FAQs

Person centred*, lived experience**, non-judgemental, empathetic, values oriented, collaborative, empowering, and safe. My practice is informed by Acceptance and Commitment therapy and solution-focused therapy.

Counselling is coping oriented and helps people with concerns or problems in life.  A counsellor offers a qualified ear, will suggest evidence-based tools and strategies, and help you find a way through your concerns. My counselling centres on YOU, and how you can build psychological flexibility to deal with your unique spine situation. I will help you to discover ways of coping, make positive changes, and develop new skills. I will help you create criteria for empowered decision making. I use evidence-based interventions and specialised interpersonal skills to facilitate change and help emotionally strengthen clients.

Counsellors can’t formally diagnose mental health conditions like a psychologist can nor can they prescribe medication like a psychiatrist.  If you need a diagnosis, I will refer you to these specialists, but often general issues such as mild anxiety, depression, and worries are able to be worked through with me as your counsellor.

I work from the fundamental belief that you, the client, are the expert in your life. I believe every person is creative, resourceful, and whole. As such, I will never give you answers, but will collaboratively help you to find solutions that are in line with your values and life situation.

In the context of my counselling service, lived experience means I have knowledge and perspective of scoliosis based on my personal experience and history, beyond my professional and educational experience. This means I have a unique insight of your challenges as I experience many of them myself.

Anyone, at any age, with scoliosis or chronic back pain and conditions such as kyphosis, lordosis that have an impact on our emotional health.

Yes I do. Any teenager over 14 years of age can see a counsellor in Australia without a parent or guardian. This is a ballpark age and less of a rule, and more of guide. The important question for me is the maturity and understanding of the individual in front of me. For younger teens I am happy to work with them and their parent / carer.

Yes, as long as it fits within my working day.

Professional counselling is a safe and confidential collaboration between a qualified counsellor and their clients. Counselling is most effective when clients feel safe, understood, respected, and accepted without judgement. I am fully present with my clients and use empathy and deep listening to establish positive, collaborative therapeutic relationships. I aim to empower my clients.

I take client confidentiality very seriously and I inherently hold confidentiality as a part of my practice. There are a few exceptions to confidentiality in counselling which would be discussed ahead of counselling commencing and in our counselling agreement.

Counselling is usually a short-term therapy. The number of sessions depends on your needs - everyone is different. Most clients will see me weekly or fortnightly for between three to six visits. Some clients will also book 'booster' sessions once per month or before or after bracing or surgery.

My counselling is informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which is a practical behavioural therapy. The name “acceptance and commitment therapy” reflects a key message: accept what is out of your personal control and commit to action that improves your life. This model helps us to accept that while scoliosis may be unpleasant, our lives don’t need to be put on hold in order to manage it. ACT helps us behave more consistently with our own values and apply mindfulness and acceptance skills to our responses to uncontrollable experiences. ACT has been shown to be effective across a diverse range of clinical conditions including chronic health conditions and pain. ACT aims to provide people with strategies that assist them to create a rich and meaningful life, while accepting the emotional pain that inevitably goes along with it. To read more about ACT, click here.

I also use Solution Focused Therapy, to help you understand your current situation. I will support you to problem solve, identify your strengths, and focus on building solutions that are right for you. To read more about Solution Focused Therapy click here.

The good news is that you don’t. Unlike a psychologist, you don’t need a referral to access qualified counsellors in Australia.

There’s a lot of advocacy work being done in this space, but unfortunately, counsellors are not currently covered by Medicare.

Unfortunately, this option only applies to counsellors with a degree or an Australian Graduate Diploma. I’m working towards an Australian Graduate Diploma but that is some year’s off.

Yes. If you are on a self-managed plan, you can choose me to assist your therapy journey. A self-managed plan allows you to choose and receive support that is specifically catered to your unique needs and objectives. Please be sure to check that counselling support is available with your plan.

Coaching focuses on setting goals, creating outcomes, and managing personal change. It helps people change their behaviour, adopt a balanced lifestyle, and self-manage their chronic conditions. I’ll help you to understand your values and strengths, clarify your direction, create a clear vision, cultivate a positive mindset and we’ll work together to develop your sense of self-belief. While coaching can be therapeutic, it’s not therapy. Coaching is a positive, validating, supportive experience. You’ll leave feeling clearer about your direction, confident in your ability to achieve your objectives, and you’ll have a greater degree of self-awareness.

As a counsellor and a coach, I am invested in helping you better yourself. A coach focuses on mental fitness, creating and executing specific goals.

They will help you see your possibilities based on your unique situation and abilities and help you identify your strengths so you can use them to start making sustainable changes.  A coach is also there to help with accountability and check ins between sessions. A counsellor is there to help you find solutions to your problems in life and help you find more helpful ways to care for your mental health. If you’re unsure, we can discuss this together.

A 60-minute session is $130.00 payable at the completion of the counselling session. You can pay by EFT or bank transfer. The session cost is comparable to a mental health care plan out-of-pocket ('gap') payment to a psychologist.

I have a youth fee (under 18 years) which is $100 + GST for 60 minutes.

I also offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your situation and see if we’re a good fit.

I will find out more about you, why you’ve come to me and what you would like to achieve through counselling or coaching. We then set a plan to achieve these goals and monitor progress along the way. I also like to set tasks which you complete each week so you can practice new skills.

At the moment, all my sessions are online via ZOOM. It is a convenient way to access my counselling service from any part of the world.

While I can’t guarantee that counselling will solve the specific problem you are facing, I can guarantee that I will make every effort to provide you with a dedicated, considered, confidential and professional service.

Cancellation fees are as follows:
0-24 hours' notice - full fee is payable.
24-48 hours' notice - 50% fee is payable.

Please be respectful of my schedule and contact me via email or phone to re-book.

Diploma in Counselling (Registered with the Australian Counselling Association)
Cert 4 in Professional Life Coaching
Bachelor of Communications
Mental Health First Aid certificate

Advanced study majors:
Relationship counselling and conflict resolution
Working with children and adolescents

Pending:
Counselling Clients with Addictions