One-on-One Psychological Support

Individual
Therapy

Personalised, evidence-based therapy in a safe and confidential space, helping you understand yourself more deeply, process what's been difficult, and build a life that feels more like yours.

50–60 min sessionsWeekly or fortnightly
Medicare RebatesWith a Mental Health Care Plan
In-Person & TelehealthBalwyn North or online
All ages & presentationsMatched to the right clinician

What is
individual therapy?

Individual therapy is a confidential, one-on-one conversation between you and a qualified psychologist. Sessions are tailored entirely to you (your concerns, your goals, and the pace that feels right).

It's a space where you don't have to perform or explain yourself to anyone else. Just you and a clinician who's focused entirely on understanding what you're going through and helping you find a path forward.

Whether you're dealing with something specific, like anxiety or grief, or simply feeling like something's not right, therapy can help you gain clarity, build skills, and make real and lasting change.

Tailored to You

No two people are the same. And neither is any two therapy journeys. Your psychologist designs an approach around your specific situation, goals, and strengths.

Confidential & Safe

Everything you share stays between you and your psychologist. Sessions are held in a private, calm environment, in-person in Balwyn North or via secure telehealth.

Evidence-Based Approaches

Our psychologists use therapies with strong research support (including CBT, ACT, EMDR, Schema Therapy, and more), always adapted to what works best for you.

Areas We Support

Our psychologists have broad experience across a wide range of mental health concerns.

01

Anxiety & Worry

Generalised anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, health anxiety, specific phobias (practical strategies to break the anxiety cycle and regain your sense of calm).

02

Depression & Low Mood

Persistent low mood, loss of motivation, emptiness, and feelings of hopelessness (evidence-based support to lift and sustain your wellbeing).

03

Trauma & PTSD

Processing difficult or overwhelming experiences (childhood trauma, accidents, abuse, medical events) using specialist trauma-focused therapies including EMDR.

04

Grief & Loss

Bereavement, relationship breakdown, loss of identity, or life transitions (compassionate support through every stage of grief, at your own pace).

05

OCD & Intrusive Thoughts

Obsessive compulsive disorder, unwanted intrusive thoughts, and compulsive behaviours, using specialist ERP and evidence-based CBT approaches.

06

Self-Esteem & Identity

Low confidence, harsh self-criticism, people-pleasing, and difficulty knowing who you are, building a more grounded and compassionate relationship with yourself.

07

Eating & Body Image

Disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, emotional eating (integrated psychological support, often in collaboration with our accredited dietitian).

08

ADHD & Neurodiversity

Practical strategies, emotional regulation, and self-understanding for those living with ADHD, ASD, or other neurodivergent presentations.

09

Life Transitions

Major life changes (new parenthood, career shifts, retirement, migration, or relationship changes), navigating uncertainty and building confidence through change.

Your Path to Getting Started

Beginning therapy can feel daunting. Here's what to expect, step by step.

1
Getting a Referral

Mental Health Care Plan

To access Medicare rebates, visit your GP and ask for a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP). This provides access to up to 10 subsidised psychology sessions per calendar year. You can also see us as a private patient without a referral. Simply call or book online to get started.

2
Booking

Booking Your First Appointment

Contact us via phone, email, or our online booking portal. Our intake team will ask a few brief questions about what you're looking for and match you with the psychologist best suited to your needs and availability.

3
Your First Session

Getting to Know You

Your first appointment is about building a picture of who you are and what's brought you to therapy. Your psychologist will ask questions about your current concerns, your history, and your goals, but at a pace that feels comfortable for you. There's no pressure to share everything at once.

4
Ongoing Sessions

Building Momentum

Regular sessions (usually weekly or fortnightly) build on each other over time. You'll develop insights, learn practical skills, and practise new ways of responding, both within sessions and in your everyday life. Most people notice meaningful progress within 6–12 sessions.

5
Wrapping Up

Review & Planning Ahead

Therapy isn't open-ended by default. Your psychologist will regularly check in on your progress and discuss your goals. When you're ready, you'll work together on a plan for maintaining your gains and knowing when to reach back out if you need to.

Therapeutic Approaches

Our psychologists are trained in a range of evidence-based therapies, selected and adapted to suit each person.

CBT

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

The most well-researched form of therapy, helping you identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours that maintain distress.

ACT

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

Building psychological flexibility, learning to accept difficult emotions rather than fight them, and committing to values-based action.

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing

A specialist approach for trauma and PTSD, processing distressing memories so they lose their grip on your present-day wellbeing.

Schema

Schema Therapy

Exploring deeper patterns and beliefs about yourself and the world, often rooted in early experiences, and updating them for who you are today.

DBT

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Building distress tolerance, emotion regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness, particularly useful for intense emotional experiences.

ERP

Exposure & Response Prevention

The gold-standard approach for OCD, systematically facing feared situations without engaging in compulsions, breaking the anxiety cycle over time.

Meet the Team

Our psychologists each bring their own areas of expertise, therapeutic style, and lived understanding. We'll match you with the right person for where you are right now. And that match matters.

Individual therapy is offered by Julijana, Samina, Tim, Paige, Belinda, and Shannon, with varying specialties across anxiety, trauma, OCD, eating disorders, ADHD, and more.

Meet Our Clinicians

Frequently Asked

Answers to the questions we hear most often about starting therapy.

Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?

No. You can book directly as a private patient. However, a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your GP provides access to Medicare rebates for up to 10 sessions per year. If you'd like rebates, visit your GP first and ask for a referral to a psychologist at Pre-Emptive Healthcare.

How many sessions will I need?

This varies depending on what you're working on and your goals. Some people make meaningful progress in 6–8 sessions; others benefit from longer-term support. Your psychologist will regularly review your progress with you, and you're always in control of how long you continue.

What if I don't know what I want to talk about?

That's completely fine, and more common than you might think. You don't need to have it all figured out before your first session. Your psychologist will gently help you explore what's brought you in and what might be most useful to focus on. Some people just know something doesn't feel right, and that's enough to start.

How is therapy different from talking to a friend?

A good friendship is valuable. But it's different. Your psychologist has no stake in your decisions, won't be affected by what you share, and brings clinical training to understand patterns and apply evidence-based techniques. Sessions are also confidential and structured around your goals, not conversation that drifts based on what's happening in both people's lives.

What if I don't click with my psychologist?

The therapeutic relationship matters enormously. And it's completely okay if it's not quite right. Please tell us. We can arrange a different clinician within our team, and you're under no obligation to continue with someone if it doesn't feel like a good fit. Finding the right match is part of our job, not an inconvenience.

Can I do therapy online?

Yes. We offer telehealth sessions via a secure video platform, just as effective as in-person for most presentations. Medicare rebates apply. All you need is a private space and a stable internet connection. See our Online Therapy page for more details.

Ready to get started?

Book online, call us, or email. We'll find the right psychologist for you and get you booked in as soon as possible.

Book an Appointment

Or call 03 9989 3380. We're here Monday to Friday.