FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions About Counselling & Psychotherapy
Starting therapy can bring up plenty of practical questions.
Below you’ll find answers about appointments, fees, privacy, online sessions, referrals and whether my practice may be the right fit for what you’re looking for.
Newtown, Sydney · In-person + online · Individual therapy
Before starting therapy
Do I need a GP referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan?
No. You can contact me directly and arrange an appointment without seeing your GP first.
Sydney Counsellor is a private counselling and psychotherapy practice, so Medicare rebates are not available for sessions. For some people, the out-of-pocket cost can nevertheless be similar to private psychology fees after a Medicare rebate.
Do you offer couples counselling?
No. I currently work with individuals rather than couples.Relationship difficulties are, however, a significant part of my individual psychotherapy work. You are welcome to bring concerns such as betrayal or infidelity, attachment, jealousy, boundaries, intimacy, breakups, dating patterns or uncertainty about whether to stay in a relationship.
Your partner does not need to attend therapy.
Are there situations where you may not be the right therapist?
Yes. My practice is primarily focused on individual psychotherapy for concerns such as trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD and neurodivergence, relationship difficulties, attachment, work-related stress, self-esteem, shame and LGBTIQA+ concerns.
Some situations are better supported by a different or more specialised service. I do not provide crisis or emergency mental health care, specialist alcohol and other drug treatment, or intensive psychiatric treatment.
This may include situations involving active psychosis or mania, significant current substance dependence, or where a specialist program, multidisciplinary team or higher level of psychiatric support is needed.
This is about making sure the type and level of support matches what you need. If I believe another service would be more appropriate, I’ll be open about that and, where possible, suggest the type of support that may be a better fit.
What if I need urgent or crisis support?
Sydney Counsellor is not a crisis or emergency mental health service.
If you are in immediate danger or need urgent mental health assistance, please contact emergency or crisis services rather than waiting for a counselling appointment.
If something changes significantly while we are already working together, we can also discuss whether additional medical, psychiatric or specialist support may be needed alongside or instead of psychotherapy.
Appointments & fees
How long is a counselling session?
Standard individual sessions are 50 minutes.
Your first individual session is 65 minutes at the same fee, which gives us a little more time to understand what has brought you to therapy and what you would like help with.
Longer sessions may sometimes be available for EMDR or more focused work where appropriate.
What does therapy cost?
Standard individual counselling and psychotherapy sessions are $200 for 50 minutes.
Your first individual session is 65 minutes at the same fee.
Limited after-hours appointments are $230.
How often should I come to therapy?
This depends on what you are working on, your circumstances and what feels manageable.
Where possible, weekly sessions - or at least fortnightly sessions - can help maintain continuity and momentum, particularly at the beginning.
You are not locked into attending on the same day or at the same time each week, and we can review frequency together as the work progresses.
Do you offer evening appointments?
Yes. A limited number of after-hours appointments are available at $230 per session.
Daytime appointments before 5pm are $200.
Privacy, confidentiality & online therapy
Is counselling confidential?
Yes. What you discuss in therapy is private and confidential, subject to the usual legal and safety exceptions that apply to counselling and psychotherapy practice.
I keep confidential clinical notes as part of providing professional care. These are stored securely and handled in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
Will my GP or other health professionals be told what we discuss?
Not routinely.
Sydney Counsellor is a private, independent psychotherapy practice. Information is not routinely shared with your GP or other health professionals unless you ask me to do so, give consent, or there is a legal or safety reason that requires disclosure.
Do you offer online therapy?
Yes. I offer online counselling and psychotherapy across Australia as well as in-person appointments from my practice in Newtown.
For many people, online therapy can work very well, and some clients choose to alternate between online and in-person sessions depending on their circumstances.
Can I switch between online and in-person appointments?
Yes. Where appropriate, you can use a hybrid approach and move between in-person and online sessions rather than having to choose one format permanently.
Finding the right fit
How do I know whether you’re the right therapist for me?
You do not need to be certain before getting in touch.
A good therapeutic fit usually involves feeling sufficiently comfortable, understood and able to be honest with the person you are working with. The first session gives us an opportunity to begin getting a sense of that together.
If I believe another therapist or type of service would be more appropriate for what you need, I will be open with you about that.
What if I don’t know what to talk about?
That is completely fine.
You do not need to arrive with a clear agenda, diagnosis or perfectly organised explanation of what is wrong. Some people know exactly what they want to work on; others simply know that something does not feel right.
We can start with what is happening for you now and work from there.
What type of therapy do you use?
I work integratively rather than using one approach with everyone.
Depending on what you need, therapy may draw on EMDR, Schema Therapy, ACT, CBT, psychodynamic psychotherapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy and experiential approaches such as parts work, inner child work or empty-chair exercises.
You do not need to choose a therapy model before starting. We can decide together what is likely to be most useful.
Can I contact you before deciding whether to book?
Yes. You are welcome to get in touch with a question or briefly explain what you are looking for help with.
If it sounds as though my practice may be suitable, we can arrange a first appointment. If it does not, I’ll let you know rather than encouraging you to book when another type of support would be more appropriate.
READY WHEN YOU ARE
Still have a question?
If you’re considering therapy but are not quite sure where to start, you’re welcome to get in touch.
You don’t need to know which therapeutic approach you need or have everything figured out before contacting me.
Newtown, Sydney · In-person + online · Individual therapy