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“Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength”

Sigmund Freud

About Therapy

Personalised Attention For Your Needs

I implement effective counselling and psychotherapy methods to instil self-understanding among patients and encourage them to adopt new attitudes and feelings towards life situations. It is essential to keep in mind that therapy is not a magic pill or a quick fix: therapy is a healing process that necessitates participation and investment from the patient and therapist alike. But in the end, making small changes to self-defeating behaviour and coping with feelings of sadness, fear, and pain can bring life-altering results.

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Finding the right fitting therapist is one of the most important steps. I recommend people make one appointment to see if the fit is right within the first few sessions of therapy. If the Fit is not right, i have a network of people who I refer to.

General Counselling for life issues, anxiety, stress, depression, relationship issues and grief.

We use a range of evidence based counselling approaches to work through a range of issues you may face.

  • Psycho education (including motivational interviewing)

  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)including: Behavioural interventions, Behavioural modification,        Exposure techniques, Activity scheduling, Cognitive interventions, Cognitive therapy

  •  Dialectical Behaviour therapy- individual skills in Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Effectiveness for clients who cannot attend a group setting

  • Relaxation strategies: Progressive muscle relaxation, Controlled breathing.

  • Skills training, which includes: Problem solving, Anger management, Social skills Communication, Stress management, Parent management.

  • Interpersonal therapy:  Psychodynamic psychotherapy is one of the core therapies which is used for longer term therapy clients. Michael is currently training in the Conversational Model of Psychodynamic Training by Australia and New Zealand Association of Psychotherapy (ANZAP) 

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Harm Reduction Counselling- for people who want to make safer decisions about their ongoing health without abstaining

 

"sometimes what you don't know, can harm you"

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In Harm reduction counselling we work together to firstly understand your alcohol tobacco and other drug use. Through this process we assess your use, risk and opportunities to positively influence your behaviour.

We work with you where you are at, and help you move towards where you want to be. We provide a range of education, tools and strategies to give you confidence to make informed decisions about managing your health and well being.

 

We recognise that most substance use is recreational in nature and  does not need ongoing intensive support. Harm minimisation drives our practice, is pragmatic and recognises that the views, experiences and goals of consumers are diverse.

​Harm reduction  & brief intervention counselling are excellent evidence based treatments to give you more control of the risks and  benefits of your use no matter what the substance;  alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, methamphetamines, opioid, cannabis ecstasy, hallucinogens and new synthetic substances

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Contact me today and let me help you find the best in yourself

Addiction, Dependence and Addictive Behaviours  Counselling and Psychotherapy

Discreet and Confidential

If you’re looking for quality Addiction Therapy sessions with a Addiction therapist that cares, then you’ve come to the right place.

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Do you ever experience;

  • Impaired control: a craving or strong urge to use the substance; desire or failed attempts to cut down or control substance use

  • Social problems: substance use causes failure to complete major tasks at work, school or home; social, work or leisure activities are given up or cut back because of substance use

  • Risky use: substance is used in risky settings; continued use despite known problems

  • Drug effects: tolerance (need for larger amounts to get the same effect); withdrawal symptoms (different for each substance)

 

​if the answer is yes then you need  addiction therapy. I guide my patients every step of the way and implement various methods to help them develop new attitudes towards reducing and abstaining from alcohol and other drug use. We recognise that the best way to address addictions is holistically across the domains of a persons life to put health and well-being first . make contact and see what we can do for you.

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Psychodynamic Psychotherapy- The Conversational Model

 

Sometimes we just cant make sense of our experiences, feelings and things that happen in life. Sometimes we may feel like we are 'failing at life', constantly overwhelmed, unable to make decisions, or feeling disconnected from yourself and others. Sometimes the sadness and loneliness just wont leave. Sometimes there just isn't words to describe what we are experiencing.

Psychotherapy aims to increase our awareness and capacity to respond to life’s challenges. It is a collaboration between client and therapist, to explore the clients experiences.  We provide a confidential, non-judgemental space to explore your experiences – in response to distress, conflict, dissatisfaction, grief, confusion, difficulty or dependencies.  Psychotherapy is also useful for those looking to understand what makes a person feel alive, and find ways to connect to passion and more meaning in life.

 

The Conversation model of psychotherapy was developed by Robert Hobson (UK) and Further developed by Russell Meares (Australia). The conversational Model is based on developmental psychology, attachment theory, neuroscience and linguistics. It is an evidence based treatment specifically developed for people who have disorders of self.  In randomised control trials it has been shown to be as effective as DBT. 

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The treatment is based on the premise of a sense of self develops out of a stable and sufficiently responsive relationship and relationships with the external world.  When this is impacted in early life, or  by traumatic events it can create discontinuous self states. The self can be experienced as functioning, through to emotionally dysregulated, dissociated states, relentless crisis with an features of inner deadness, hollowness or extreme loneliness.

The conversational Model has been developed to address these states within

  • Borderline personality disorder

  • trauma (PTSD) or complex trauma

  • self harm

  • anxiety disorders and somatic disorders

  • treatment resistant depression

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The Conversational Model primary focus is to establish a sense of connection between the client and therapist.

This fosters the development of higher levels of consciousness to emerge within the client. The model focuses on the development of self and integration of trauma into a coherent self experience.

 

​​The Conversational Model Treatment is a weekly appointment schedule and can take anywhere from twelve months for the short term version up to many years. Michael is finishing his psycho dynamic training with Australia and New Zealand Association of Psychotherapy (ANZAP) in the Conversational Model.

https://anzap.com.au/index.php/about-anzap/about-the-conversational-model

To find out more please get in contact.

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