Frequently asked questions

No. You can get started via phone or email, or book a session online at a time that works for you. 

Typical cost:

$90-$150 per 50-60min session.

Typical cost:

$130-$300 per 50-60min session.

Typical cost:

Initial: $400-$800+
Follow-up: $200-$500.

In our first session, we’ll begin by building a picture of your physical, mental, and social wellbeing. You’re welcome to bring any previous reports or information from other health professionals, and we can talk about whether you’d like me to collaborate with them as part of your care.

From there, we’ll explore what’s brought you here, what feels most important right now, and what you hope to change or better understand. We’ll also discuss what a reasonable pace of therapy might look like, including how many sessions may be helpful and how often to meet. This is shaped by your goals, the type of concerns you’re working through, and what feels sustainable for you.

If cost is a barrier, a lower concession rate is available - no questions asked.

After the session, you’ll receive a written summary outlining your goals, the expected focus and pace of therapy, costs, and clear information about confidentiality and privacy.

I’ll soon be offering in-person sessions in the Brunswick or Footscray areas. If you’d like to see me in person, you’re welcome to join the waitlist, or we can begin working together online and move to in-person sessions once spaces open.

The pace and duration of therapy depend on what you’re working through, your goals, and what feels sustainable for you. Research suggests that therapy generally falls into two broad patterns:

Brief therapy

For focused concerns, short-term adjustments, or specific goals, counselling may run for 4–8 sessions, usually weekly or fortnightly. This approach works well when we’re targeting a particular issue or skill.

Longer-term therapy

For longer-term work, it can be helpful to have a sense of the journey ahead. While there’s no fixed limit on how many sessions you can attend, we usually make an initial plan for a block of 10-15 sessions for deeper or more complex concerns. This gives us enough time to build safety, explore themes at a steady pace, and work toward your goals.

We review progress together every 10 sessions. These check-ins help stay aligned with your needs, and they also support thoughtful planning for endings, which is an important part of therapy in its own right. Some people choose to continue beyond the initial block; others shift to fortnightly, monthly, or as-needed sessions as things stabilise.

Ultimately, the duration and frequency are set collaboratively and can change over time. If cost is a barrier, a concession rate is available - no questions asked.

I support adults (18+) with a range of concerns, including:

• Trauma, loss, and grief

• Questions of meaning, identity, and major life transitions

• Connection, trust, and interpersonal challenges

• Patterns like substance use, screen time, or overworking

• Anxiety, stress, and emotional regulation

• Religious trauma, cults, and high-control groups

Our initial phone call is a good chance to talk about your specific needs. If something sits outside my scope, I’ll let you know and help you connect with an allied health professional who’s a better fit.

Concession price: $75 (60 minutes)

Concession pricing is available for students, pension card holders, and people experiencing financial hardship who aren’t eligible for funded supports such as the NDIS or Medicare. This policy exists to support those who often fall into a gap in the mental health system.

No documentation is required, and no questions asked. 

Fees are payable after your session on the same day, using either Halaxy’s secure online system or via PayID or direct-deposit.

Halaxy accepts a range of payment methods, including credit and debit cards.

Life can be unpredictable. If you need to reschedule or cancel it's no problem, just let me know as soon as you can. Sessions cancelled on the day of the appointment, or not attended, incur a fee of 50% of the session rate. This fee can be waived in cases of emergency or unforeseen crisis.

My approach is integrative, using person-centred and relational foundations alongside cognitive behavioural, narrative and mindfulness based therapies.

I work under regular clinical supervision and follow the Australian Counselling Association Code of Ethics and Practice to ensure my work remains safe, accountable, and evidence-informed.

Relationally-focused therapy

Relational therapy is well suited to clients experiencing difficulties in connection, trust, boundaries, or repeating interpersonal patterns. 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness supports regulation, grounding, and awareness of internal states. It can be particularly helpful for anxiety, stress, dissociation, and emotional regulation. 

Narrative approaches

Narrative therapy helps people re-examine the meanings they’ve carried and develop alternative ways of understanding their lives. It is often helpful when clients feel defined by problems, shame, or past identities. 

Person-centred counselling

Person-centred counselling is effective across a wide range of concerns, especially when trust and emotional safety are central. It can help explore your experiences, build self-understanding, and strengthen inner resources. 

Motivational interviewing

MI is particularly useful when someone feels ambivalent about change or unsure how to take the next step. It’s often helpful for concerns such as substance use, sleep routines, exercise, screen-time, and stress-management, as well as coping patterns like avoidance, withdrawal, or overworking, and any situation where motivation, confidence, or readiness vary over time.

Trauma informed CBT

TF-CBT provides safety and stabilisation while supporting gradual change. It is most effective for trauma-related symptoms such as avoidance, hyperarousal, intrusive thoughts, and unhelpful beliefs formed after overwhelming events. 

What you share in counselling is private and treated with strict confidentiality. Your information is stored securely and managed in line with Australian privacy law and the Australian Counselling Association Code of Ethics and Practice.

There are a small number of situations where I am legally or ethically required to break confidentiality. These include:

• if I believe there is a risk that you may seriously harm yourself or another person

• if there is a reasonable belief that a child is being harmed or is at risk of harm

• if information is required under a court order or subpoena

• if you give explicit consent for me to share information with another person involved in your care

We will go through these in your first session so you know exactly how your information is protected, what the exceptions are, and how decisions about information-sharing are made. You are always welcome to ask questions or raise concerns about confidentiality at any stage.

All information you share is stored securely and handled in line with Australian privacy law and the Australian Counselling Association Code of Ethics and Practice. This includes how your personal and health information is kept, how long it’s stored, and who can access it.

I use Halaxy's encrypted practice-management software for appointments, notes, and the secure storage of sensitive health information. Your details are not shared with anyone else unless you give explicit consent, or I am legally required to disclose information under very limited circumstances. 

Halaxy Privacy Policy: https://www.halaxy.com/article/privacy

Steady Ground Privacy Policy: https://www.steadyground.au/privacy-policy