What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychotherapist?

Psychologists are trained in psychological assessment, diagnosis and treatment, as well as research methods. This may be the right choice for you if you are looking for targeted help with a specific mental health condition. Psychotherapists do not diagnose, but instead try to understand the patient as a person in the context of their life circumstances. Their training is often comparable in length, and focuses on psychological theory and on providing psychotherapy as a treatment. 

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What is the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
These terms are often used interchangeably. However, psychotherapists have usually completed a much longer and more thorough training. This is especially the case for psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approaches, where the therapist’s personal psychotherapy or psychoanalysis forms a key part of the training.

How is psychodynamic therapy different from psychoanalytic psychotherapy/psychoanalysis?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy, psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis all rely on the same basic principles. The difference in practice is the intensity, i.e. the number of sessions a week. More frequent sessions provide a lot more time to explore things, allowing a much deeper exploration of any difficulties. This can enable dysfunctional patterns to shift that less intensive therapy has not been able to not reach.

Is psychodynamic psychotherapy right for me?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is generally a good choice for people who are curious to learn more about themselves. I would encourage you to come for an initial consultation, which gives you a chance to experience for yourself whether this approach might be useful for you. Sometimes more than one session is needed to figure this out.

What happens in the initial consultation?
There is no specific structure, you can bring whatever you feel is important. Generally, we try to get an idea of you as a person, as well as the nature of your difficulties. Importantly, it gives you an initial idea of whether working with me might be helpful to you.

How long are sessions?
All sessions last 50 minutes, including the initial consultation

Do I need to prepare for sessions?
No, there is no need to prepare. Of course, there may be something specific that you would like to talk about or you may have thoughts in between sessions that you would like to explore further. On the other hand, you may feel like you don’t have anything in particular to bring, in which case you can just talk about whatever comes to mind. These can often be the most fruitful sessions, as what you end up talking about is often the most spontaneous and unguarded.

Do I need to commit to a certain number of sessions?
No, there is no need to commit to a certain number of sessions. Often it is most helpful to see how we go, and sometimes to take it week by week in the beginning.

How long will I need therapy for?
Everybody is different. It depends on what you wish to address, and also how far you want to go with it.

How frequently do I need to attend sessions?
Sessions take place at least once a week at a regular time. This is the minimum frequency to allow enough momentum to affect change. More frequent sessions can be helpful in some cases.

What happens if I miss or cancel a session?
If we decide on ongoing sessions I will reserve a regular time for you. This becomes your time, and I will keep it for you whether or not you are able to attend. This means that you still need to pay for the session even if you are unable to attend.

Is what I tell you confidential?
Yes, what we talk about in sessions is confidential. The only case in which I might need to break confidentially is if I was required to do so by law, or if I was seriously concerned about your safety. I will always endeavour to discuss this with you first.

How much do you charge?
Please enquire about my current rates. I have a limited number of low-fee spots available for those who are unable to afford my full-fee. If we work together for a long period of time I will review my fees annually.

Do you offer Medicare rebates?
No, psychotherapists are not currently eligible for medicare rebates.

Do I need a referral?
No, there is no need for a referral.

What if I want to end the sessions?
If you feel you want to end our sessions, I ask that you let me know, so that we think about this together. It is always recommended that we have at least one ending session to allow us to reflect on our work together and to say goodbye. If we have been working together for a while, it may be best to have a longer period to work towards an ending.

Do you offer remote sessions?
Yes, I offer sessions via Zoom. However, if you are able to come in person this is usually preferable, especially for the initial consultation.