Unfortunately, there is a misconception that to see a Psychologist you need to be crazy or have serious mental health issues. It is not the case. For a teenager it can be presented as a safe space in which to discuss feelings and thoughts or anything that is occurring in one’s life. Your teenager or young adult may be reassured in knowing that what they say to the therapist is confidential and cannot be shared with anyone else, including parents or other doctors, without their permission. The exception is if they indicate that they’re having thoughts of suicide or hurting themselves or others.

Preparing your teenager for what to expect before the first appointment can help set the tone. It will prevent your teenager from feeling singled out or isolated. If the issue concerns the family, explaining to your teenager that the therapist will be assisting the whole family in working together on the problem, may provide reassurance.

Yes. Family therapy can be helpful particularly when family members: aren’t getting along, disagree or argue often, or when a child is having behaviour problems. Family therapy involves counselling with some, or all, family members: the goal is to help improve communication skills and a focus on problem-solving techniques.

At present, you can see me within a few days.

Yes. I have been assisting teenagers through issues such as depression, anxiety, separation and divorce, non-attendance at school, bullying, relationship management at home and at school, self-harm and suicide ideation. Teenagers express their feelings through their behaviour and may react to major changes by becoming withdrawn, angry and depressed. They may need help to discuss their feelings, particularly if there’s a major transition, such as a divorce, move, or serious illness. They may also have problems at school as well as in their relationships. My aim is to assist teenagers to develop new skills to adjust to difficult situations and to resolve any mental distress so they may feel safe, confident and optimistic in their daily lives.

I am concerned with helping young people and their families develop healthy relationships and improve their quality of life and experiences at home, in school, and in social situations.

No. Referrals are obtained through a GP.

When an individual is having a mental health or life issue, generally they attend therapy alone. The reason is to build rapport between client and therapist for the client to feel comfortable disclosing feelings and thoughts that he or she may not feel comfortable disclosing in the presence of others. In some cases, when that individual feels so anxious or so depressed that he or she cannot attend therapy without someone else present, a therapist may agree to have both attend initially. Also, young children who attend therapy generally are with their parents.  For relationship, couples or family therapy it is usual for people to attend therapy together.

Yes. Eating disorders can be quite complex and may require the involvement of several professionals, for example, medical care and monitoring, nutritional counselling and professional interventions. I can assist with issues such as depression, anxiety, distortion of body image, low self-esteem, and interpersonal conflicts.

Yes. I usually send an SMS the day before to confirm the appointment and ensure the client has the correct address if coming for the first time.

I am passionate about assisting you through your healing and growth and will tailor my approach and interventions to suit your needs; each person is unique and responds to each counselling style differently and so it is important to find which style will best suit you. At times, you may wish to debrief about what is occurring in your life and gain some insight or awareness. My aim is for my clients to have ideal emotional health and so I offer an empathic and supportive environment with unconditional positive regard where you can strengthen and expand on your own identity and situation in life.

Yes, I can offer appointments after hours. My last appointment would be from 7.30pm in the evening. Early appointments are from 8am.

The first appointment is about getting to know each other, listening to the client’s experiences and working out together what the client goals are for treatment. My approach is Rogerian or Person Centred, an empathic style of therapy that motivates clients to explore their potential in a judgement free environment. The first session is to foster the client/therapeutic alliance.

I can provide phone consultations although I prefer face to face so I can gain a more whole sense of the person.

It would be very much appreciated if you could cancel within a 48 hour period. The reason for such notice is that there is a waitlist of people who would benefit from an earlier appointment. Early notice will allow me to offer the appointment to someone else. However, I do understand that at times this may not be possible. There is no penalty for cancellation and I would prefer you to contact me to reschedule an appointment.

Yes. People of diverse sex or gender experience the same mental health and life challenges of cis-gendered people. Other challenges may exist such as marginalisation and psychological distress from living with gender dysphoria, living non-binary, transitioning or living with one’s identified gender. I can offer support to deal with feelings of hopelessness, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or self-harm. I can also explore with you your gender identity and the persistence and consolidation of this identity over time.

Generally, the answer is no. All matters discussed are kept confidential. If there are concerns of safety, Psychologists are legally required to tell the appropriate people. These situations usually include those where there is a threat of harm to the child or other.

The Code of Ethics that each Psychologist must agree to abide by when becoming registered requires that information in session is kept confidential. Disclosure may only occur if the Psychologist is ordered by a court of law or if there is a duty of care issue. Psychologists are mandated by law to report any crime or harm being committed against another person.

If you would like to claim the Medicare rebate of $84.80 you will need to have a referral from your GP. Book a half hour appointment with your GP as the Mental Health Care Plan takes some time to prepare. If you have private health insurance, you may also be eligible to claim some benefits through your insurance. If you decide to use your private health insurance you will not be able to claim the Medicare rebate and therefore won’t need a referral.

You may need to check with your private health insurer as you may have cover for psychology sessions.

Medicare allow each person to have 10 sessions per year that are rebated. It is recommended that each person attend the first six.

Yes. Children express their feelings through their behaviour and may react to major changes by becoming withdrawn, angry and depressed. My aim is to assist children and adolescents to develop new skills to adjust to difficult situations and to resolve any mental distress, so they may feel safe, confident and optimistic in their daily lives. I am concerned with helping young people and their families develop healthy relationships and improve their quality of life and experiences at home, in school, and in social situations.

Yes. I provide marriage guidance and couples counselling. My aim is to ensure everyone is respected during the session and that issues are discussed fairly. I also assist couples to cope with emotions such as feelings of betrayal and grief and loss. Discussion is also centred around what constitutes a healthy relationship and how to build and maintain healthy relationships.

No. Only psychiatrists can prescribe medication.

In Australia, the practice of psychology is highly regulated, while that of counselling is not. However, you do need a graduate diploma of counselling for registration with the Australian Counselling Association. Psychologists and Counsellors do cover some common ground, however there are some distinctions, both in their training and their scope of practice. Counsellors are highly skilled in applying integrative therapies and usually engage with clients for a short term to address a specific problem. Whereas, Psychologists use evidence-based strategies to diagnose and treat mental illnesses and treatment is usually ongoing.

Psychologists are considered experts in human emotions, behaviour and mental processes and can cover more complex mental health conditions. In Australia, to practice as a Registered Psychologist you need to obtain a tick of approval from the Psychology Board of Australia. You can either have the title of Clinical Psychologist or Registered Psychologist. Psychologists must train at University for 6 years and undergo supervised practice. They may also hold a Masters qualification and therefore hold the title of Clinical Psychologist which indicates more specialised practice. They may also hold a PhD and can then assume a title of ‘Dr”. Also, in Australia, Psychology is rebated through Medicare

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have then undergone further study in Psychology. Psychiatrists usually undergo 11 years of training at University Level. Psychiatrists tend to treat complex and serious mental illness. They can also prescribe medications.

I completed my Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) at Central Queensland University. I then undertook a 2 ½ year Psychology internship program to obtain the qualification of Registered Psychologist. Altogether, I trained for approx. 8 years.