FAQ's

If you've ever talked to family and friends about what counselling is, it's possible that each person will have their own interpretation and understanding of it. However, in general, Counselling aims to help you cope with personal situations, experiences, feelings and thoughts.
The counsellor will usually ask questions, listen to you, reflect on what you share and explore the range of options that may be available to you.

It's important to note that counselling is not about giving you the answer or providing you with a quick fix. 

It is best to view counselling as a way of putting things into perspective and opening you up to options and resources that you may not have previously considered.
For some, the idea of counselling may seem daunting or embarrassing, this may be due to:
  • fear of being judged
  • fear of others close to you may wanting to know why are you deciding to talk with a counsellor
  • embarrassment about what has or is happening for you or your family
  • concern that seeing a counsellor will draw unwanted attention to the problem or make it worse
  • feeling you should be able to manage things on your own
  • feeling things are not to be shared outside of the family
These concerns and fears are not uncommon.  This is where, Paula from Bayside Counselling & Family Therapy can assist.  With a phone call, you can confidentially talk with her about your concerns before making your first appointment.  Paula takes a sensitive and caring approach to different issues and understands that your ability to talk openly may be hindered by:
  • the nature of your situation or issues
  • bad experiences of counselling in the past
  • difficulties accessing counselling
  • or difficulties such as family commitments
In special circumstances, Paula is willing to consult with you over the phone or if local, she can come to you.
A standard counselling session usually goes for 50 minutes.
There are different rates depending on your circumstance and previsions of treatment.  
Please call Paula on 0401 300 266 for further information.

INSURANCE:

For clients wanting to claim sessions through their insurance, Bupa recognises the significant value in providing access to counselling. They have now accepted claims through your Bupa Health Insurance.
Please check with your health fund to see if you qualify.


Initially when you call and make an appointment you will only be asked for your full name, phone number and if you have: a referral through your GP, NDIS plan or other information that you may like to bring along with you.

When you attend your first appointment, we will discuss the referral pathway you have with you, such as through your GP, NDIS or privately. This information is used for administrative purposes only. Additionally, a copy of the personal information form will need to be completed, which can be downloaded from this site.

During our first meeting, Paula may ask such questions as, 'What has brought you here today?' or 'You spoke about ..... on the phone, how is that going?'

The depth of information provided by you is decided by you. Obviously, the more you can share, the greater the possibility of moving through the issues and forward. At no time will you be pushed to share more than you would like to. Many people who come to see me say, as they begin to feel more comfortable within the session, the more they are happy to share.  
As discussed earlier, making the decision to see a counsellor can seem daunting.  It is important for you to feel comfortable, so if brining someone with you helps, then by all means.
It is important to be sure you can trust this person with your personal information and not feel judged by doing so.