Joy sparks the urge to play, interest sparks the urge to explore, contentment sparks the urge to savour and integrate, and love sparks a recurring cycle of each of these urges within safe, close relationships.
Barbara Fredrickson
Our Journey & the Investment
Though it may not always be explicitly stated, therapy is an investment in honour of your Self. We often spend our lives working to attain a sense of success without ever truly acknowledging what success means to us; we may spend much of our lives investing toward something only to find that that something feels empty.
What if that investment was toward you? Toward creating a sense of contentment that could withstand the perils of this world. This is what your investment and your commitment toward therapy can attain.
Priceless
With that said there are still the realities of this world and the work that I do. Therefore, your investment in your Self when working with me shall look like:
An initial 90-minute session at $180
This additional time allows me to ensure I have captured a full understanding of who you are and what you desire from therapy. This time also give us space to complete the required documentation.
60-minute weekly sessions at $120
You are welcome to book longer sessions should you wish to delve deeper each week. If time permits, I can offer up to 90-minutes at a time, this is at a rate of $180.
Please see below to understand what our sessions may look like. I encourage you to view my services and specialty page alongside my page about how I work.
Session Format:
Sessions are generally 60 minutes long, spaced weekly. During the sessions I may include a combination of the following:
(feel free to click on the hand to expand the information provided)
Actively support you in co-regulated connection. Connecting in a manner that allows you to feel resonantly seen, heard, understood, accepted, valued, and delighted in.
-
- This is a connection that gives compassion before knowledge.
- This is a connection that not only allows you to express your emotions, so too enables you to understand and physically/sensorily feel them.
- This is a connection that assists you to identify your positive traits and abilities, as well as to build upon them.
Actively collaborate with you a compassionate-focussed reparative practice rather than a “judge-it then fix-it” symptom-focussed practice.
-
- This is a collaborative practice that holds foundations in the body and mind’s innate ability to change.
- This is a collaborative practice that allows you to recognise, identify, and understand the biopsychosocial manner by which you sense, perceive, interpret, and react/respond to various situations. Specifically, to recognise, identify, and understand the ways you have learned to cope with suffering and hardship.
- This is a collaborative practice that assists you in understanding the ways you may have learned to adapt or to hide your authentic sense of Self.
- This is a collaborative practice that aims to work toward co-constructing a level of physical, mental, and relational insight that opens avenues for you to make changes in alignment with your desired outcomes or goals.
- This is a collaborative practice where I will work with you in the creation of those goals should you require the assistance to identify what you truly yearn for or desire in life.
Actively engage with you to develop contextual coherence by contacting and committing to movement toward integrated wellbeing.
-
- This is an engagement that above all offers choice and autonomy – as a trauma-informed therapist it is paramount that you are offered a felt sense of safety above all else. As the client I always welcome you to let me know if at any time you do not wish to engage in what I am offering. I will always welcome your authentic feedback of my service.
- This is an engagement that may offer specific interventions that are appropriate to your desired outcomes or goals.
- This is an engagement that may provide relevant information verbally, via diagram or illustration, through literature, and/or in handout form.
- This is an engagement that may offer resources or activities to help you gain insight and understanding, or to integrate session outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get started?
I am glad you asked! To get started simply connect with me via the button below. You can let me know a little but about yourself and ask any questions you may have.
Upon receiving your message I shall respond with answers to any questions you may have had. I shall also set up a phone consult to connect and to ensure that you feel most comfortable with who I am and to ensure my services are the right fit for you.
Are your services covered by Medicare or Insurance?
At this point in time my services as a registered counsellor are unfortunately not recognised by the Medicare Benefits Schedule. However, you will find my services are charged at a rate similar to the gap fee charged by many psychologists. Additionally I often work alongside my clients psychologists to provide a more holistic and integrated level of care.
Whilst the Better Access initiative aims to improve treatment and management of mental illness within the community and does offer patients reduced fee’s to some mental health professionals, services within this schedule are time-constrained and often focus solely on symptom management. In addition these services often accrue a long waitlist where clients are faced with extensive delays.
The APS National Schedule of Recommended Fees 2023-2024 has the standard 45 to 60-minute consultation fee at $300. The current medicare rebate is $93.35
I am currently not registered with any health care providers.
How do you take payment?
I invoice prior to our therapy session, where payment is to direct debited into my account the day of the session.
Investing in psychotherapy is ultimately about placing value and worth in yourself. If your financial situation changes or you find yourself having concerns about the money side of therapy, do feel free to bring any concerns to your sessions and we can spend time working through this together.
What issues can you help with?
Though I have experience and capacity to work with a diversity of mental health challenges, my experience within the space of burnout & trauma has always been where my passion lies – particularly where issues of Self and Identity arise from ambiguous trauma. I have found that, alongside the genetic and epigenetic components of mental wellbeing, many presentations of mental illness reflect various forms of a lost sense of Self. This epoch of time we live in is just not set up to honour the individual and unique nature of who we are.
With this in mind, some of the mental health challenges I can assist you with, however do not limit myself to, include:
- Trauma (including developmental)
- Professional or Personal Burnout
- Carer Burnout
- Familial / Relationship Breakdown
- Lost Sense of Self / Impacts of Mental Illness
You can read more about my specialties HERE.
Can therapy actually help me?
Client Testimonials:
Client 19yo Australian female presenting with an unplanned pregnancy, DFV, and a history of sexual abuse
I have dearly enjoyed working with Chele for the past year. She is by far the most remarkable counsellor I have ever come across. Chele is compassionate, a great listener, gentle, caring, intelligent, professional, and kind. I appreciate her flexibility with appointments, the way she checks in when we haven’t spoken, that she remembers details, shows concern, is non-judgemental and genuine.
Chele has also provided me with many resources once our session has concluded which has been so helpful and the extra time, she puts in makes me feel cared for. She is very good at building and maintaining professional relationships. Chele always invites me to use our time however I like but also offers suggestions if I’m unsure. She also has a very in-depth knowledge of psychology which has really helped me to understand myself more.
She is the type of counsellor who genuinely cares, goes the extra mile and is incredibly knowledgeable concerning counselling/ psychotherapy. I could not recommend her enough!
Client 25yo presenting with an unplanned pregnancy, relationship doubts, and anxiety.
I looked for support through counselling as I was feeling overwhelmed due to an unplanned pregnancy. Once I reached out, Chele was very quick to respond and set up our first session. She has been very reliable, consistent and flexible when it comes to organising our sessions and communication.
I have faced challenges with visas, medical care and work which has really contributed to my stress. My initial session with Chele was the first time I felt supported during my pregnancy. Chele is not only a great listener but is very interactive and helps me gain a better understanding of myself by explaining some ways the mind develops from a young age. I have found this very interesting.
During our sessions Chele has managed to pick up on my body language and helps me to explore and identify my emotions, I didn’t think this would be possible over zoom meetings but I feel that she is very present and observant. She is quick to recognise an increase in anxiety and helps me to manage this in the moment.
Chele has been very open to receiving feedback from me and I feel like we have made progress throughout each session. I feel very blessed to have support from Chele.
Client 38yo female presenting with infertility, chronic endometriosis, and depression
Chele has been a wonderful counsellor to me over the 20 months or so. There is much I could say, but I will try to keep it brief.
I have found Chele to be warm and compassionate, a very empathetic listener and professional in each of the many sessions we have had together. Not only has she helped me work through some traumatic experiences which had significantly impacted my life, she also equipped me with much needed skills.
These included:
- An understanding of and ability to set boundaries (something I neither knew I could set, nor any idea of how to set them)
- The ability to ‘feel’ my emotions without being scared I would fall back into depression
- A shift in mindset from black and white thinking to a more colourful view of my circumstances.
Chele has walked with me each step of the way, helping to refine my thinking & allowing me to reframe the narrative of my life.
Throughout our time working together, Chele has suggested additional resources with no pressure to read or listen to them. This has provided me with the freedom to choose those I felt beneficial without guilt or expectation related to those I did not. I have found many of these resources added to my experience in the Client/Counsellor relationship and have certainly equipped me with a deeper understanding in area’s relevant to my journey.
With regards to how Chele’s counselling has impacted my life:
- I have gone from someone too scared to say no or stand up for my beliefs/values (at risk of others becoming upset with me) to someone now taking steps towards learning how to be more assertive (yet still being kind)
- I am learning to reframe difficult experiences in my life rather than running away from them
- I have learned to slow down and process my thoughts, becoming much more mindful of them, rather than having them race around in my head
- I’m also learning to have more compassion towards others, recognising I don’t know what they have been through themselves
I especially appreciate how Chele has been mindful & respectful of my Christian faith throughout our sessions and feel this has added to the overall counselling experience.
Chele provides a great balance of listening and reflection and I believe she truly hears what I’m saying. I’m very thankful I chose to see Chele for counselling.
Client 35yo female presenting with unplanned pregnancy, depression/anxiety, isolation, and ongoing hypervigilance due to past DFV
Chele has been a valuable part of my life for approximately 15/16mths now. Speaking to Chele most weeks, her helping me process big things, little things and all in between, having that one person listen to me and help me to become a better person/mum has been a life changer. The reassurance I receive helps more than she is aware as I muddle my way through life especially with parenting.
Chele has been a vital part of my weekly routine, with patience and kindness if my children need me which is usually the case throughout our sessions.
Over the previous years, I have attended other therapist and never stuck with them as there just wasn’t that bond per se. Chele brings a kindness throughout our zoom screen which for someone like myself is extremely beneficial.
Client 69yo female presenting with overwhelm from Carer Burnout. Caregiver to son & granddaughter both with Schizoaffective Disorder and recent onset psychosis (granddaughter).
Chele has been a blessing to me during the time she has been my Counsellor.
Chele is the utmost “Professional”, yet at the same time, has shown so much empathy towards me.
Chele is wonderful to liaise with… listens to my concerns/fears/sadness/hurt & explains in a way I can understand. I feel very comfortable with Chele & have total trust in her.
I absolutely value Chele’s counselling & her ability to make me feel safe.
Having had a recent Acute family incident, Chele in her “official” role, took the “onus” from me. I will never be able to thank her enough for her professionalism in that moment. I was not able to cope, I knew I wasn’t…
Compassionate Helpful Empathetic Laughter Encouraging
Chele….you have helped me so much in such a short period, given me ‘counselling’ in a way that I’ve never experienced previously.
Thank-you🙏🌻
Client 19yo female presenting with symptoms of complex trauma(CPTSD) and OCD. Caregiver to sibling diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Chele was the first counsellor I felt I could trust and was able to explore ‘scary’ topics with her. She went out of her way to make sure I felt safe and supported while working through my trauma both in and out of sessions. Chele provided me with tools and techniques to manage symptoms of OCD and was very supportive and helped ground myself despite my inner turmoil. I feel as if I made a lot of good changes with Chele’s help and I am really grateful I got the opportunity to have her as my counsellor.
Client 36yo female presenting with confusion and overwhelm. Caregiver to partner diagnosed with depression and anxiety.
I’d like to express my gratitude for your invaluable support throughout my journey, especially considering the challenges I’m still facing. Your insights and guidance have helped me gain a deeper understanding of myself. Additionally, I’m grateful for your kindness and your efforts to assist me not only during therapy sessions but also by providing useful information and resources. A heartfelt thank you for the book you sent me.
Client 7yo female presenting with PTSD from DFV. Caregiver to older sibling of high needs AuDHD
Chele has connected with my 7 year old and offered her a space she feels safe and heard. She has been available on the phone to help me understand behaviours and presentations in a way that is relatable to me and provided accessible guidelines for me to support my daughter. I have also had the pleasure of seeing Chele interact with others at group events. She provides emotional security to all members whilst maintaining professional boundaries. Due to her approachable nature, extensive knowledge, and clear level of professionalism, I would not hesitate to recommend Chele to a variety of age groups and support needs.
Client 39yo female presenting with overwhelm from Carer Burnout. Caregiver to son with physical disabilities
Chele’s compassion and understanding created a safe space for me to explore my vulnerabilities. She helped me uncover and process the deepest emotions that I had not been aware of for far too long. Her insights have been invaluable, and I am grateful for the growth and healing I gained through the journey of self-discovery she has facilitated. Thank you Chele!
Client 10yo female caregiver to younger sibling of high needs AuDHD.
From Mother of Client:
My daughter has been connected with Chele for the last few months. In this time I have seen her build on her confidence as a juvenile career to her younger brother and demonstrate an ever growing self-assurance. My daughter has really enjoyed spending time, just for her, with Chele who has worked really hard to ensure she has felt seen and heard. Chele has always been outstanding with her communication and understanding when we have had to re-arrange appointments. Chele has offered a service to my daughter that has embedded a positive perspective and will help her to continue to build on this. We are so grateful for her care and support.
Client:
Chele is fun to talk with. You can always be open when you talk to her. I love my time with her. She’s so funny and kind. She gives me confidence that I can always talk to someone about what’s going on in my head. .
Client 13yo male caregiver to younger sibling of high needs physical disability.
From Mother of Client:
I found Chele to be very professional and diligent in all our sessions, showing great empathy and extending many insightful observations and offering practical solutions. Chele assisted my son via Young Carers QLD to deal with some very difficult emotions, for which I am very grateful.
Client:
Chele was a great listener and helped me to calm my nerves and talk about my feelings. This worked very well as gathering your feelings and keeping them to yourself can be hard and painful, but talking with Chele while she was giving advice that was supporting the situation assisted me in lots of ways.
Client 14yo female caregiver to older sibling diagnosed with schizophrenia.
My teenage daughter has been coming to see Chele for some months now. I find Chele to be refreshingly open, warm, flexible and relatable as a counsellor. Someone who is aligned with the needs and challenges of today’s youth. She is quite a youthful, vibrant and optimistic person. which I think is ideal as a counsellor for children. I have full confidence in Chele as a counsellor for my daughter.
Client 9yo male caregiver to older sibling of high needs AuDHD
I can not speak highly enough of Chele we have been luckily enough to receive counselling with her twice now and my son when he heard he was going back to see her was ecstatic. She always makes him feel heard and he feels happy when he knows he has there chats to look forward too. She is kind and understanding of our extremely stressful situation and is always going above and beyond to help make life just that little bit simpler for us. As a mother I’m so happy to see my child feel safe and heard after every session and couldn’t ask for anything more.
Client 12yo female caregiver to older sibling of high needs AuDHD
Chele has been working with my 12yo daughter for the past few months. She has a kind, patient and caring approach. She has helped me with providing input and advice when asked and made suggestions. Thank you.
