Therapy - Individual counselling
What to expect
Individual therapy can feel very daunting. It takes a lot of courage and vulnerability to share your story with a professional. It is a privilege that I don't take for granted in my work.
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During the first session, I am to provide you a space where you feel safe and you truly have an informed choice about your treatment. I enjoy working in a way that you feel you have some direction and practical strategies, but I also believe it's important to go at your pace.
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I will often check in with you to see if therapy is meeting your needs through monitoring your progress and practising what I preach through being vulnerable in the review progress. It is very important that you are feeling heard and that sessions are aligned with what you want.
My Therapy Approach
In session, I tend to use following therapeutic modalities:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Schema Therapy
- Compassion Focused Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
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Whilst I strongly practice in an ACT framework, I aim to draw on several approaches to meet your particular needs and this can be discussed in session.
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I’m often told that I’m warm, compassionate, and approachable, and I like to bring a touch of humour and humanness into the therapy space to help clients feel at ease.
I believe that therapy works best when it’s a genuine partnership. Research shows that the strongest predictor of positive outcomes is the quality of the therapeutic relationship, which is why I place so much value on building trust and connection with each person I work with. I also work from an intersectional perspective, recognising that each person’s story is shaped by many parts of their identity and lived experience — including culture, gender, sexuality, ability, and social context.
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To me, therapy is an active and collaborative process. Together, we work towards your unique goals each session. My aim is to share meaningful insights and practical strategies that support you to live a life that feels authentic and aligned with your values — on your own terms.
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I am able to provide sessions in English and Spanish. For more information about sessions in Spanish, please see here.
Clinical issues
I have a wealth of experience in community settings, as well as private practice. I have the following areas of interest:
- Persistent anxiety and mood disorders.
- Substance use and any co-occurring issues.
- Perinatal mental health.
- Perfectionism and people pleasing.
- Adjustment to major life events
- Interpersonal issues
FAQs
Individual Counselling
Do I need a referral from my GP to see a psychologist?
No. You can make an appointment without a referral. However, in order to claim a rebate with Medicare, you will need a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). To be assessed for a MHCP, you will need to make an appointment with your GP.
You will need to bring your MHCP to your initial appointment in order to claim your rebate.
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What is a Medicare rebate?
When you have a valid MHCP, Medicare will provide a rebate of $145.25 to cover some of the cost of a psychology session. Medicare provides this rebate for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. Currently my fees are $240 per session so your out of pocket expenses will be $94.75
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What should I expect for my first session with you?
Before our first session, I'll send you some questionnaires which will help inform my assessment and make our first session more efficient. In that first session, I'll ask a lot about the challenges you've been facing and you want to get out of therapy and from there propose a plan on how to best assist you. The first session it's a "try-out" for both of us. It's important that you are comfortable with me and that I also make sure that I have the right knowledge and skills to support you as best as possible. In the case that I consider that my skills and experience are not the best suited to your needs, I will provide you alternatives of another practitioner.
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How many sessions will I need?
This depends entirely on you and your needs. To begin with, having regular and consistent appointments can be really useful to get the outcomes you would like (e.g. weekly or fortnightly). This is something we can discuss and agree on a plan together.
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How long do sessions go for?
A standard psychology session is 50 minutes.
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What if I need to reschedule or cancel?
If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment please email as soon as possible. Cancellations under 2 business days notice incur a 50% of the fee, whilst under 1 business day and/or no show incur the full-fee. Medicare rebates cannot be claimed on cancellation/no-show fees.
Please see more information on the Cancellation Policy here.
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Can I contact my psychologist outside of hours?
No. The Sustainable Space is not an emergency service. Should you require immediate support, please contact emergency services or 24 hour counselling services:
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Ambulance, Fire, or Police: 000
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Mensline Australia: 1300 78 99 78
Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
eHeadspace Support: chat here
Mental health triage in your area: directory here
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