Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist
ABOUT ME
I am a psychiatrist with a particular interest and experience in providing psychotherapy.
I work with individuals presenting with a range of life matters, including Relationship and Intimacy Concerns, Personality Disorders, Depression and Anxiety, Complex Trauma,
Childhood Adversity, Concerns with Identity, and
Issues with Parenting and Family Relationships
My work is guided by Psychoanalytic principles, for which I have pursued further training with the Victorian Association of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists (VAPP) through their Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Training Program.
I am an accredited Psychotherapy Supervisor for Psychiatry Registrars with The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP)
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you
Maya Angelou
MY SERVICES
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY
What is my approach to therapy?
The type of therapy I offer is Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. This type of therapy addresses the underlying psychological patterns affecting many areas of life. A psychoanalytic approach acknowledges that knowing and understanding what is happening in our minds can be challenging. However, an increased capacity to know what is difficult or painful to see in ourselves can be healing.
As your therapist, I will invite you to speak as freely as possible about the problem areas in your life that have brought you to therapy. I will support you to explore your full emotional range, including feelings that might be contradictory, difficult to express or troubling.
The therapy will aim to expand your sense of freedom by facilitating self-examination and increasing awareness of previously unconscious feelings and meanings. The more we are unaware of our experience, the more random, fragmented and confusing our experience may seem. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy aims to help one become aware of the conscious and unconscious links between thoughts, feelings, behaviours and events.
The therapy I offer provides a framework to help guide us, but each journey in therapy is different and, therefore, requires sensitivity and openness to what comes up. As a Psychotherapist, I help you along that journey by closely attending to what emerges in the therapy and the therapeutic relationship.
“Psychoanalytic therapy is not something done to or practised on another person. It is something done with another person”-Jonathan Shedler, PhD, Psychologist-Author.
SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
DO I NEED A REFERRAL?
In order to be eligible for the Medicare Rebate, you will need a referral from a GP/medical specialist
HOW MUCH DO THE SESSIONS COST?
There is an out-of-pocket expense for appointments.
A valid GP referral makes appointments eligible for a Medicare Rebate and counts towards the Medicare Safety Net. Once you have reached the Medicare Safety Net, the standard out-of-pocket consultation fee will be approximately $25- $30 per weekly appointment.
Therefore, this option is more affordable for someone seeking regular psychotherapy.
For further information regarding the Medicare Safety Net, please click on the following web link:
DO I PRESCRIBE MEDICATION?
Prescribing medication is not my primary mode of treatment.
There may be situations, however, where you and I feel that a trial of medication is warranted as part of the treatment.
Once careful consideration is given as to why medication is being prescribed, medication may be prescribed.
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
An initial phone call can be helpful to hear a bit about yourself and what might have led you to contact me.
If we decide to proceed with an appointment, I do believe it is helpful to meet a few times for me to get to know you and also for you to get a sense of my approach and whether it is the right one for you.
Following these initial appointments, I will provide feedback on my understanding of your concerns and discuss options for treatment, including proceeding with therapy.