During an initial session I will talk to you about the reason you might have booked an appointment, your background, available supports and strategies you might already have tried. I then work closely with you to come up with a plan for your sessions which will be reviewed as we go.

A 50-minute consultation is $220 per session. With a valid Mental Health Treatment Plan you are entitled to a Medicare rebate of $89.50 for 10 sessions per calendar year, resulting in a session fee of $130.50. For face-to-face appointments, fees are paid on completion of your session. For Telehealth appointments payment is requested prior to the session. I am happy to clarify any questions you have about fees prior to your appointment.

I know that initial search and trying to find someone you feel might best suit you can feel overwhelming. All the online profiles can seem to blend into one! I've set up a free initial phone consultation option to help you navigate your decision-making process and allow you to get to know a bit more about me and how I work before committing to booking your appointment.

I accept appointments with and without referrals. If you would like to claim a Medicare rebate for your appointment, you will require a mental health treatment plan from a GP. The current Medicare rebate is $89.50 leaving an out-of-pocket cost of $130.50.

Sessions are booked for 50 minute intervals for adults. Please allow a little extra time to park, get to the office and make yourself a cup of tea prior to your session to maximise your session time. I am unable to start sessions 20 mins after the commencement time. If you know you will be running late, I am happy to change your appointment to Telehealth. Session times for kids' sessions can vary depending on age, level of concentration and whether family members or school consultation is involved in the support I am providing. I can discuss this further with you at your free initial consultation or during the first session.

At Amaya, I am aware that each client who contacts the practice is unique. I know this means I won’t always be the right ‘fit’ for every person. It is really important to me to do the most I can to ensure your investment of time into accessing counselling support is helpful for you. I welcome an initial phone conversation to discuss your specific requirements and to allow you to decide whether you feel my approach is right for you and/or your family. This consultation is free of charge, obligation free and can be booked here.

No one likes a cancellation fee. I understand that sometimes life gets in the way and it’s difficult to attend your scheduled appointment. I’ve tried to come up with a cancellation policy that’s fair to clients, while also taking into consideration the appointment time that has been set aside specifically for you. I kindly request you provide 24 business hours' notice of any appointment cancellations. Business hours are between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday. Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice incur the full appointment fee. I am happy to change your appointment to Telehealth any time prior to the appointment start time. Please also keep in mind that Medicare will not pay a rebate for missed appointments.

To maintain registration each year with our professional body and Medicare, we are required to obtain 10 hours of clinical supervision, 25 hours of professional development (10 to meet Medicare requirements) and 5 hours of professional identity. It would take a long time to list every course I've completed since I started practicing! however here is a list of some of the training I have really connected with over the years:Level 1 Internal Family Systems - IFS Institute EMDR Advanced Therapy Frank Anderson's Internal Family Systems Trauma Training - Frank AndersonWorking with Complex Trauma - Janina Fisher and Frank Anderson Complex Trauma: Step-by-Step Somatic & Polyvagal-Informed Interventions - Rebecca KaseCircle of Security Parenting - COS International EMDR and DBT for Interpersonal Trauma: An Integrated Toolkit to Treat Survivors of Physical, Emotional and Sexual Abuse - Katelyn Baxter-Musser Super Resourcing Strategy for Treating Attachment Trauma - Alison Teal The Whole-Brain Child Approach - Dan Siegel EMDR for Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse and Neglect - Sarah Freeze Internal Family Systems (IFS) for Long-Term Emotional Recovery from Trauma, Anxiety & Depression - Leona Dawson Complex Trauma: Create Change with Parts Work, Somatic Psychology and EMDR - Arielle Schwartz The Developmental Model of Couples Therapy - Couples Institute (Ellyn Bader) Suicide Awareness Summit Peaceful Kids Facilitator Training - Wellbeing for Kids Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for PTSD - Mental Health Academy Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework Specialist Practice - Domestic Violence Resource CentreRethinking Trauma How to Rewire the Traumatised Brain - Bessel Van der KolkTrauma and Addiction; Taking Motivational Interviewing to the Next LevelSome of the people I have loved learning from, and who I regularly draw from in my sessions, are:Dan Siegel, Janina Fisher, Richard Schwartz, John and Julie Gottman, Deb Dana, Stephen Porges, Nicole LePera, Bruce Perry, Harriet Lerner, Terry Real, Gabor Mate, Patricia Evans, Melody Beattie, Robin Norwood, Toby Green, Brene Brown, Kristen Neff, Ross Greene and Irvin D. Yalom - just to name a few! Next on my reading list is What My Bones Know; A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo. I love psychology and spend way too much time consuming anything to do with it!