Best Life Counselling
Best Life Counselling was established by Director Melanie Moore. From her young adulthood, Melanie has had a passion to support those who are struggling to navigate a way forward in various aspects of their lives. Melanie’s career and volunteer roles have led her to support people in areas of acute healthcare, social welfare and mental health. Best Life Counselling is a continuation of her vision to support clients with care and compassion, assisting them in their emotional health, and resilience.
Got questions? Please note, all sessions will be held in Australian Eastern Standard (Melbourne/Sydney) time. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
What to expect
We believe that warm, compassionate listening is the start of a healing journey. Our foundation is in person-centred therapy, which focuses on helping you with issues you wish to bring to therapy.
We will also provide specific therapy techniques tailored to your therapy goals and needs.
Melanie’s background
Since 2004, Melanie has offered counselling as a hospital chaplain, specialising in grief, loss, and end-of-life counselling. Melanie draws on the deep insights from this work to apply much empathy, wisdom, and warmth in supporting her clients to achieve their therapy goals. While she is able to provide perspective from her Christian worldview, Melanie welcomes clients from all faith and no-faith backgrounds.
Melanie has completed a Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy (Spiritual), 3x Clinical Pastoral Education units, Bachelor of Ministries, and Master of Counselling. In June 2023 Melanie was honoured to have been awarded the Spiritual Care Australia national individual Best of Care award.
Outside of work, Melanie enjoys maintaining a healthy physical and mental balance – including walking, crocheting, and spending time with her young granddaughters.
Russell’s background
Best Life Counselling’s Couples, Post Separation, and Relationship Conflict Counsellor.
Relationship Counselling for couples, parenting approach disputes, sibling disputes (adults), conflict around care of elders, parent/grandparent disputes, post separation counselling.
Russell’s primary role is working as a Practice Specialist in Family Law and as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner for a large Australian organisation. Russell is Melanie’s husband and now offers relationship counselling through Best Life Counselling. Russell is a person of Christian faith, and welcomes, and has extensive experience in working with people of any faith or no faith background.
Russell has a Master of Narrative Therapy and Community Work through the University of Melbourne, and a Master of Conflict Resolution through Latrobe University. Russell also has completed the training and 180 hours of placement through Relationships Australia Victoria’s specialist couples counselling course, and has completed a certificate in Family Therapy. In 2025 Russell completed a course approved by the Internal Family Systems Institute for mediators and believes the learnings from this course will have much relevance to relationship counselling.
Russell is registered with the Australian Counselling Association as a level 2 counsellor. See FAQs on Relationship Counselling for further details.