What is the difference between a psychotherapist, a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
A Psychiatrist has a Medical Degree and can prescribe medications; a Psychologist has an academic degree from a university. Either of them may (or may not) also be a Psychotherapist who has specialist training in longer-term and sometimes quite intensive work with people who know they need something more than medication or cognitive strategies to resolve issues that usually date back to childhood and/or trauma. Psychotherapists may also have a Social Work or other academic degree, but the crucial difference is that they will have themselves entered into their own psychotherapy journey.
How long does a session last?
Usually 50 minutes to an hour.
How long does treatment take?
That is a choice made by each individual. It could be weeks or years, but the crucial aspects are regularity and reliability.
What sorts of issues do you treat?
Those who most need psychotherapy have usually discovered that the same issues, situations or relationship difficulties keep repeating in their life, and they often sense that their early years still affect them in adult life. Some people who come to us have chronic physical conditions made worse by life experiences. They may come with relationship issues, or some degree of depression or anxiety. Most particularly, we are trauma-informed therapists, so many of our clients have a history of some sort of abuse, neglect, mal-treatment or the early loss of a parent.
What exactly is Somatic Psychotherapy?
These days with us it is mostly a “talk therapy”, but we are trained in the links between body, mind, emotion and life experience. We do a lot of listening to you. Somatic Psychotherapy encompasses the mind/body/emotions experience: whilst mostly using “talk” therapy, we are always listening to your words and also taking into account what is happening somatically — changes of breathing, posture, expression, voice etc — so those forms of communication are included too. Some somatic psychotherapists may also use “Sensorimotor” work or “Focusing”, which can help you discover more about what you are experiencing.
What might I expect from seeing you?
Hopefully, after a few sessions you will feel better about the initial issue that has brought you to therapy. That may be enough for you. For others, it may become clear in those initial sessions that you need to give yourself more time. In a supportive and non-judgemental environment you are likely to make important links between your present-day issues and your life experience, and with that you can gradually have more choices in the way you live your life.
Can I claim a Medicare rebate?
That is possible with some psychotherapists, but it requires a diagnosis of a mental health problem from the medical profession. Some psychotherapists choose to maintain the total privacy of their clients and do not enter into such third-party arrangements. Some psychotherapists with an additional degree in Psychology or Social Work may offer a limited number of Medicare-rebatable sessions with a GP referral.
Can I claim a rebate from my health insurer?
As with Medicare, this may be possible with some psychotherapists but not with others.
Are you insured?
Yes. We all belong to a professional association that requires us to be insured.
How do I book an appointment?
Simply ring, or fill out the contact form for the therapist you decide may best suit you. As Alison is not currently taking new referrals, please contact one of her colleagues — Judith Hamilton-Smith or Leonie Hibbert — directly via their pages.
Can you come to me?
As a general rule we mostly do not make home visits.
Can you cater for disabled access?
Access varies depending on where each therapist works. Please ask the colleague you wish to see about the access at their consulting rooms before your first appointment so we can let you know what to expect.
I have been in a psychiatric hospital. Can you still see me?
Each person and each therapist is different. All of us are willing to talk with you about whether we are the best fit for you at this time, and we have all worked with clients who have “been through the system”.
What is your experience of people in my situation? Have you treated people like me before?
That is very individual, but all of our colleagues have had very broad experience and have been working a long time with many different people in many extreme or unusual situations.