Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Counselling sessions cost?

Clients approved for counselling under the NSW Victims Services scheme are not required to pay, as NSW Victims Services will fund and directly pay for the sessions. To find out more about the Victims Services Scheme visit Victims Services (nsw.gov.au)

For private paying clients, the fees are as follows:

- 55-minute session: $180 Full Fee or $160 Concession

- 85-minute session: $200 Full Fee or $180 Concession

Should finances be a barrier to accessing support, please contact me and we can discuss what might be possible to minimise this barrier for you.

I am registered with numerous Private Health Funds. If you have Private Health Cover, you might be eligible for a rebate. Please verify with your Private Health Fund and we can discuss this further.

Please note, Counselling does not currently fall under the Medicare Benefits Scheme, and I am therefore not able to offer Medicare rebates associated with Mental Health Care Plans.

What is your cancellation policy?

I understand that situations arise. If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please provide 48 hours' notice. Not doing so will result in a charge for the full session fee.

Do I require a referral?

No referral is required. Please feel free to reach out, let’s have a chat to check that I’m the right therapist for you.

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach that has been effectively utilised for over three decades across various international contexts and cultures, addressing numerous forms of psychological distress.

Scientific studies have validated EMDR's efficacy for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the World Health Organization also endorses it for PTSD treatment. Additionally, clinicians have employed EMDR in managing a spectrum of other mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, addictions, and disturbing memories.

When we experience a disturbing event, it can linger with us. The brain is unable to process information as it typically would. A moment can become 'frozen in time,' and recalling the trauma may be as intense as the initial experience. This is because the images, sounds, smells, and sensations are still present—they haven't altered. Such memories can have a lasting adverse impact, disrupting how an individual perceives themselves, the world and how they interact with others.

EMDR positively influences the brain's information processing. After an EMDR session, individuals no longer relive the trauma. They still remember that an event occurred, but it no longer causes the same emotional distress.

Further information can be found on the EMDR Association of Australia website Home - EMDRAA

What is Relational Integrative EMDR?

Relational Integrative EMDR (RI-EMDR) was developed by Amy English and Michele Bowes, owners of SEVA House and SEVA training. This is their description of RI-EMDR:

Imagine your inner world as a house with different rooms that represent all the different parts of yourself. Each room (part of you) holds these memories, beliefs, and emotions that shape your inner world. Now, think of attachment and your earliest relationships as the foundation of this house, influencing how you relate to others, yourself and your place in the world. Just as strong foundations support a building, secure attachments provide stability and security in your relationships with others and yourself.

Working with the body somatically acts as the maintenance of the house’s structural integrity. It involves tuning into the sensations and feelings stored in the body, akin to checking the underlying framework of the house for stability and strength.

Imagery work functions as the interior design of the house, enhancing its harmony and functionality. Through guided visualisations and symbolic representations, clients engage in a creative process, similar to choosing decor that reflects their inner world, making the rooms (parts) in the house feeling more loved, sheltered, nurtured, with a sense of belonging.

By using RI- EMDR, your Therapist acts as an architect who can guide you through time (travel back in time), helping you make your way into the rooms, exploring and processing traumas and adapting negative beliefs held by these rooms (parts).

Imagine each room (part) as a unique resident in this house, each with its own story and needs. The architect’s role is to support you renovating each room so that it reflects the structure and decor of your house as it should be now.

RI-EMDR facilitates communication and understanding among these parts, fostering harmony and sense of belonging within your inner dwelling. As you work with RI- EMDR, you and your parts are guided in healing past wounds, adapting networks of positive beliefs and felt senses, and promoting harmony and balance to your inner world. This then becomes a place of harmony, belonging and self-understanding, where every part plays a valuable role in creating a balanced and fulfilling life.

Tell me more about Professional Supervision:

I offer Professional individual and group supervision sessions, both online and face-to-face. Depending on the location of your service, I may also be able to attend your service in person.

-55-minute individual session: $170

-85-minute individual session: $190

Group Supervision Sessions pricing depends on the number of participants and whether I am required to travel.

What are my Qualifications & Professional Memberships?

• Bachelor of Social Science (Sociology & Counselling)

• Graduate Diploma in Applied Counselling

• Postgraduate Diploma of Policy & Social Research

• Psychotherapists & Counsellors Federation of Australia (PACFA) Clinical Counsellor Reg 27656

• Full Member of the EMDR Association of Australia

• NSW Victims Services Counsellor