Counsellors and therapists
When Simon Westcott founded Maple Tree Counselling in Hong Kong in 2021, he and his partners were proud to be part of a diverse, multicultural team with rich life experience and international qualifications and accreditation.
British by birth and Australian by choice, Simon returns to Melbourne after eight years to replicate the model here. Working between Central Victoria and Melbourne, Simon will be joined over the coming months by like-minded counsellors and therapists with a similar mix of deep therapeutic expertise and strong grounding in their own personal and professional stories.
Simon is a member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), the Hong Kong Society of Counselling and Psychology (HKSCP) and the Psychotherapy Society of Hong Kong.
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Simon Westcott
Counsellor — ACT, CBT and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Simon believes in the benefits of both short-term, goal-oriented counselling and longer-term, ‘in-depth’ psychoanalytic psychotherapy. He treats clients from many different cultures with a wide variety of mental health issues.

Simon Westcott
Counsellor — ACT, CBT and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Simon believes in the benefits of both short-term, goal-oriented counselling and longer-term, ‘in-depth’ psychoanalytic psychotherapy. He treats clients from many different cultures with a wide variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and challenges rising from relationship, sexuality and family issues. Simon enjoyed a 25-year corporate, entrepreneurial and NGO career before entering the mental health field. He understands the challenges of high-performance environments, both academically and professionally, but also the importance of creativity and play. Simon serves diverse communities, including the LGBTQ+ community, and has a specialism in men’s mental health.
- Master of Counselling (Monash)Â
- Australian Centre for Psychoanalysis (4 Year Study Program, ongoing)
- Australian Counselling Association
- Hong Kong Society of Counselling and Psychology
- Masters of Arts (Oxford & Indiana)
What some of our clients have to say about therapy…
Simon is a warm soul with whom you can easily open up and share your emotions. Having that supportive and non-judgemental person in my life now gives me the comfort and confidence to work through these challenging times, with blue skies ahead.
Before working with Simon, I struggled to find a therapist who truly listens. Instead of treating counselling as labour, Simon is a skilled, knowledgeable, and, most importantly, compassionate therapist with earnest devotion to his profession. I have been seeing Simon for seven months now, and I feel much more confident in coping with various problems in life. I highly recommended Simon to anyone who is looking for effective and insightful counselling services.
I met Simon when I was at a confusing point in my life. Simon helped me see my peculiarities as strengths. He was patient and took an interest in my idiosyncrasies. He taught me self-kindness, helped me commit myself to my values, and taught me strategies to handle my intrusive thoughts. I strongly recommend Simon to anyone who is facing challenges in their life.
I sought therapy in a moment of personal crisis. Simon helped me remember a few things about myself that I had forgotten over time. I rediscovered some of that optimism I had in my 20s. I'd recommend Simon's practice to anyone in need of a sympathetic ear, some kind words of intervention, or just a fresh take on their problems. Â
I went to see Simon as I was feeling completely overwhelmed with everything that life was throwing at me (big job I hated, family separated by Covid, aging parents, crashing markets, moving home etc) and was stuffing my face as a result. My only regret is that I didn't find him sooner! Simon has managed to find a great balance between being a really good human being (kind, thoughtful, funny and a great listener) with also being incredibly professional (practical, focused, results driven). I particularly like the fact that Simon wasn't trying to insert himself into my life forever but was trying to give me the tools to get through a tough period and to take forward into my life. He was very constructive in his advice and surprisingly insightful which, in turn, helped me understand why I was engaging in such counter-intuitive behaviour. I actually looked forward to my sessions with Simon, felt that we achieved a lot together, and I am more than confident to recommend him.
I've been meeting with Simon for over 18 months now, and during this time, Simon has made me more self aware, and more confident than the person I was 18 months ago. He's empathetic, understanding of the nuances of South Asian culture, and has done more for me than some family members. There are no words to thank him for what he's done. I have a long way to go in my mental health journey, but I wouldn't have made the progress that I have without Simon's help
I’ve been seeing Simon now weekly for the past 6-7 months. I developed a great relationship very quickly with him, and found his patience and approach to align very well with my uncertainties to what my goals even were initially. He allowed me the space to really flex my mind, to question widely and deeply, to really revel in my esoteric thoughts and queries, and offered me the tools to really pinpoint and tackle blindspots I wouldn’t have been able to alone. I couldn’t have asked for a better sounding board. I felt comfortable, seen, heard, and most importantly, understood. Our sessions and his guidance have been invaluable in my growth as an individual and I can only recommend him highly.Â
Maple Tree Counselling launches in Central Victoria in February 2023, supporting diverse communities and mental health needs as it builds its Australian team.