Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I should get help?
It can be a difficult and confronting decision to have to make, deciding to seek professional help for your emotions or habits. Particularly if one day you feel ok, but the next day you are suffering again.
If the problem you are facing seems un-fixable despite all the self-help you have engaged in, then maybe it’s a good time to speak to a qualified therapist to get a different perspective on the issue along with some strategies to help you feel better.
It is no longer considered shameful or weak to seek help, thank god! Today it is very acceptable to acknowledge needing assistance with the bumps in the road of life.
Sometimes it’s called therapy, sometimes it’s called coaching, sometimes it’s called counselling. However it is labelled, the thing is that a trained and qualified helping professional is a good choice to give you a hand through your stuff. It is actually a wise act of self-care. Therapy is not just for ‘crazy’ people!
Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
Are you feeling stuck in a negative cycle, unable to find the right path in life, your work or relationships?
Maybe you are suffering unexplained medical issues that your doctor can’t find any basis for? Our emotions and our physical body are constantly interacting and reflecting each other. Maybe the underlying emotional aspect needs addressing to solve the physical?
Do you feel unhappy in yourself even though you have a good life? Life dissatisfaction can happen to the best of us, making us feel worse because we then feel guilty because really (we think), we have nothing to feel unhappy about!
Are your emotions out of control? Do you snap easily? Or perhaps you shut down, go numb? Cry?
Are your coping behaviours such as drinking, shopping, eating, etc becoming a worry to you? Rather than a pleasant distraction, are they becoming problematic?
Do you have anxiety or panic attacks? Maybe a phobia that is preventing you from living a full life? Or you just feel plain stressed-out?
Or would you just like to vent to someone who won’t judge you, and will give you the respectful space to speak your mind, no matter how dark it might get?
There are an infinite number of reasons someone like you might decide to see a therapist. You don’t need to suffer alone. If you are still unsure, I welcome you to call or email and we can discuss your situation.
How do I chose the right therapist for me?
The relationship you share with your therapist is the basis for your success, or not. So it is of the utmost importance to find someone who you feel is a great fit for you.
What happens at the first appointment?
Ok, so you have made your appointment and I have emailed you a confirmation and a Registration and Consent form to print and fill in to bring with you to your session.
If you are like most new clients, you will come to the first session feeling all sorts of things – nervous, curious, a little bit wary, scared of crying or making a fool of yourself (absolutely no way!) and by the end of the session you will leave with a big sense of relief and an action plan!
In our first session we will have a good discussion about what is going on for you, what you have tried to do to fix the problem and what you would like as an outcome of our work together. We need to agree on a clear outcome so that we are on the same page and working toward the same thing.
You also get to ask me any questions that you want to clarify how I work or what will happen going forward.
Depending on the issue, I will either teach you the basics of EFT Emotional Freedom Techniques to use straight away (and I will give you printed instructions) from the first session, or we will discuss a plan of action for the week.
If we decide that hypnotherapy would be the best idea for you, I will do a short preparation hypnosis which I will record for you, so that your mind and body will be 'prepped' to make the changes you want in a deep and significant way when we work with more strategic hypnotherapy going forward.
How many sessions will I need?
It really depends on the issue and the approach we decide to take.
A very simple problem like nail-biting might be helped within one session.
But it is more likely that you will need a few sessions at least to fully address the issue, not just band-aide it.
I have worked with clients for one session only, through to ongoing, regular weekly sessions. It really depends on how much time you can commit as well as affordability for you. Importantly, it depends on your commitment to consolidating the changes you wish to make.
Usually, clients begin by seeing me weekly for a few sessions to get a good start, then we might drop back to every fortnight or month for a while depending on your progress. I’m happy to work out a schedule that fits in with you.
It is also possible to do a mix of face-to-face and online sessions if that suits your timetable better.
Where can I see you?
I currently offer two options:
Online via Skype.
This is really convenient if you are time poor or can’t get to the office.
The sessions are the same as my face-to-face sessions, just from the comfort, privacy and convenience of your own home or office.
Online sessions can be arranged at a time to suit you Thursday to Saturday 8.00am – 8.00pm (Sydney daylight saving time).
Inner West office
Terry Road
Dulwich Hill NSW 2203
Thursday 8.00am - 8.00pm
Friday 8.00am – 8.00pm
Saturday 8.00am – 4.00pm
My home office at Dulwich Hill is professional, discreet and comfortable. There is plenty of easy parking and I am just on the lightrail at Waratah Mills.
I am happy to do a mix of face-to-face and online sessions if that suits your timetable better.
How much does it cost?
Fees for my 1 hour sessions are $120.00 for both online and in office.
Payment is due at the end of each session.
For your first appointment only, I require a holding deposit of $50.00 paid at the time of booking, to confirm your appointment and to cover the cost if you are a ‘no-show’ or cancel at the last minute. This amount is taken off the fee so you just pay the balance at your appointment. Details will be sent to you in the confirmation email.
I accept cash, Direct Deposit and PayPal.
Your personalised recorded hypnotherapy, and any extra resources, are included in the session fee.
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
Life happens and sometimes we have a schedule clash. If you are unable to attend your appointment, please let me know as soon as possible so I might be able to offer the space to another client.
I do require 24 hours’ notice of cancellation please.
If you cancel on the day of your appointment there is a $50 fee to cover the cost of my preparation for your session.
Unless there are extraordinary circumstances, if you are a ‘no-show’ and have not contacted me to cancel, the $150.00 fee for that session is payable in full.
Can I claim this on Medicare or my health fund?
Unfortunately, no. I am not registered as a private health fund provider.
Are your sessions covered by Medicare or a GP Mental Health Plan?
Unfortunately, no. Currently, counselling and clinical hypnotherapy is not recognized in Australia by Medicare therefore there are no Medicare rebates or sessions covered by Medicare under the GP Mental Health Plan.
Do I need a referral to see you?
No referral needed as I am not a Medicare provider. However if your doctor wants to refer you, a written referral outlining your case would be appreciated, but is not necessary.
What are your qualifications?
To date, I have been in my own private practice for approximately ten years, working with women across pretty much every issue you can imagine. I use various strategies including counselling, psychotherapy, clinical hypnotherapy, EFT Emotional Freedom Techniques (Tapping), and many other approaches if they are appropriate for the client and her best outcome.
Here are my qualifications (so far):
- EFT Practitioner Level 2 AAMET
- Diploma of Professional Counselling (current), AIPC
- Diploma of Hypno-Analytic Psychotherapy, ICHP (Australia)
- Cert Clinical Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy, ICHP (Australia)
- Cert ACT (Acceptance and Committment Therapy)
- NLP Practitioner (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)
- Cert Life Coaching
- BA (Hum) major in Women's Studies, Griffith University QLD.
I continue to study to keep up to date on current strategies and theories.
I have a current Australian First Aid and CPR certificate, and Professional indemnity insurance.
What is your style and personality like?
I approach my work and my relationship with my clients from a perspective of openness, honesty, professionalism, confidentiality and sound ethics. I have been described by clients as warm, calming, trustworthy, insightful and friendly.
I really believe that my clients get the most from their sessions when they feel like we ‘get along’. So having a good rapport is vital to our work. Even when (or especially when) the going gets tough, it’s reassuring to be working with someone you can trust implicitly with your feelings and your truth.
It is rare that a session goes by without some laughter and/or tears (both of us!). Sometimes a good laugh can be the best medicine, even in the darkest, most difficult times.
I won’t have you sitting there just talking about your problems, and then be merely reflecting back your words and feelings to you. I know how frustrating and futile this can be. I make sure that my clients leave each session with a practical strategy to work with, whether that is homework, a personalized hypnotherapy recording, EFT tapping and how to apply it, or a new way of behaving or thinking to practice.
I really love this work and feel incredibly privileged to be able to take this role in my clients’ life.
Can I connect with you on social media?
I use social media as a form of business marketing, communicating interesting information about my professional interests, upcoming events and as a way to stay in touch with potential and past clients. I will never disclose your relationship to me on social media if you chose to join.
I only accept ‘friend’ request for my public business pages, not my personal pages.
If you wish to connect on social media you can find my business pages here:
Facebook: Women's Wellbeing Therapies
Instagram: Kerriesaunders.com.au
What is hypnotherapy?
Clinical Hypnotherapy is an amazing tool for creating change at a deeper level of your mind. It reaches the part of your mind that manages all of your habits, memories, beliefs, feelings and creativity – your subconscious mind.
What is EFT?
EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques and is sometimes referred to as Tapping or Meridian Tapping. It is a technique that is part of the growing field of Energy Medicine.
How does counselling work?
I use counselling as the foundation of all the work we do together. Counselling forms the framework for you to gain clarity and work towards your best outcomes.
Is everything we discuss confidential?
Absolutely.
Apart from two caveats: 1. If you are threatening self-harm or harm to another person, I am bound to report this. 2. If you reveal abuse of a child or elder I need to report this to the authorities.
As a professional and ethical practitioner, I am bound to strict confidentiality on all discussions we have and all paperwork.
I do keep some brief notes on our sessions to keep myself clear on the issues we have discussed. You are welcome to read them if you wish. I keep these records with your registration and consent form locked securely at another location from the office, for five years from the date of our last session.
If I see you in the street or at an event, please don’t be offended if I don’t acknowledge you – I am protecting your privacy. However if you approach me, I’m happy to say hi, but will not discuss anything to do with our work outside of our appointments.
Do I have to go over my childhood and my past?
There’s a bit of a misconception that coming to therapy means just talking about your childhood and your past without ever taking action on the present. I don’t work with you that way.
While certainly aspects from your childhood and your past are reflected in your beliefs and attitudes today, it is usually not necessary to delve deeply into your past unless it is negatively influencing your current life.
I take a more solution-focused perspective in my work so while we will acknowledge your past, unless it is relevant to explore, I prefer to work with you on your experiences today and a plan of action for tomorrow.