No. People come to therapy for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes they are struggling with depression, anxiety, panic attacks or another identifiable difficulty. Just as often, people come because something simply doesn't feel right. They may feel stuck, disconnected from themselves, overwhelmed, or find themselves wondering, "I have everything I thought I wanted, so why am I not happy?" You don't need a diagnosis to begin therapy—only a sense that something in your life deserves attention.

No. You don't need a referral to make an appointment.

If you do have a Mental Health Care Plan and referral from your GP, however, you may be eligible for Medicare rebates.

The first one or two sessions are an opportunity for us to get to know one another. We'll explore what has brought you to therapy, but also the broader context of your life—your relationships, your experiences, what matters to you, and what has shaped you.

Just as importantly, we begin listening together. Not only to the difficulties that brought you in, but also to the patterns, thoughts and feelings that may help us better understand them. There is no pressure to tell your whole story at once. We simply begin where you are.

I encourage people to trust their own sense of whether they feel heard and understood. It is perfectly reasonable to take the first one or two sessions to see whether the relationship feels like a good fit.

You should feel welcomed as you are, understood rather than judged, and gradually develop a sense that we can work together as a team to understand the difficulties that brought you to therapy.

Yes, absolutely. In fact, this is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy.

You don't need to arrive with a clear explanation for how you're feeling. Part of the work of therapy is making sense of experiences that may be difficult to describe. If you find yourself wanting to come, that is often reason enough to begin the conversation.