What type of counselling is offered? 
 
I offer face to face counselling in Manly West and online counselling.

Online counselling is quickly becoming a common way of gaining access to high quality services. Some of the benefits my clients appreciate are not having to travel or arrange childcare, and the comfort of attending sessions from the privacy of their own home or workplace.  
 
Some important considerations of online counselling are: 

• Ensuring that you are in a private location 

• Logging in a few minute's early to ensure the connection is working 

• Having a comfortable place to sit 

 How can I prepare for a first session? 
 
An initial session will explore what is currently happening for you, what you would like to improve and what your goals for counselling are. If you wanted to prepare for a first session you may want to think about some of the key challenges you would like to work on, as well as what your goals for counselling are.  

How many sessions will be needed? 
 
Some people will seek counselling for a smaller issue that they want to work on, while for others it is to address issues that have be present for a longer period of time, therefore there is no set amount of sessions that suits all people. Most people find that after two to three sessions the key challenges and ways of moving forward have been identified. Many clients say that they benefit most from having between six to twelve sessions, with additional 'check-in' sessions as needed.  

How do I know if you are the right counsellor? 
 
While any professional you seek assistance from should be qualified, a member of a peak professional body and experienced, it is important that you feel the 'fit' between yourself and the counsellor is right. This should result in feeling supported, understood and not judged. If the fit with the counsellor you are seeing does not feel right for you it is important to discuss this with them to see if this can be resolved, or if a different counsellor might be more appropriate for you.  

What happens in a relationship counselling session? 
 
A relationship counselling session is an opportunity to discuss the challenges and strengths of your relationship with a trained professional. Through gaining clarity and insight into the issues affecting you and your partner and developing the skills and strategies to address these issues, improvements in connection and intimacy can be made. Many couples say that through doing this, over time they are able to form a stronger, and more understanding relationship than they previously had.  

Do you take sides? 
 
It is not the role of a relationship counsellor to take sides in a session. The aim is to support both people in the relationship, while assisting them in gaining increased awareness of the issues and how to improve them. This includes developing the understanding of how both partner's behaviour affects each other, and the challenges and strengths that both people bring to the relationship.  

Is it too late for us? 
 
People often ask if it is too late for them to get help. Quite often people avoid the pain of dealing with relationship issues, resulting in counselling being sought when it feels like there is a lot to deal with. However it is never too late to get assistance for a relationship, and many people who are concerned about this feel a sense of relief when they are finally able to talk about what is happening for them.  

What should I do if my partner does not want to attend? 
 
Sometimes when there are challenges in a relationship you may find that your partner may not be willing or ready to address them. In this situation you can still gain support to better understand what is happening in your relationship, and address the issues which you can control. It is important to remember that it only takes one person to plant the seed of possible change in the relationship.  

Do we attend on our own or as a couple? 
 
While it is important to seek help as a couple for relationship issues, sometimes it can also be useful to talk with each partner individually to clarify the issues in the relationship, the goals for each partner, and then bring this back into a session as a couple.