The future of mental health care is digital – but many practitioners struggle to provide effective therapy through screens, lacking the specialised training needed to create genuine connection and therapeutic presence in virtual environments. Renee McDonald has spent over 20 years pioneering online therapy in Australia, becoming one of the country’s leading experts in telehealth delivery and helping thousands of practitioners transition from traditional face-to-face work to effective digital therapeutic relationships.
As Director of Australian Online Therapy Training and author of Online Therapy: Processes, Tasks, Integration and Energetic Holding (Lambert Academic Publishing, 2019, reprinted 2020), McDonald brings unparalleled expertise to the rapidly evolving field of digital mental health. Her role as Senior Professional Member and Registered International Online Clinical Supervisor with the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online (ACTO) demonstrates her leadership in establishing professional standards for online therapy delivery. As one of the first practitioners in Australia to offer specialised training in online therapy techniques, she has helped shape how an entire generation of therapists approaches digital therapeutic work.
McDonald’s expertise spans online therapy and telehealth delivery, relationship counselling, grief and loss therapy, trauma and PTSD treatment, couples therapy (EFT and Gottman methods), clinical supervision, and what she calls “energetic holding” in virtual therapeutic spaces. Her approach recognises that effective online therapy requires more than simply moving in-person techniques to video calls – it demands understanding how technology affects therapeutic rapport, presence, and the subtle energetic exchanges that facilitate healing. She specialises in training practitioners to create genuine intimacy and safety through screens, working with clients across different time zones and cultures, and maintaining therapeutic boundaries in digital environments.
What sets her training apart is pioneering experience combined with practical wisdom. McDonald doesn’t just teach online therapy theory – she shows practitioners exactly how to establish presence, manage technical challenges, and create the “energetic holding” that allows deep therapeutic work to happen virtually. Her integration of mindfulness practices, coaching techniques, and traditional psychotherapy creates a comprehensive framework for digital therapeutic excellence.
For your practice, expect to gain specific techniques for building rapport online, tools for managing the unique challenges of digital therapy, and frameworks for creating therapeutic presence through technology. Her approach particularly benefits practitioners transitioning to telehealth, those wanting to expand their client base internationally, or clinicians seeking to develop expertise in the growing field of digital mental health.
Quick Win: McDonald’s “energetic check-in” technique helps practitioners quickly assess and adjust their virtual presence – helping to transform awkward online sessions into deeply connected therapeutic encounters that clients can find as powerful as in-person work.
Qualifications
- MAppSocSc, Applied Social Science, Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP), 2008
- Post-Grad Dip Couns, Counselling, Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP), 2002
- B Couns (Coaching), Counselling and Coaching combined degree, Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP), 2017–2019
- PACFA Clinical Counsellor, Psychotherapist, and Accredited Supervisor
- Senior Professional Member and Registered International Online Clinical Supervisor, ACTO
- Advanced training: EFT, Gottman Method, trauma therapy, grief therapy, mindfulness, meditation
Authored Publications
- Online Therapy: Processes, Tasks, Integration and Energetic Holding (2019, Lambert Academic Publishing, reprinted 2020, textbook based on research and practice experience in online therapy)
Professional Experience
- Workshop Facilitator & Leader, Heart & Soul Movement™, 2014–present
- Managing Partner, The Shine Counsel (podcast and partnership), July 2017–2022 (5 years)
- Online Counsellor & Therapist, Dr Julian Medical Group (UK international platform), September 2018–June 2020
- Teacher and Educator, TAFE NSW (Ultimo, Loftus, and Sydney campuses), February 2006–2013 (7 years)
- Counselling Unit Manager, Clinical Supervisor, Clinical Counsellor and Psychotherapist, Enough is Enough (Anti Violence Movement), May 2004–September 2005
- Volunteer Telephone Counsellor and Crisis Supporter, Lifeline Australia, January 2001–September 2004 (3+ years)
Clinical Specialties
- Online therapy and telehealth delivery expertise
- “Energetic holding” in virtual therapeutic spaces
- Relationship counselling and couples therapy (EFT and Gottman methods)
- Grief and loss therapy, trauma and PTSD treatment
- Clinical supervision and professional mentoring
- Mindfulness and meditation integration
- International online counselling across time zones
- Sex-positive and kink-allied therapy approaches
- Open relationships and non-monogamy counselling
“I have a love of helping people have a better life, be it through self-discovery in therapy, through creativity, spiritual practice or through educating themselves.”
Ready to master the art of online therapy and expand your practice into the digital age? Discover how Renee McDonald’s pioneering methods can help you create genuine therapeutic connection through screens while building a thriving international practice that serves clients anywhere in the world.