“To each individual, the world will take on a different connotation of meaning - the importance lies in the desire to search for an answer.”

— T.S. Eliot

FAQs

Do you offer supervision in IFS?

Yes, I offer supervision in the IFS model. I am an ACA Recognised Supervisor and Certified IFS Therapist. The supervision fee is $170 for 60 minutes and $250 for 90 minutes. Learn more here.

I am not a Certified IFS Consultant so your hours with me do not count towards IFS Certification. However, supervision hours with me may count towards meeting your professional body’s requirement for supervision hours.

Do you offer in-person IFS sessions or online?

Currently, I only offer online sessions via Zoom.

Do you see interstate clients?

I welcome all people, from all states and territories in Australia.

Can we talk before starting ongoing therapy together?

Yes, I offer a free 15-minute phone or zoom consultation to connect, hear why you would like to start IFS therapy, ask any questions, and see if we are a good fit. We can also schedule our first IFS session from this call.

What is your availability? 

I currently work Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday

My working hours are between 8 am – 4:30 pm AWST*

My session times are 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm AWST**.

* 12 pm - 7:30 pm AEDT

**12 pm, 2 pm, 4 pm and 6 pm AEDT

How long is an IFS session and what are your fees?

IFS sessions are 90 minutes @ $210 including GST.

Do IFS sessions always have to be 90 minutes long?

Yes, IFS sessions are 90 minutes to allow time for the IFS process and the client’s system to unfold. I do offer flexibility to long-term clients when their needs require a shorter session.

Do I require a GP Mental Health Care Plan referral to see you? 

No, you do not require any referral to see me. My services are completely private and confidential, I do not report about you to Medicare or your GP.

Do you offer a rebate under the Medicare better access scheme?

As a Registered Professional Counsellor, I do not offer Medicare rebates under the Mental Health Plan. However, my fees are often equal to the gap clients pay to Psychologists or Psychiatrists after the rebate is applied.

Can you do Zoom sessions for someone living outside Australia?

I am no longer taking on international clients.

What can I expect in an intake session?

My most common arrangement with clients is to have an initial 60-minute intake session before we begin IFS therapy. This is a chance for us to connect and for you to share any important information or history which may be relevant to our sessions together.  It is also a chance for us to see if we are a good fit and chat about ongoing work together and what that may look like.

What can I expect in an IFS session?

Each session runs for 90 minutes. The purpose of the longer sessions is to allow clients the opportunity to go through the full IFS process in a single session. This does not happen every session but is more likely to happen in a single session when the session is 90 minutes.

IFS sessions are different from traditional talk therapy in several ways. Initially, I will invite you to share how you are and tell your story. Then I will summarize the different emotions/parts/behaviours which I hear. I will then ask you which emotion/part/behaviour you would like to focus on, understand better or help resolve. I will then guide you into a process known in IFS as Insight.

Insight may feel similar for some people to guided meditation. Often people close their eyes and I guide them using verbal cues and questions. The intention of my cues and questions is always to deepen their relationship with the part of them that they chose to focus on.

During insight, we will explore any protective parts around the target part, most IFS sessions are spent getting to know your protective system. During this process, you will gain clarity into why your personality is organised the way it is and how it protects you. You will also learn about the parts of you which were wounded (usually in childhood) which underpin your personality's protective parts.

When your protective system is ready, we will ask for permission to visit the wounded parts underneath which are stuck in the past holding hurt. IFS has a very specific and effective process to guide people through healing those parts holding burdened emotions and beliefs.

After an unburdening, there is an integration process where I will guide your protective parts to witness the one who was healed. They will then be able to do their own healing and take on new and healthy roles in your system (resolving or healing the emotions or behaviours you wanted to resolve). The complete IFS process does not happen in every session, although this is possible. Most often several sessions will be spent with the part being focused on and the protective parts around it before you build trust with them, they relax back and give permission for you to go to the wounded one.

Is IFS brief therapy?

IFS is not brief therapy. Similar to the body the psyche is multiple, complicated, and interconnected between its parts. It has many layers like an onion and sometimes entirely separate cloves like a clove of garlic. IFS therapy is a form of long-term psychotherapy. It needs to be said that some of the most frequently watched IFS demonstrations on the internet do not often resemble the experiences of IFS clients in therapy. Releasing and unburdening several parts which can happen in a single session does not often equal a change in behaviour or mood. Sometimes there are many layers and many parts which may use certain behaviours or contribute to feeling anxious or depressed. It’s more like building a relationship with many inner children and going back again and again. This client describes her psychotherapy experience well, read it here.

I am seeking support for a specific issue (anxiety, depression, low mood, mental well-being, relationships, family, grief and loss, trauma, PTSD). What areas do you have experience/training in?

I am comfortable working with most presenting issues and I specialise in IFS for anxiety, depression, trauma, mental well-being, and spiritual development. I have tertiary training and expertise in psychology, counselling, and psychotherapy and advanced post-graduate training in counselling, psychotherapy, and IFS. I participate in frequent and ongoing professional development each year to keep my knowledge and skills in these areas up to date and have regular professional supervision from a qualified counselling supervisor and a Certified IFS consultant, both individually and in professional consulting groups.

I have over 5 years of experience as a Counsellor and Group Facilitator working for Relationships Australia WA. I have worked in RAWA’s Domestic Violence program, Child Contact Service, Employee Assistance Program, Relationship Education Service, and Counselling Service. I have extensive experience counselling individual adults, couples, and children for most presenting issues.

At some point in the therapeutic journey can I do a joint session with my partner?

No, this would be an ethical dilemma for me as your therapist as I have already established a therapeutic relationship with you. I suggest you see a qualified and experienced couples therapist. I can make a referral for you to one I know and trust, please ask.

Do you offer couples therapy or marriage counselling?

Although I am an experienced couple’s therapist, I currently do not offer couples therapy online via Zoom. I can however refer you to several capable couples’ therapists I have worked with or been a client of whom I trust, please ask.