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Commonly Asked Questions

“Psychologists are experts in human behaviour, having studied the brain, memory, learning, human development and the processes determining how people think, feel, behave and react” (Australian Psychological Society). A psychologist has completed several years of university study to achieve this and they have professional training and skills that assist them in dealing effectively with personal and mental health issues of varying degrees.

A psychologist can help you to understand the difficulties you are having in life and help you to manage and overcome these difficulties. They are someone to talk to about the thoughts and feelings you have that you might not want to talk to anyone else about.

A psychologist must adhere to a professional Code of Ethics which means they are bound by the laws of confidentiality. You can be assured that what you discuss with a psychologist will remain private.

Psychologists are required to continue to meet professional development targets, keeping them aware of the most up-to-date and best care approach.

A common question is “what is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist?”. The simplest response is that psychiatrists have a medical degree and therefore are able to prescribe medication. Psychologists do not have a medical degree and therefore are unable to prescribe medication. In some cases it is beneficial for a client to engage the services of both a psychiatrist and psychologist who are then able to work together to provide the client with the most comprehensive level of care.

Psychological counselling is for everyone – big issues, small issues and everything in between.

There are no rules or set of guidelines for who should seek counselling and when or why.

The reasons for why a person seeks psychological counselling are many and varied. These can include the concerns of everyday life such as work stress, relationship difficulties, and unexpected changes in circumstances, or issues related to trauma, grief, or serious mental illness. A large majority of people seek counselling to help them overcome issues related to depression and anxiety.

Sometimes people just want someone to talk to. Or they feel the need for a little tweak here and there.

All are perfectly good reasons to attend therapy.

It’s very normal to feel anxious, overwhelmed, daunted, even excited about your first session of psychological counselling.

You will be provided with a comfortable, non-judgemental, respectful and completely confidential setting for you to discuss what matters most to you.

The first session is about us meeting and getting to know each other.

In the first session we will discuss what has brought you to therapy – those things in your life that are causing you concern and difficulty. We will also start to look at the goals that you want to achieve from therapy.

Prior to your first session it can be helpful for you to ask yourself what changes you would like to make in your life. The aim of therapy is for us to then work together to help you achieve those changes.

Each session is 50 minutes in length.

This is entirely dependent on your unique situation. At your first session it is common practice for us to book four sessions together to ensure you have continuity in your treatment. When you and I have a clear understanding of your presenting concerns and your goals for therapy we are able to discuss a potential time-frame for therapy.

Many factors can influence the length of therapy including your presenting concern, the coping strategies you already use, your support network (such as family, friends, other health-care providers), and previous counselling you may have had.

Therapy is most effective when it is regular and consistent. Typically we aim to have sessions weekly however your personal circumstances are always taken into account when deciding on the best approach.

You do not need a referral to have psychological counselling with me.

You might however be eligible for a referral from your GP. Medicare allows clients to obtain a rebate for 20 sessions of psychological counselling in a calendar year. In order to be eligible for this rebate you will need a referral from your GP or a Psychiatrist.

To obtain a referral from your GP make an appointment with them to discuss your situation. Be sure to book a longer appointment with your GP as you do not want to rush this process. If appropriate, the GP will then complete a referral which you will need to bring to your first session.

After obtaining your referral you will then need to phone me to organise an appointment time. It is necessary for you to have the referral before you attend a session with me in order for you to receive a Medicare rebate.

More info about Medicare can be found here.

I am registered with a number of private health funds and my services are therefore eligible for a rebate. If you have private health cover you may be eligible for a rebate depending on your provider and your level of cover. You will have to check with your own health fund to know if you are in fact able to obtain a rebate.

There are various forms of therapy that have been found to be effective for a range of issues. The therapy that is best for you will be dependent on your circumstances and your reason for attending therapy. Below is a list of the most highly researched, evidence-based, and therefore the most commonly used therapies.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is meant to be pronounced as “act”. Action is a core principle in ACT as the therapy encourages the individual to commit to meaningful action that improves and enriches their life. Discovering what is meaningful and valuable to the client is a cornerstone of ACT.

Another core aspect of ACT is to work towards acceptance of your difficult circumstances and feelings rather than struggle and fight against them. As acceptance grows, so too does your ability to take charge of your circumstances.

ACT will help you develop strategies to deal more effectively with your painful thoughts and feelings, and it will help you clarify your values (those things that are truly important to you) in order to assist you to change your life for the better.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy operates on the premise that thoughts, emotions, behaviours and physical sensations are interconnected. Basically it states that the way you think about things affects how you feel, as well as how you behave.

CBT focuses on your current circumstances – those issues that are troubling you the most in your present-day life.

CBT helps you to explore how your current way of thinking about things may be detrimental to you and we then work together to help you develop a more helpful way of thinking. This in turn will influence the choices you make with the aim being to choose meaningful, healthy, self-fulfilling behaviours.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a core component of a number of therapies and can be a very important skill to learn. It is a very effective tool to help you manage and tolerate your difficult emotions by requiring you to focus only on the present moment.

Mindfulness teaches you to pay attention to your experience without judging it as “good” or “bad”. It helps you to accept your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, emotions and environment without trying to change them, “fix” them or get rid of them. It is a powerful strategy that can bring about social, psychological and physical benefits.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the psychological roots of your current difficulties. Much time in therapy is spent on self-reflection and self-examination to find patterns in your behaviours, beliefs and emotional reactions.

The goal is not only to alleviate the most obvious symptoms but to lead you to a deep understanding of your own emotional, mental and behavioural processes.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP)

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) is a body-centred approach.

“(it) is a method that draws upon the natural wisdom of the body (posture, movement, and the nervous system) to tap into the innate drive in all of us to heal, adapt, and develop new capacities.” Pat Ogden

It is based on the premise that the body holds past trauma and emotional pain, which can detrimentally impact many aspects of a person’s life.

SP helps the client become aware of how the body experiences and expresses challenging, painful emotions and memories. The therapist then gently guides the client to manage and relieve the body of the emotional pain of the past.

Through SP people are often able to develop a greater sense of control over their emotional and behavioural responses to things in their environment.

The fee per 50-minute session is $220 payable at the session. If you obtain a referral from your GP or Psychiatrist you are eligible for a rebate of $129.55 through Medicare.

If you do not have a referral from your GP or Psychiatrist you may also be eligible for a rebate through your private health fund depending on your provider and level of cover.

Please note the APS has set the recommended fee for a 50 minute session of psychological counselling at $267. In order to make counselling more accessible to individuals I have opted to set my fee at the reduced rate of $220.

Cancellation policy

At least 24 hours’ notice is required if you are unable to keep your appointment.

A fee of $100 will be charged for appointments that are not attended or are cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice.

There are always people in need of and eager to attend appointments. The cancellation policy ensures that I am able to provide clients on the waitlist with an appointment as soon as possible.