- What Is A Psychologist And How Can We Help?
- Making An Appointment
- What You Can Expect At The Initial Appointment
A psychologist is a highly trained professional who has studied human behaviour and evidence based strategies, to help people learn more effective ways of coping with challenges and mental health problems. Some individuals may seek counselling because they have been feeling depressed, anxious or angry for a long time and others may have short-term problems, such as feeling overwhelmed as a result of starting a new job. Psychologists can help people break past the barriers that keep them from reaching their goals.
Psychologists are also trained to administer a number of tests and assessments that can help diagnose a condition or provide information about how a person feels, thinks or behaves. These tests may evaluate intellectual skills, cognitive strengths and weaknesses and personality characteristics.
Some common types of therapy interventions include cognitive behaviour therapy, solution focussed brief therapy and acceptance commitment therapy. For some conditions, medication and therapy may be a complimentary approach. In these instances, your practitioner will work with general practitioners, paediatricians and psychiatrists to ensure a cohesive plan and the best outcomes.
Once you have decided to seek counselling and would like to discuss making an appointment with Embrace Wellness Consultancy, please contact 0432 318698. You will be greeted by a friendly staff member who can schedule in an appointment time that suits your needs.
Once an appointment has been scheduled you will be emailed a client history form and psychology service agreement which we require you to complete and sign prior to your first appointment with your practitioner. The service agreement will explain the therapy process, fees, cancellation and confidentiality policy, so that you can decide if this service is appropriate for you.
Seeing a psychologist for the first time can be an overwhelming process for some people and you may feel nervous or apprehensive about sharing your experiences with someone you don’t know. This is a completely natural and common feeling and you may notice that over time this feeling will diminish, as our aim is to make you as comfortable as possible.
Prior to your initial appointment it may be helpful to write down some thoughts about your current difficulties, including when they started, how you have been feeling and what helps to make you feel better. This will allow your practitioner to be able to help you more proficiently with moving on with your life.
In your first session, your practitioner will initially explain the counselling process including informed consent, confidentiality and circumstances where disclosure of personal information may be necessary. You will then be asked why you sought counselling, current symptoms and details about your life, such as family history. A treatment plan will be discussed with you and will include the steps necessary to choose and achieve your goals.
All sessions are 50 minutes in duration and the amount of appointments required will depend on your presenting problems. Any ongoing treatment will be based on your understanding and agreement.