Hi, I’m David Marishel, a Clinical Psychologist based in Sydney. I work with people navigating life’s complex challenges—whether that means feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply needing space to make sense of things.

People often come to see me for support with issues like anxiety, depression, trauma, addictions, grief, relationship stress, and burnout.

I have a particular interest in perinatal support for fathers—from the lead-up to birth through the early years of parenting. Whether you’re adjusting to fatherhood, experiencing perinatal anxiety or depression, or supporting a partner through their own struggles, I provide a space where these experiences can be explored with care and clarity.

I’ve also worked closely with people managing chronic and complex health conditions—such as chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and fatigue—helping improve quality of life and emotional resilience.

My practice is located in Edgecliff, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, and I offer both in-person and telehealth sessions. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to get started.

David Marishel is a highly respected children's counsellor in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs
Get the support you need from someone you can trustCaring family & relationship counselling in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs

Services

How I Can Help..

Therapy That Meets You
Where You Are

Life can be demanding—emotionally, physically, and mentally. Sometimes we cope well; other times, it all gets too much. You might be feeling flat, anxious, exhausted, disconnected, or just not yourself. Therapy offers a space to slow down, make sense of what’s happening, and learn new ways to respond.

People often come to see me for support with:

  • Low mood, depression, or a loss of motivation
  • Persistent worry, anxiety, or panic attacks
  • Stress or burnout, especially related to work or family life
  • Difficulties with sleep or fatigue
  • Coping with grief or major life changes
  • Feeling too much pressure, irritability, or disconnection

Whether you’re dealing with one issue or several, therapy can help you understand what’s going on, reduce suffering, and move toward the things that are important in your life. My approach is practical, collaborative, and tailored to what you need.

Support for Fathers in the Perinatal Period

Becoming a father is a major life transition—emotionally, physically, and relationally. While it can be deeply meaningful, it can also bring up feelings of stress, overwhelm, fear, or helplessness. Many men find it hard to talk about what’s going on, especially when the focus is often on the baby or their partner.

In Australia, 1 in 10 dads experience postnatal anxiety or depression, and many (many) more feel overwhelmed, unsupported, or unsure how to cope. In situations where mothers experience perinatal anxiety or depression, it is extremely common for fathers to struggle too. Yet these experiences often go unspoken. You don’t need a diagnosis to benefit from support—just a sense that things aren’t quite right.

Therapy can offer a confidential space to:

  • Managing feelings of anxiety, low mood, or just not feeling like yourself
  • Dealing with anger, irritability, or emotional shutdown
  • Feeling disconnected—from your partner, the baby, or who you were before
  • Navigating relationship tension or communication struggles
  • Supporting your partner while also trying to hold yourself together
  • Caring for a baby with additional or high needs—like reflux, colic, disability, or medical complications
  • Grieving a perinatal loss or coping with a traumatic birth experience
  • Coping with sleep disruption, exhaustion, and the relentlessness of early parenting
  • Working through worries, fear, or intrusive thoughts you may not have shared with anyone
  • Making space to talk—about what’s shifted, what’s hard, and what kind of father you want to be

Whether you’re expecting a baby, recently become a dad, or still finding your feet months or years in, this is a space for you too.

Living with Chronic
Health Conditions

Living with a chronic illness or ongoing health condition can be exhausting—not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. You might feel like you’re doing your best to keep going, while also managing symptoms that others can’t always see or understand. The impact of chronic pain, fatigue, or medical uncertainty can affect every part of life: work, relationships, self-esteem, even your sense of purpose.

Therapy can offer a space to:

  • Make sense of the emotional toll of illness, including grief, frustration, or fear about the future
  • Reduce the impact of pain, fatigue, and other symptoms through evidence-based psychological strategies
  • Strengthen your voice in medical decisions and communication with healthcare providers
  • Reconnect with what matters to you, even when your body feels limited
  • Build motivation and confidence to make health-related changes—where you can, and at your own pace

Chronic health doesn’t mean your emotional wellbeing has to be on hold. Therapy can help you find ways to live with more clarity, connection, and control—even alongside physical discomfort and uncertainty.


Take a positive step forward – Call 02 9555 9555

We’re only human

Thoughtful perspectives, tools & resources from a practising psychologist

Want to read more? Visit David’s blog – We’re Only Human

Contact

Get the support you need today.

Location & hours

Suite 9B, Edgecliff Mews
201 New South Head Road
EDGECLIFF  NSW 2027
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Contact:

Ph: 0403 965 301
Email: info@davidmarishel.com.au

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