Shelly Kalinko
Shelly Kalinko is a warm, insightful counsellor with a strong background in adolescent and family support, group facilitation, and trauma-informed practice. With a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) / Bachelor of Education and a Graduate Diploma of Counselling, Shelly is a registered member of Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia and brings over a decade of experience working across schools, not-for-profits, and mentoring programs. Shelly has a particular interest in family systems and attachment theory, which informs her approach to both couples and individual therapy.
She is completing her Externship in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy through the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy, supplemented with tailored training and supervision from Dr Rowan Burckhardt at Sydney Couples Counselling Centre. She decided to specialise in relationships after seeing how important they were to her work with adolescents and families.
Prior to joining the Sydney Couples Counselling Centre, Shelly worked as a counsellor and program facilitator with the Raise Foundation, supporting young people across a range of mental health, relational, and educational issues. Her roles have included individual counselling, group facilitation, and mentoring—always through a lens of safety, respect, and empowerment.
Shelly’s approach is client-led, strengths-based, and relational. She is passionate about helping clients feel safe, seen, and supported as they explore the patterns that shape their relationships. With her strong communication skills, professional integrity, and calm presence, she creates a compassionate therapeutic environment where meaningful change can occur.
Whether working with couples, individuals, or families, Shelly brings a deep respect for the complexity of human connection and a commitment to helping people strengthen their emotional bonds, improve communication, and build more fulfilling relationships.