Fees & rebates

My fee for a session is $160. If your financial situation is difficult, or if you are a student or are on a pension, please talk to me about the possibility of a concession rate. I am happy to negotiate a fee if you are in the situation of needing help but cannot meet the full rate.
Currently, Medicare does not cover counselling. The Australian Counsellors Association is lobbying the government to change this situation.

Working with me, it is also not possible for you to gain a rebate from your Health Insurance. It is worth noting however that psychologists can charge up to $260 an hour and the gap after rebate can amount to more than the concession rate for a session with a counsellor.

Something to consider if privacy is a concern for you; seeing a private counsellor means there is no data entered in your My Health Record, Medicare account or your Private Health insurance to indicate you’ve attended counselling or psychotherapy.

Contact me here

My private practice is located in Wollongbar in the Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia.

Contact me here

The reasons people seek counselling are numerous. They include all the things that rob us of the freedom to love and be loved and to live satisfying and fulfilling lives.

Following are some of the reasons people seek help:

• wanting to be free of feeling anxious all the time;
• seeking a way to deal with losing a loved one and feeling that going on without him or her is impossible;
• needing to learn how to stand up for themselves and say what they really think or feel;
• looking for a way to save their marriage;
• dealing with a painful separation, a divorce, a difficult settlement or facing losing the children;
• confronting unresolved issues left over from childhood; suffering from a traumatic event or haunted by the consequences of sexual or physical abuse; realising that these experiences are somehow playing out in their adult life and that they need to deal with them;
• being concerned about eating or drinking too much or that recreational or prescription drugs are taking over;
• feeling isolated and resentful;
• experiencing recurrent dreams or unwanted thoughts; repeating behaviours that they can’t control;
• being a perfectionist and yet always feeling a failure;
• facing a difficult stage in life, the empty nest, losing their youth or a career, retiring or coping with a retired partner, facing a major operation or dealing with illness, having to care for a difficult loved one or having to accept being cared for.

All of us need to learn to live well with ourselves and take responsibility for our actions and our real thoughts and feelings without turning to drugs or alcohol or food or relying on such diversions as porn, long hours at work, computer games, extreme religious views, gambling or even excessive fitness regimes. It is tragic that many Australian people think that the only solution to their pain is to end their lives.

If you just need to talk to someone who will listen or if you are ready to discover a constructive path towards emotional health and wellbeing and constructive relationships, it is the right time for you to seek help.

Contact me here.

A counsellor is a professional person who is trained to really listen to you and engage with you regarding your issues and your needs and to work in collaboration with you to discover a way forward that works for you.

With a counsellor, you are in a safe place knowing that you can say whatever you feel and think without the fear of hurting or offending or being afraid that what you say may be repeated or held against you.

A counsellor offers you a sounding board that enables you to hear yourself think, find out how you really feel and what you really want.

An experienced counsellor can bring to your particular situation a professional perspective – something different from what you can expect from a friend, parent or partner.

Contact me here

You can expect to be listened to without being criticised and to have your feelings taken seriously and the things you value respected. Your sessions are about your life and ultimately you are the authority on your experience. Nothing can happen to you that you don’t agree with. You will be encouraged to talk and to answer many questions about your situation as together we seek to identify what is happening in your life that is causing you difficulties. You can expect complete confidentiality. Nothing you say will be shared without your permission.

Counselling is a collaborative process so you will be consulted regarding the best approach to be taken. Whatever we choose, the work is an exploration in which you are given the support and a variety of ways to confront the issues that stand between you and your living the life you are capable of.

You can expect your attitudes to be challenged at times, especially if they are destructive of you or not working for you. You may be invited to try out unfamiliar things and you can agree to experiment with different ideas or refuse when you feel unsure Your feedback regarding what is helpful and what is not is always welcome. Sometimes counselling involves letting go unhelpful attitudes and sometimes it involves discovering that your attitudes are very worthwhile and need to be asserted.

Contact me here.