Individual Counselling
One-to-one therapy for adults and adolescents, shaped around what you want to change.
Individual counselling is the core of what we do. Sessions run for 50 minutes, weekly or fortnightly at the start, and are held in our Melbourne CBD rooms or by secure video.
The first appointment is about understanding the whole picture — what's happening now, everything you have already tried, and the specific difference you want by the end of it. From there we agree on a focus and a way of working, and we review it openly as we go.
You don't need a diagnosis or a referral to begin. If a Mental Health Care Plan would help you access rebates, we'll explain exactly how to get one.
What to expect
The first session is history and direction: what brought you in, what you have tried, what you want different. Early on we agree a focus and a way of working, then review it openly as we go.
How many sessions will I need?
We agree the likely number of sessions with you at the first appointment, once we understand what's happening. A Mental Health Care Plan funds up to ten individual sessions per calendar year, and an initial referral commonly covers six before your GP reviews it. We set a review point rather than committing you to an open-ended course.
Evidence base
Source: health.gov.au
Individual psychological therapy is funded through the Australian Government's Better Access initiative, which sets the referral and session structure described here.
How we work with this
The shape of treatment, step by step — adjusted to what you bring and the pace you set.
Evidence-based, not one-size-fits-all
We draw on CBT, ACT, Schema Therapy and mindfulness-based approaches, and choose the fit for you rather than applying a fixed protocol.
Practical between sessions
You leave with something to try — a skill, an experiment, a way of noticing — so change happens in your week, not just in the room.
Reviewed together
We check in on progress regularly and adjust. If something isn't working, we say so and change it.
Questions about Individual Counselling
Do I need a diagnosis to start individual counselling?
No. You can begin without a diagnosis and without a referral. A diagnosis is relevant only where you want a Mental Health Care Plan, because Medicare requires a qualifying condition to fund the rebate.
How often will I come in?
Weekly or fortnightly at the start, moving to monthly as things stabilise. Spacing sessions too widely early on tends to slow progress, so we front-load and then taper.
What if it isn't working?
We review progress openly every few sessions. If the approach is not shifting anything, we change it or discuss a referral to someone better suited. Staying in a treatment that is not working serves nobody.
Can I see the same psychologist each time?
Yes. You see one clinician throughout unless you ask to change, which you can do at any point without explaining why.
Related services
Anxiety Counselling
Practical, evidence-based treatment for worry, panic, social anxiety and avoidance.
Depression Counselling
Support for low mood, exhaustion and the loss of interest in things that used to matter.
Trauma Counselling
Careful, paced treatment for single-incident and complex trauma, including PTSD.
Book with Peter
Sessions run 50 minutes, in our Melbourne CBD rooms or by secure video. No referral needed to begin.