-based support, delivered with warmth, honesty, and just enough humour to make the hard stuff feel a little more manageable.