Understand patterns
Notice what tends to trigger difficult moments and how past experiences or current pressures may be influencing your reactions.
PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY
A place to understand, develop and move forward.
Anxiety, low mood, relationship difficulties or past experiences can start affecting more parts of life than you realise. Counselling gives you space to make sense of what’s happening, understand the patterns behind it and work on changes that matter to you.
Personalised supportEnglish & TurkishMelbourne & Online
Explore what therapy involves
WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY?
Therapy begins with your story.
Therapy is more than talking about a difficult week. We explore how thoughts, feelings, experiences and everyday pressures interact. Then we work on ways of responding that feel realistic for you, reviewing your goals as things change.
You don’t need a diagnosis or the perfect words to begin. You might know exactly what’s bothering you, or just feel that something isn’t quite right. We can work out where to start together.
HOW THERAPY MAY HELP
Build practical skills
Try approaches for managing worry, communicating needs, setting boundaries or responding to overwhelming emotions.
Strengthen wellbeing
Review what is changing in your day-to-day life and build on strategies that feel realistic and useful.
AREAS WE SUPPORT
What can we talk about?
You might be dealing with one concern or several connected challenges. Stress, for example, can affect sleep and relationships; a major life change can affect confidence and motivation. We look at the bigger picture instead of treating each concern separately.
Anxiety & stress
Recognising worry cycles, identifying stress triggers and practising responses that reduce day-to-day overwhelm.
Low mood & motivation
Making sense of reduced motivation, withdrawal or loss of enjoyment, and gradually rebuilding manageable routines.
Relationships & boundaries
Exploring repeated conflict, expressing needs, setting boundaries and developing more effective communication.
ADHD & autistic experiences
Understanding attention, sensory or social demands and identifying strategies that work with individual strengths.
Trauma-related experiences
Understanding the impact of difficult experiences while prioritising stabilisation, coping and a collaborative pace.
Life transitions & grief
Finding space to process loss, changing roles or uncertainty while adapting to new circumstances.
Substance use & behaviour change
Exploring the role a habit or substance may play, personal reasons for change and practical steps towards chosen goals.
Confidence & emotional regulation
Recognising early signs of emotional escalation, practising regulation strategies and building confidence in decisions.
HOW WE WORK
Professional care. A personal approach.
Counselling starts with listening carefully to your story, strengths and circumstances. We explore how thoughts, emotions, behaviour and everyday pressures may connect. Together, we choose approaches that fit your goals and regularly discuss whether they are helping. Your perspective remains central.
Collaborative and person-centredWe agree on priorities together and revisit them when your circumstances or needs change.
Evidence-informedWe may use cognitive and behavioural strategies, trauma-informed conversations or motivational approaches, depending on your goals and needs. We'll explain why we're suggesting each approach.
Practical beyond the sessionYou might practise a communication skill, trial a coping strategy or reflect on a recurring pattern between appointments.
INSIDE THE SESSION
What will we actually talk about?
You do not need to arrive with the perfect explanation. We might begin with a difficult conversation, a stressful workday or a moment when worry felt overwhelming. Looking at what happened before, during and afterwards can help us understand the experience without jumping to conclusions.
We can then consider your thoughts, physical reactions, relationships and wider circumstances. Together, we might test a different interpretation, practise a communication skill or choose another manageable step. There is no single script for everyone, and we review what fits as we go. Fees and access arrangements are confirmed before care begins.
See fees and access information → How booking works →BEYOND THE SESSION
Support that connects with real life.
Therapy is not only about what happens during an appointment. Where appropriate, we can explore manageable ways to apply what you are learning to everyday situations—at home, at work, in study or in relationships.
You remain involved in deciding what feels realistic. We can reflect on what you tried, what helped, what did not fit and what could be adjusted next time.
Ask about getting started →
WHAT TO EXPECT
Your appointments, explained.
You can start with an optional free 15-minute phone call for general questions about the service. Clinical counselling begins with a paid 30-minute clinical triage, which is arranged separately after suitability and appointment details are confirmed. After triage, you decide freely whether to continue; there is no obligation to proceed. The practitioner arranges any 90-minute initial assessment and later 60-minute ongoing sessions with your agreement.
- 0130 MINUTES
Paid clinical triage — your first session
Enquire about clinical triage ($80). Before an appointment is confirmed, we'll explain the intake, consent and telehealth arrangements. Clinical forms are completed separately from our public enquiry form. Build rapport, explore your reasons for seeking counselling, discuss what you hope to achieve and check for immediate risks and safety concerns. This is a focused starting conversation, not a full assessment.
- 0290 MINUTES · $210 AUD
Initial assessment — exploring further
Booked by your counsellor only, if you choose to continue after triage. Take a more detailed look at your experiences, wellbeing, history and priorities. We review safety and risk, and may use an appropriate wellbeing questionnaire to establish a starting point for monitoring change.
- 0360 MINUTES
Ongoing sessions — support and review
Arranged directly with your counsellor, with your agreement. Work on agreed goals, explore patterns, build useful strategies and review what is helping. Wellbeing and safety are revisited as needed, with the approach adjusted over time.
Getting started: Enquiries and free introductory-call requests are open. Direct clinical booking and payments are not yet offered online.Fees and access details
COMMON QUESTIONS
A few things you might be wondering.
Do I need to know exactly what I want to work on?
No. Many people begin with an overall sense that something is difficult. The first conversations can help clarify concerns and goals together.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on your goals, circumstances and the areas you want to explore. We can discuss a suitable approach and review progress as the work develops.
Can I attend online?
Yes. AO Psychology plans to provide counselling by telehealth at launch. Face-to-face appointments will not be offered initially. We discuss privacy, practical arrangements and whether online sessions are appropriate for your needs before you begin. See our Telehealth page for more information.
What about privacy and confidentiality?
We explain consent, privacy arrangements and the limits of confidentiality before sessions begin. You can also read our Privacy Policy and ask questions before sharing information.
What if therapy here is not the right service for me?
We discuss what you would like help with before starting. If your needs would be better met by another service, a different professional or more specialised support, we can explain relevant next-step options rather than beginning an unsuitable service.
Can I ask about fees and access first?
Yes. Our Fees & Access page explains the planned services and prices. You can ask about fees, format, availability and service arrangements before deciding whether to proceed.
READY TO BEGIN?
Start with a conversation.
You can begin with a brief enquiry about what you are experiencing and what you hope might change. We can explain whether therapy is a suitable starting point, how sessions are arranged and where to find fee information.
Please use the general enquiry form for initial contact only; do not include detailed or sensitive clinical information.