Counselling & Psychotherapy

Stewart Clarke BSW Dip.Psych (ANZAP) M.App.Sci, MAASW (acc.)
Consultant - Social Worker & Psychotherapist

Therapeutic Approaches

People can benefit from different approaches in personal counselling and therapy.

I suggest meeting for 2 consultations as part of an initial assessment and feedback process. This gives us both an opportunity to assess the presenting issues and history as well as experience how the 'fit' of working together feels.

I integrate the following evidence based approaches in counselling and psychotherapy work with Individuals and Couples:

  • Interpersonal therapy - particularly helpful for

 

  • Significant life adjustment issues
  • Grief
  • Depression
  • Post traumatic stress
  • Relationship issues

 

  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy  (CBT) - particularly helpful for

 

  • Identifying and addressing distorted and unhelpful thinking patterns that keep us stuck eg. 'worst case scenario', 'black and white'
  • Anxiety and Panic
  • Anger Management
  • Learning to use mindful observation to work with challenging feelings/reactions

 

  • Psychodynamic Psychotherapy - particularly helpful for
  • Repetitive difficulties in relationships
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Intimacy and avoidance issues
  • Unprocessed trauma - 'old stuff' being triggered, driving emotional reactions in the present in unhelpful ways eg. impulsive anger, substance misuse
  • Self esteem issues
  • Gaining better understandings about personal/professional life directions

About Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

In an Interpersonal Therapy process, empathic exploration of the issues at hand, works to connect with difficult feeling states. Our significant Interpersonal Relationships (intimate, social and work) are understood to directly relate to our sense of psychological & emotional well being. New communication and problem solving skills are incorporated into Interpersonal Therapy. The therapeutic relationship works to mobilise personal strengths and reduce feelings of 'stuckness' in the problem areas - expanding potentials for positive change.

About Contemporary Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy offers a space over some time to develop new understandings about some of the confusing and disruptive ways that we can be towards ourselves and others. The Psychotherapy relationship provides a learning forum that can shed light on how and why we get stuck in relating and behaving in unhelpful ways. The therapy helps to integrate new understandings and experiences about ourselves and our relationships with others- enhancing opportunities for lasting positive changes.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy occurs over varying amounts of time (brief through to longer term), depending upon the nature of the presenting needs. Therapy may also sometimes happen in phases with negotiated breaks between phases of help.

Session Fees (2019)

Individual  - $160 / Medicare may rebate $75 for up to 10 sessions in a calendar year

Couple      - $200 to $240 per session