We offer counselling services to adults and children, adolescents, couples and families. We also provide counselling to clients who are referred by Centrelink or Job Services Australia agencies, or as part of an Employee Assistance Program in their workplace.

Counselling for Adults
We provide counselling for both individual adults and couples. Individual adults may wish to attend counselling to address a range of issues in their life, such as:

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Depression
• Grief and loss
• Traumatic experiences
• Difficulties at work
• Difficulties in relationships, including issues around separation and divorce
• Parenting, co-parenting and step-family concerns

Generally the Psychologist will work with the client on an individual basis, however if the client wishes to have their partner (or another person) attend the session this can usually occur after discussion with the Psychologist.

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Counselling for Couples
Couples may wish to attend to address issues regarding their relationship, such as:

• Deciding to live together, get married, or start a family
• General unhappiness in the relationship
• The impact of an affair on the relationship
• Other stressors, such as the death or illness of a family member
• Major changes to the relationship, such as the birth of the first child or a partner working away
• Step-family concerns, including co-parenting and step-parenting
• Separation and divorce

During couples counselling, the Psychologist will ensure that both people are given an opportunity to speak and to listen. The Psychologist will endeavour not to take sides or blame either person; rather both people will be encouraged to examine the way in which their own behaviour is contributing to the situation.

Over the course of counselling the Psychologist may ask to see each member individually, however the general emphasis is on working with the couple together. Please note that Medicare rebates are not applicable to couples counselling sessions.

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Counselling for Children
Amherst Psychology and Counselling offers counselling for children aged 6 and upwards and their families, using a range of counselling techniques appropriate for children such as art, clay, and role pay.  Counselling will focus on what changes can be made by the child and parents to improve the child’s behaviour, rather than making a diagnosis or labelling these behaviours.

Counselling may be of assistance when a child’s behaviour changes due to:

• Separation or divorce
• An illness or death in the family
• Other losses such as the death of a pet
• Difficulty with friendships
• Excessive worry, fear, anger or anxiety
• Sibling issues or difficulties between parents and children

Our policy is that the first meeting is attended only by the parent/s.  This allows the parent/s to talk openly and honestly about their concerns without the child present.  The Psychologist will ask about the behaviours which are currently causing concern as well as any relevant history, including whether the child or family has attended counselling previously.

The second session will be attended by parent/s and the child. This gives the parents and child opportunity to talk together about their concerns, and allows the child to meet the Psychologist with the reassuring presence of the parents.  At the end of the second session the Psychologist will decide with the family who will attend future sessions (whether the child attends by themselves, whether parents also attend etc). Generally, a primary school aged child would only been seen by themselves if they express a strong preference for this format.

Parents play a vital role in supporting their children to change their behaviour.  The younger the child is, the more they will need ongoing support, guidance, encouragement and reassurance from the parents.  Also, parents may find that by making small changes in their parenting routines they can support the changes in their child’s behaviour, and this change can take place more quickly.

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Counselling for Adolescents
Counselling may be of assistance with a range of issues.  Some common presenting concerns for adolescents are:

• Parental separation, divorce and step-families
• An illness or death in the family
• Difficulty with friendships or relationships
• Managing school stresses or exam preparation
• Sadness, anger or anxiety
• Difficulties with parents

The first meeting may be attended by the parent/s by themselves or with the adolescent present, depending on what the adolescent and parents feel is best for them.  Please note that if your adolescent has been referred with a mental health care plan, a rebate is given only for sessions in which the adolescent is present.

The psychologist will use the first session to ask about the behaviours which are currently causing concern as well as any relevant history. At the end of this session the psychologist will decide with the family who will attend future sessions (whether the adolescent attends by themselves, whether parents also attend etc). This decision is made on a case by case basis and parents may also arrange to speak to the psychologist without the adolescent present if they wish.

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Counselling for Jobseekers

We also offer counselling services for clients who are referred by Centrelink or Job Services Australia agencies. Counselling is generally funded by the Job Capacity Account and aims to provide short-term support to clients in managing any personal or pre-vocational issues, such as anxiety, pain management, or grief. Referrals must be made by a Job Capacity Assessor. For more information, please contact our office.

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