Leichhardt Counselling & Psychotherapy
IFS in Sydney's Inner West
Welcoming All Parts of You
Frequently Asked Questions About
Counselling and IFS
How many sessions will I need?
I recommend starting with 3 consecutive weekly sessions where possible to start to get a sense of momentum and experience of how the sessions work.
Following that, we can discuss what would be most helpful going forward. We can discuss this during or prior to your first session, taking into account what your hopes and goals are with regard to counselling/therapy.
If you purchase a package of 3 to 8 sessions, discounts are available. Please contact me for further information.
Where can I find out more about you and how you work?
You can learn about what led me to this profession and some other parts of my background here..
https://www.goodtherapy.com.au/lisa_barrett
You can read my blog here
Gestalt Therapy and Internal Family Systems are the two approaches that I primarily use and you may find an overview of these below:
Gestalt Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS (30 second animation intro)
For more information on IFS, check my IFS page here.
Please contact me if you wish to have a 15min video chat to see if I may be a good fit for you.
Will my insurance cover therapy?
Medicare and Health Insurance Rebates may be available through the following health funds: Doctors Health Fund, Grand United, Police Health Fund, Emergency Services Health, Phoenix Health, St Lukes Health, GMHBA and CUA Health (telehealth only). Please check with your provider to clarify your eligibility.
The Australian Government currently only offer Medicare rebates to clients of psychologists and social workers (not psychotherapists or counsellors).
Discount Packages
If you are looking for something more affordable, please contact me regarding discounts available via package offerings.
Rough Patch Affordable Counselling
Significantly reduced fees for those who are not working or are financially challenged are also available through Rough Patch Affordable Counselling.
This is a unique model that does not rely on Medicare and still costs less per session than many psychologists (even after the rebate.)
For more information, check out Rough Patch Affordable Counselling Please note that there are some limitations with this service such as a maximum of 20 sessions per year and limited face to face options.
Do I Need a MHCP - Mental Health Care Plan?
Regardless of the booking you make (via Rough Patch or Leichhardt Counselling) you do not require a referral or a mental health care plan.
What if I have had therapy before and found it unhelpful?
This sometimes happens and there are a number of possible reasons. Therapy can be a challenging process and it is important that you feel safe, comfortable and confident with the therapist you are working with.
I have worked with different modalities over time and I find the approach I primarily use now (IFS) to be extremely effective in the ways that it supports you to get to know the parts of yourself.
It may also be helpful to notice what it was about past experiences that worked (or not) in order to help discover if my background and style is suitable for what you are looking for.
Please just contact me if you wish to arrange a 15 minute chat.
Leichhardt Counselling & Rough Patch Affordable Counselling operate on Gadigal & Wangal country. We acknowledge the Gadigal & Wangal people as the traditional custodians of the Leichhardt region and that sovereignty never ceded. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.