How long does a counselling session last?

The session goes for 50 minutes with an additional 10 minutes to discuss next steps, book further sessions if needed and to process session payment.

Can I claim Medicare or Private Health fund rebates?

You can claim a Medicare rebate with a current GP Mental Health Care Plan for individual sessions. If you do not have a GP Mental Health Care Plan you can use your Private Health Fund for rebates; please check if psychological services are included in your policy.

Can I come to couples or family counselling on my own?

Absolutely, I work with the most motivated person(s) in the family. Attending alone provides the space to reflect on relationships, create a better understanding and learn new ways of responding to stuck dynamics. The benefits are a clearer mind and thoughtfulness on how best to ‘be’ in relationship.

How many counselling sessions will l have to attend to start to make a difference?

The initial session is an assessment session, it is a time to talk about your struggles and symptoms you are experiencing. The first meeting is a getting to know you and you getting to know me. If it feels like a good fit, we will proceed to continue our work to understand the presenting problems. We will look at strategies to manage stress, anxiety and low mood as well as understanding relationship dynamics that may impact how you feel as individual in relationship. I will coach you to communicate and connect better as a couple; as parents with your children or extended family members.

Pending on the presenting issues and your motivation, you may attend 4 up to 10 sessions or longer if you are doing family of origin work. Attending counselling can be unsettling and uncomfortable particularly if you are already feeling vulnerable. It is important you are kind to your self in this moment and take it slow; only do what you can. Sometimes clients attend a few sessions, take a break and return couple of months or year later to do some more work.

What are the benefits for seeing a Psychologist?

I am a psychologist and qualified family therapist that utilizes Cognitive Behavioural strategies to manage stress, anxiety and low mood. I am always guided by my clients to what they need and want out of counselling. Sessions are goal directed to ensure you get the most out of our time. A range of tools and techniques are provided to assist clients to improve functioning and communication. You are always encouraged to practice new strategies out of session on your own; with your partner or with your whole family.

What is family therapy?

Family Therapy – or to give it its full title, Family and Systemic Psychotherapy – helps people in a close relationship help each other.

It enables family members, couples and others who care about each other to express and explore difficult thoughts and emotions safely, to understand each other’s experiences and views, appreciate each other’s needs, build on strengths and make useful changes in their relationships and their lives. Individuals can find Family Therapy helpful, as an opportunity to reflect on important relationships and find ways forward.

Research shows Family Therapy is useful for children, young people and adults experiencing a very wide range of difficulties and experiences.

The earliest approaches to psychotherapy in the 20th Century focused on individual therapy, and the patient-therapist relationship as the best way to treat psychological problems. Patients were segregated from their families for therapy and treatment focused on their individual symptomatic behaviours.
The advent of family therapy ushered in a whole new way of understanding and explaining human behaviour. Family therapists shifted the focus of treatment in a way that allowed for social context, communication and relationship to have primary importance in therapy.

This way of working involves engaging with the whole family system as a functioning unit. While the individuals in the family are as important in family therapy as in individual therapy, family therapists also deal with the personal relations and interactions of the family members, both inside the family and in the therapeutic system which comprises the family, the therapist or therapists, and their broader community.

Family Therapy aims to be:

• Inclusive and considerate of the needs of each member of the family and/or other key relationships (systems) in people’s lives
• Recognise and build on peoples’ strengths and relational resources
• Work in partnership ‘with’ families and others, not ‘on’ them
• Sensitive to diverse family forms and relationships, beliefs and cultures
• Enable people to talk, together or individually, often about difficult or distressing issues, in ways that respect their experiences, invite engagement and support recovery.

Sourced from: Association for Family Therapy & Systemic Practice UK

What is the Cancellation Policy?

Clients will receive a text reminder the day before their appointment. 24 hours notice is required to cancel or reschedule appointments. Late cancellation fee is 50% of the cost.