FAQ's

The definition of Therapy according to the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) is:

"Therapy is the process of meeting with a counsellor or psychotherapist for the purpose of resolving problematic behaviours, beliefs, feelings and related physical symptoms. Therapy uses an interpersonal relationship to help develop the client’s self-understanding and to make changes in his or her life.

Although counselling and psychotherapy overlap considerably, there are also recognised differences. While the work of both Counsellors and Psychotherapists with clients may be of considerable depth and length, the focus of Counselling is more likely to be on specific problems, changes in life adjustments and fostering the client’s wellbeing. Psychotherapy is more concerned with the restructuring of the personality or self and the development of insight." (www.pacfa.org.au)

Professionals who can provide counselling or psychotherapy include Social Workers, Counsellors, Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, and others. They are likely to have undertaken specialist Counselling and Psychotherapy training in addition to their original university degree. When deciding on the right Therapist for you I would encourage you to ask them about their education and additional training.       
Take your time to read through my website. If you sense that I may be a good fit based on what you are reading, you can call me.

During a free phone consultation, you can ask me ask how I work as a Therapist, or any other questions you may have that are specific to you. You’ll also be able to share what’s going on for you and we can decide together how I can help.

It may be helpful to think of the first few sessions as 'testing out the waters' together. During the sessions, you’ll be able to see how you feel working with me. My approach is not going to work for everyone. What’s most important to me is that you find someone who you feel is the right fit for you. We can explore this together.
I am a registered with the:
  1. Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
  2. Psychotherapy & Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
  3. Australian Association of Buddhist Counselling & Psychotherapy (AABCAP).
The annual requirements for membership of these organisations includes:
  1. Ongoing continuing professional development
  2. Attending regular professional supervision  
  3. Professional Indemnity Insurance 
  4. Public Liability Insurance 
You are able to search the websites of each of these organisations to confirm my membership. 
When starting therapy, it’s very common to feel nervous. It can feel intimidating to sit with someone and talk about how you feel. The fear around that can feel overwhelming. It takes courage to start going to therapy. The fact that you are on this website, looking for help, and reading this right now shows that you are courageous and seeking help.

Therapy is a space where you can be yourself and come just as you are, including feeling nervous. I’m committed to finding a way to care for your nervousness and ensure sessions are as comfortable as possible. I’m here if you want to talk about it during a free phone consultation.
Think of the first session as a free-flowing conversation through which we start getting to know each other. I’ll invite you to share more about yourself and we can also talk about what’s worked or not worked for your mental health in the past. You will complete required paperwork and we will discuss topics such as confidentiality, fees, and cancellation policy.

Some questions that I like to ask during a first session include:
  • What’s present for you in your life right now?
  • Have you gone to therapy before? How did that go?
  • What do I need to know about you and your history to understand your current challenges?
You can ask me questions as well. You might be curious about my experience or how future sessions work.

The most important part of a first session is that you see if you feel I’m a good fit for you. If you feel safe, accepted, and comfortable with me, we can discuss if you’d like to meet again.
Therapy Sessions are 50 minutes + 10 minutes for administration (payment & booking next appointment). 

Professional Supervision Sessions are 60 minutes. 

If you would like longer sessions there is flexibility to increase these and the cost will be negotiated at the time. 
It can be concerning feeling like things you say or do in therapy could 'get out'. So I want you to know, that unless there is an imminent danger to yourself or someone else or I receive a legal Subpoena, everything you share with me is completely confidential. Your privacy and trust are of utmost importance.

Be assured that you can talk about anything without fear of that information getting out. If you have specific questions about how confidentiality works, you can ask during your during a free phone consultation or anytime during our work together.
You might be asking about how long therapy will take because you are currently struggling and want relief fast.

If this is true for you, I want you to know that on average, my new clients start seeing positive effects after the first 3-5 sessions. By that point, they feel a little more calm and hopeful that healing is possible.

The total duration of therapy varies from client to client. Some of my clients find 3-6 weeks to be enough to resolve immediate challenges. While other clients with more complex issues or trauma histories feel more supported by longer term therapy over 1-2 years. We will work together to find the length of time that works for you.
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