FAQ's
What is the difference between counselling, psychology and psychotherapy?
Counsellors are often focused on here and now issues. That means they typically work with clients who are going through a period of difficult change or a situational crisis. Counselling is often short term, around 2 to 8 weeks.
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Psychologists are often trained to assess and diagnose different mental health issues. Thereby, they have frameworks through which to see people's symptoms and these frameworks guide treatment choices towards therapies that have a basis in empirical (observational) research. Treatment times could be short term or long term.
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Psychotherapists are often relational. They explore deep and subtle parts of people to gain a better understanding of 'why you are the way you are.' This type of therapy is about gaining a deeper relationship with yourself and what is in the way of that relationship, treatment time is typically 1 - 2+ years.
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Note - these are generalities, it's important to remember that therapists often have their own ways of working.
What is the difference between trauma-informed and trauma-focussed therapy?
Trauma-informed therapists understand what is currently known about trauma, whereas trauma-focused therapists are trained with tools and techniques to help clients process and integrate their trauma.
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The difference is in the training and application of the knowledge.
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Note - If you are unsure if your therapist is trauma focused, ask if they have any practical training in trauma processing modalities.
Do you accept Mental Health Care Plans?
Psychotherapists & counsellors cannot provide Medicare rebates. As such our prices are typically lower than psychologists with similar years of experience.
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We are able to offer rebates to some private health funds.​
What is Neurodynamic Breathwork?
Neurodynamic Breathwork uses breath and music during a 60minute, 90minute or 2.5 hour guided session which can often facilitate expanded states of consciousness.
What is EMDR?
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic experiences.
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Unlike other treatments that focus on directly altering the emotions, thoughts and responses resulting from traumatic experiences, EMDR therapy focuses directly on the memory, and is intended to change the way that memory is stored in the brain. This takes it from a memory stored with feeling to a memory that is only a narrative, thus reducing or eliminating the problematic symptoms.
Can you help me source psychedelic medicines?
In short, no.
While psychedelic medicines moved from Schedule 9 substances to Schedule 8 substances on July 2023 in Australia. The laws, ethics and guidelines surrounding their use are still being written.​
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What I can do, is offer support with non ordinary state or psychedelic experiences integration.
What is therapy?
Therapy is a relationship and as with any good relationship hopefully you will feel a few things when you're sitting with your therapist. Ask yourself, 'Do I feel:​
- safe
- held
- heard
- guided
- validated
- supported
- like it's for me
- like I am learning
- like it's ok to say anything
- like I can bring any and all of my 'stuff' to session?'
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Sometimes in the beginning of therapy it can be hard to figure out if you feel these things, especially if feeling things has been hard for you. If this is the case, the last two dot points are really good indicators for you.
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Tip; it can take time to find a therapist who you really feel you can connect with, you don't have to stay with a therapist who doesn't feel compatible to you.
