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FAQs
General Information
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Quite simply, we live by our values – Uncomplicated Affordable Therapy.
Sami believes all people should have access to counselling services, as and when they need them.
Life, work, study, culture, family, relationships – life is full of things that cause unnecessary stressors and challenges. Sami is here to help, listen and guide.
Our cost-effective business model provides a choice of video therapy or telephone counselling 7 days per week by experienced counsellors and psychotherapists.
All therapy requests are guaranteed to be responded to within a few hours (3-6 hours) of request or, by using our on-demand website schedule.
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Children need special care when it comes to counselling services.
Sami generally only works with adults 18 years and above however makes special consideration for teenagers that are 16-18 years of age.
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The Counselher provides Uncomplicated Affordable Therapy with a less clinical feel. I get it... there is a reluctance to speak with someone you are unable to identify with... so we evolved.
Sami has spent much time working around the world immersed in different cultures with people from all walks of life. What differentiates our therapy is the ability to be able to identify with people on a humanistic level. This service was built for everyone; all ages, genders, religions, cultures and personalities.
In essence, we guide our clients to Be Brave.
Talking is one of the oldest therapeutic methods on the planet, sometimes all we need is another person who listens and gets who we are.
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We keep our price affordable because we believe everyone should be able to access counselling when they need it.
When booking you will be given an option to choose video or phone counselling.
Individual Counselling
As above when individual however when both people attend the pricing is:
Please see here for our discount packages.
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Counselling is a process of talking about and working through your personal problems. The counsellor helps you to address your problems in a positive way by assisting you to clarify the issues, explore options, develop strategies and increase self-awareness. For some people, just the process of telling their story to a counsellor, and being listened to, is helpful.
Counselling provides confidential support. This means that everything you discuss is private, between you and the counsellor. The exception is when your counsellor has a duty of care to report something that may threaten your wellbeing or the wellbeing of others.
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A counsellor is a trained, objective professional with whom you can build a healing and trusting relationship through talking-based therapy.
Counsellors and Psychotherapists are, by definition, relational practitioners and work within a self-regulated industry. The therapeutic relationship between the counsellor and the client is super important and in fact, underpins the effectiveness of treatment. My role is to provide person-centred support to enable you to develop your own understanding of your experiences, and facilitating your recovery process. By guiding you to understand what is happening, we are helping to clear the clutter that is holding you back.
Counselling and psychotherapy are based on a non-medical, bio-psychosocial models which focus on the treatment and prevention of mental illness, whilst actively promoting mental health and well-being. The focus on your well-being is a distinguishing feature of counselling and is consistent with the emphasis on well-being and recovery-oriented care in the Australian mental health policies and frameworks.
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What can I get counselling for?
Anyone who is struggling with a personal concern can seek counselling. No issue is too big or too small to ask for support. Common issues that people seek counselling for include:
work issues or change of life
stress, anxiety and depression
life transitions such as a new baby, separation, divorce, carer or the death of a family member or friend
parenting or being a carer
COVID related anxieties
Existential questioning
self-esteem difficulties
women’s issues
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Well quite frankly we live in a different world now… we have adapted to this to ensure we can keep our therapy real and our pricing low.
Get help in your loungeroom… you can even wear your pajamas (we don’t judge here)
Support provided when needed ensuring minimum wait times
Prompt appointments via email or website scheduling
No lost time parking and travelling to and from
Studies have shown therapy delivered by phone and video is just as effective as face-to-face
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We do not offer face-to-face counselling. The focus of our business is to ensure we can keep our services affordable for you.
Aside of this, we live in a new time that requires us to pivot in how we live and work. We, at The Counselher, have adapted to that evolution, allowing faster more accessible therapy.
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The number of sessions can vary depending on the issue.
For example, if we are helping you through moderate anxiety and some general life issues, we can will make solid progress in the course of three (3) to four (4) sessions. More acute or chronic problems may require a longer term approach.
In many cases periodic catch-up sessions are useful to help keep things on track, catch any small issues before they escalate and work on achieving longer term goals..
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Our counselling aims to be practical guidance and solutions-focused.
A typical session consists of:
Initially, working through current challenges to gain a clear, balanced understanding of the situation
Clarify barriers and address them
Establish achievable outcomes that you are motivated to achieve
Define a clear understanding of what needs to happen in your environment to adapt and change
Make recommendations and action plan to finish the session
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YES, you can talk about anything, but there are a few things that we would be required to share. We take your physical and psychological safety very seriously. Should we feel there is a need for intervention due to a risk to your personal (or others) safety, we will take appropriate steps immediately. If you share any of the following issues with your therapist, they would have to break confidentiality for your protection or the protection of others:
• If you are seriously contemplating severely harming yourself or someone else.
• If you share with your therapist that you are being abused or neglected, or know of another individual under 18 who is being abused or neglected.
• If you share with your therapist that you know of an elderly person who is being abused or neglected.
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Services offered using this counselling service are not covered by health insurance, Medicare or Mental Health Plans.
Please note that The Counselher offers uncomplicated affordable pricing options which are typically comparable with the co-pays gap of Medicare. The difference is you can book in immediately without a 6-week wait and a personal loan
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Is it an Emergency?
If you or someone you know is at risk of harm, call triple zero 000
Other emergency resources:
Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636
Lifeline - 13 11 14
Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800
Open Arms (Veterans) - 1800 011 046
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INFORMED CONSENT
This Informed Consent contains important information focusing on counselling via phone or video. Please read this carefully and let me know if you have any questions. When you book a counselling session, this document is an agreement between us.
Benefits and Risks of Online & Phone Therapy
Phone and video therapy refers to providing counselling services remotely using telecommunications technologies, such as video conferencing or mobile. One of the benefits is that the client and clinician can engage in services without being in the same physical location. This can be helpful in ensuring continuity of care if the client or clinician moves to a different location, takes an extended vacation, or is otherwise unable to continue to meet in person. It is also more convenient and takes less time. However, it requires technical competence on both our parts to be helpful. Although there are benefits of telepsychology, there are some differences and risks. For example:
- Risks to confidentiality. It is important for you to make sure you find a private place for our session where you will not be interrupted. It is also important for you to protect the privacy of our session on your mobile or other devices. You should participate in therapy only in a room or area where other people are not present and cannot overhear the conversation.
- Issues related to technology. There are many ways that technology issues might impact telepsychology. For example, technology may stop working during a session; please ensure adequate phone charge and internet connectivity to avoid this.
- Crisis management and intervention. Usually, I will not engage with clients currently in a crisis situation requiring high levels of support and intervention. However, I will endeavour to assess the potential crisis situations and direct you to other resources where required or appropriate.
Electronic Communications
You will need to decide when booking which kind of service to use. Video sessions take place in a secure environment via Zoom. You are solely responsible for any cost to obtain any necessary equipment, accessories, or software to participate in the counselling sessions of your choice.
Contacting Me
I am often not immediately available by phone or email. Though I am usually in my office during the hours of services available, I probably will not answer the phone when I am with a client. I will make every effort to respond on the same day you contact me. If your request is something other than something administrative and more counselling-orientated, you are best to book a session.
My email and phone (via text or call) are not for emergency situations. If you or anyone with you is at risk, please contact Triple Zero 000.
Confidentiality
I have a legal and ethical responsibility to make my best efforts to protect all communications that are a part of our sessions. However, the nature of electronic communications technologies is such that I cannot guarantee that our communications will be confidential. I use updated encryption methods, 2-factor identification, firewalls, and backup systems to help keep your information private. Still, there is a risk that our electronic communications may be compromised, unsecured, or accessed by others. You should also take reasonable steps to ensure the security of our communications.
I outlined the extent of confidentiality and the exceptions to confidentiality in my Informed Consent and Privacy policy on the website. Please let me know if you have any questions about exceptions to confidentiality.
Emergencies and Technology
Assessing and evaluating threats and other emergencies can be more difficult when conducting online and phone counselling than in-person therapy. To address some of these difficulties, please be advised that if you are in harm’s way, a risk to yourself or others, or if I deem you unsafe, it is my ethical and legal responsibility to contact the Police/Ambulance to conduct a welfare check. This will require me to advise your name, email, and phone number so they may locate you.
If the session is interrupted for any reason, such as the technological connection fails, and you are having an emergency, do not call me back; instead, call 000 or go to your nearest emergency room. If there is no emergency, please reconnect via phone or zoom link.
If there is a technological failure and we cannot resume the connection, we will reschedule the remaining time at a suitable time and date.
Session Fees
Medicare or Health Insurance funds do not cover the service fee rates. Managed care providers such as My Aged Care(HCP), Mable and NDIS will pay for counselling services and can be invoiced. We offer a range of payment options; PayPal, credit card, NDIS Invoicing, direct deposit - you will be solely responsible for the entire fee of the session, payable upfront. Sessions will not take place if the payment is outstanding. Please also see our terms and conditions for cancellations, reschedules and refunds on the website.
Other Professional Fees
My fee schedule is listed clearly within each appointment. Other professional services include report writing, attendance at meetings (by phone, video, or in-person) with other professionals if required and authorised by you, preparation of treatment summaries, and the time spent performing any other service you may request of me. If you become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation, you will be expected to pay for any professional time I spend on your legal matter, even if the request comes from another party, including subpoenas. I charge $125 per hour for professional services I am asked or required to perform in relation to your legal matter. I also charge a report writing fee of $250 for medico-legal requests.
Record Keeping
The video and phone sessions shall not be electronically recorded unless agreed to in writing by mutual consent. I will maintain a written, electronic record of our session in accordance with my policies.
Confidentiality (for Adult Patients)
In general, the privacy of all communications between a client and a counsellor is protected by law. I can only release information about our work to others with your written permission. But there are a few exceptions.
In most legal proceedings, you have the right to prevent me from providing any information about your treatment. In some legal proceedings, a judge may order my testimony if they determine the issues demand it. I must comply with that court order, generally, a subpoena to supply all relevant notes, emails, text messages, appointment dates and anything of clinical relevance. If this brings psychological, emotional, or physical detriment to you as a client, I will endeavour to contest this with the judge.
There are some situations in which I am legally obligated to take action to protect others from harm, even if I have to reveal some information about a patient’s treatment. For example, if I believe that a child, elderly person, or disabled person is being abused or has been abused, I may be required to make a report to the appropriate state or federal agency.
If I believe a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another, I must take protective actions. These actions may include notifying the potential victim, contacting the police, or seeking hospitalisation for the client. If the patient threatens to harm themselves, I may be obligated to seek hospitalisation for them or to contact family members or others who can help provide protection. If a similar situation occurs during our work together, I will attempt to discuss it fully with you before acting.
I may occasionally find it helpful to consult other professionals about a case. During a consultation, I try to avoid revealing my client's identity. The consultant is also legally bound to keep the information confidential. Ordinarily, I will not tell you about these consultations unless I believe that it is important to our work together.
CONSENT AND AGREEMENTS
Although this written summary of exceptions to confidentiality is intended to inform you about potential issues that could arise, it is important that we discuss any questions or concerns that you may have in our meeting. I will be happy to discuss these issues with you and provide clarification when possible. However, if you need specific clarification or advice, I am unable to provide, formal legal advice may be needed, as the laws governing confidentiality are quite complex and I am not a lawyer.
Your booking indicates that you understand the information in this document and agree to abide by its terms during our professional relationship.
So what does The Counselher aka Sami do?
In a nutshell, my work aims to prevent, promote and provide support to you in all aspects of your mental health (and it doesn’t hurt to help you find some happiness and laughter again). Together, we will work through situations to:
prevent mental illness;
promote mental health and wellbeing;
provide therapeutic interventions for psychological difficulties such as depression, anxiety, trauma and
support you with life’s challenges such as relationship difficulties, family violence, chronic illness, disability, bereavement, bullying, discrimination and natural disasters.
