I am a trauma informed counsellor and psychotherapist working in the humanistic tradition. That means I use a person centred approach. I work with all sorts of issues including mental health, addictive behaviours, trauma and relationships.

I am registered as a clincial member with PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation Australia) which is the national peak body for counsellors and psychotherapists in Australia.

I have experience in youth mental health, addiction counselling including alcohol and other drugs counselling, and trauma counselling. In my private practice, I am particularly interested in helping those who have problems with behavioural addictions, particularly internet pornography addiction and those with a history of trauma. According to the ACE’s study (Adverse Childhood Experiences), people who scored 4 or more out of 10 “ACEs” are more likely to develop substance use disorders or other addictions, and experience mental health and physical health issues, than those that did not. (To find out what your ACEs score is, click here.)

While the current DSM does not recognise internet pornography as an “addiction”* it is never-the-less a growing problem for many and there is a growing body of research to support it being recognised as such, see yourbrainonporn for information and resources on internet porn addiction, or read my study.  If you are/or you are the partner of someone who is struggling with a porn or sex addiction, a supportive, understanding therapist who understands your unique situation can be vital part of your recovery plan. Or if you are struggling with other related issues or concerns such as substance abuse, anxiety, depression or intimacy and relationship concerns I can also help. 

I am an approved counsellor for Victims Services NSW. If you are a victim of a crime in NSW, you may be eligible to receive 22 hours of counselling and compensation. For more information please visit www.victimsservice.justice.nsw.gov.au 

HOW I WORK

I call myself a ‘person centred therapist’ which means that I believe that we are the authors of our lives and are best placed to make the best choices for our own self-development. That means, I don’t give advice and I don’t tell you what I think you should do. However, I can help you to make the changes and become the person you really want to be.

I am trained in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) which is, as the acronym suggests, is a very active form of therapy. If you are ready to make some positive changes and try something new in terms of improving your life then ACT can certainly help. There are other approaches I use such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), Existential Therapy, Mindfulness Based Therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) . However it depends on what you, the client, want to get out of therapy. There is no one size fits all therapy model, that’s why there are so many to choose from!

I also work from a trauma informed, holistic viewpoint and am a firm believer in the mind-body connection, in the importance of social relationships (including family background) diet, exercise and spirituality in affecting meaningful change. All things work together, as they say, and this is true for mental health, physical health and general well-being.

TRAUMA WORK

If you have a history of childhood trauma, complex trauma or PTSD from a serious, life-altering event, you may want to try EMDR therapy. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Memory Reprocessing. It is a groundbreaking, relatively new therapy which uses bilateral stimulation, as well as grounding techniques, visualization and body focused guidance to help you work through traumatic memories that have improperly processed, due to truama/s. If you want to know more about EMDR and how it works visit EMDRAA. 

CONSULTATION & FEES

I am currently offering online sessions and in person sessions for those that are local to Toongabbie, NSW. To make an enquiry please visit the contact page. I can also offer an initial intake/consultation (up to 15 min) session free of charge. It is important that you feel comfortable with your chosen therapist.

My aim is to make counselling as affordable as possible. Consultation fees start at $100/hr (inc. GST) for individual counselling. A standard session lasts 50 mins to 1 hr. 

REBATES & FUNDING OPTIONS

Some private health funds provide rebates for counselling and psychotherapy, please check with your health fund to see if you are covered. If you are with a private health fund, please let me know. I am registered as a provider with the following private health funds: Medibank, ARHG, HCF, AHM and BUPA.

If you have NDIS funding you may be able to use some of your package towards counselling, please ask your support coordinator about this. 

Victims Services NSW. I am now an approved counsellor for Victims Services. If you have been the victim of violent crime, including family violence or sexual abuse, you may be eligilble for free counselling sessions and support, providing the offense occured in NSW. For more information, including how to apply, email me or visit the Victims Services website.

Note. There is currently no Medicare rebate for counselling or psychotherapy.

HOW TO BOOK

If you’d like to know more, or make an appointment please reach out by sending me an email via the contact page or call me on (03) 6411 0202. (I will endeavour to reply to your inquiry as soon as possible but please allow up to 48 hours for me to get back to you.)

Remember, even a thousand mile journey starts with a single step. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Be your best you.

Francesca

*The World Health Organization now has a diagnosis of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder, which can include problematic pornography use as a feature or as part of a constellation of sexually themed behaviours. See WHO ICD-11 (http://rb.gy/v931ld) for details.