Treatments
Individuals
Counselling sessions are 50 minutes face to face. After a general check-in it is decided where the initial focus of the session will be. This may shift several times during a session. A few minutes before the session’s end, we review our discussion, set follow up ‘homework’, such as journalling and behaviour-based ‘challenges’ or ‘committments’.
I seek to create value in each session and find 50 minutes is usually more than enough time to expend all available energy on focussing on support needs and facilitating positive change.
I make no assumptions about what form my services may be of greatest practical benefit to people who feel some guidance or support is required. I often start with weekly sessions but back off to fortnightly where budget or practicality demands it. The overall number of sessions and frequency of sessions depends on the individual. Some people need a burst of intense assistance and then a break from counselling; others thrive on regular spaced sessions (eg fortnightly even monthly). Still others derive great personal, practical, existential and also ‘spiritual’ benefit from weekly psychotherapy that continues for several years.
Couples
I see couples for up to 1.5 hours. To begin, I schedule an individual ‘assessment of issues’ session for each partner separately, and work exclusively with the couple thereafter, unless there are special circumstances requiring attention with an individual that appears to be interfering with the progress of couples therapy (for example, pain management or addiction recovery). However most issues affecting one party in relationship, affect both and the other person can most often be a supportive witness to work focussed on their partner.
Generally, I seek a commitment of 10 sessions for couples, beginning weekly, then, with progress, spacing out to 2 weeks and monthly and finally a three monthly and six monthly review to ensure the changes made are consolidated and integrated.
From my perspective, in relationship counselling, there is no one-size fits all approach. Every relationship is unique. Some couples only need 4 or 5 session ‘relationship tune-ups’, other couples require painstaking thorough ‘relationship re-builds’ that address long-standing in-grained trust and communication roadblocks. With some couples, after initial crisis style intervention has been effective, the frequency of sessions can be backed off to suit budget, work and family demands.
To ensure old patterns of unconscious and damaging behaviours do not revert to pre-counselling ‘default settings’, some form of longer term follow-up is essential. I encourage everyone to visit 2-6 months following cessation of regular counselling, to ‘check-in’ where they are at and share honestly what issues seem to be persisting or re-appearing.
Family
I work in ‘family therapy mode’ primarily with parents and adolescents. In family therapy, individuals within the family are seen as participating in a collective ‘dynamic’ that contributes unhelpfully in family stress or the acting out of a particular identified ‘problem’ individual. Family therapy assists to uncover hidden motives, habits and conflicts that prevent family members supporting and honouring each other. I do work with childhood phobias and fears with children over 5 years of age, however I am not a child psychology specialist and will refer on issues of developmental delay, learning difficulties and severely entrenched night terrors, continence and abuse history cases in pre-adolescent children.
I assist with a variety of typical adolescence-related issues, including depression, adolescent-parent conflicts and careers decision-making for teenagers. I do not work with young offenders, severely anorexic or drug-addicted young adults, as there are more specialised and better resourced, government and private services generally available. Similarly, psychiatric emergencies (such as psychotic episodes, injurious suicide attempts), as well as violent or repeat young offenders are generally best dealt with by specialized youth and adolescent services.
Feel free to call me to discuss your family related concerns and I may be able to suggest alternatives for you (or other points of enquiry), if I don’t feel my skill set is suitable.
Organisations/Workplaces/Work-related Injury/Legal
Commercial, Government and Non-government working groups can be assisted by psychologists in a variety of circumstances including:
- Individual counselling for employees with personal problems affecting performance or threatening their capacity to remain in the role.
- Assistance for staff with trauma in the workplace (injury, threats, bullying)
- CEO and key personnel mentoring,
- Communication strategies, goal-setting and empowerment for identified staff members
- Consulting to address bullying and conflict in work teams.
- Mediation in staff disputes where emotions are eroding clarity and productivity
I have successfully consulted in all the above spheres over 20 years and would be pleased to discuss with management any of the above services.
Psychological services that address work-related or road accident related psychological injury (in the form of post-traumatic, stress, chronic pain, burnout, rehabilitation-related depression etc) are often covered by insurers. Your solicitor or claim manager/rehab consultant/case manager and your GP are good sources of information about these services. I am experienced in the above areas and a Workcover registered services provider.
Psychologists can often assist with the tremendous stress of prolonged legal disputation, as well as loss and violation as a victim of violent or humiliating crimes.
In addition, psychologists can help with anger management and alcohol dependency issues in the lead up to a court appearance that relates to incidents where these were a factor. Given some matters take months to come before the court, there is time to create a genuine track record of a sincere attempt to ‘reform’ prior to a case being heard.
I generally will not write diminished responsibility report for an individuals facing criminal charges. (Other psychologists may). I will however write an appropriate note to the judge for a person who has attended appropriate number of counselling sessions exploring issues surrounding their offending, if I believe their efforts were genuine. There may be part-funding sources for this counselling via Medicare or other government funding.
Community Services
Psychologists provide assistance for neighbourhood disputes and collective and individual trauma in community.
I have worked with refugees and trauma victims over the years, assisting people to rebuild their confidence, trust and their lives. I have worked on behalf of the Australian government with Indo-Chinese and Middle-eastern refugees in the 80’s as well as with victims of terrorist acts and natural disasters.
The government often offers special funding in many these circumstances besides the Medicare part-funded services that may be applicable via a referral from a doctor.
Internet video counselling
Another option is to receive therapy via the internet. I use Skype,( interstate and international calls and Google+) and am willing to offer video/phone counselling services (where appropriate) to clients based anywhere in the world. For more details, click here to visit my web counselling page.
