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. A good place to start is to ask friends or relatives if they know of anyone who is suitable for you. Or who to steer clear of. Google search for the type of help you are looking for, eg hypnotherapy Inner West. Be specific and look further than page one on Google. (It costs a lot of money to be listed on page one, particularly in a big city. Being on page one is no indication of how good a therapist actually is, it just means they have a lot of money to spend on marketing). When you reach a therapist website, it's important to look for a few things. First of all, the first impression you get? Does the site seem up-to-date and easy to find the information you are wanting? Is there a photo of the therapist? Do you connect with them? Do they look like the kind of person you could imagine sharing your deepest thoughts and feelings with? Do they list their qualifications? This is important as apart from psychology, psychiatry and social work, most other therapies including counselling are unregulated in Australia. This means that ANYONE can put up a website and call themselves a counsellor or a hypnotherapist or anything! Please be really careful with this, insist on asking for specific qualifications if they are not proudly listed on a therapist's website. The gender of the therapist might matter to you, in which case chose the appropriate one. I mainly work with women and have done since the start of my career. I do so because I find that I have a naturally better rapport with women and have an understanding of our shared perspective as women. If you like the look of a few therapist websites, call them. I know. It can be daunting calling up, but you will learn a lot just from an initial phone call. Do they get back to you in a reasonable amount of time if you leave a message? Do they sound polite and interested in you? Do they spend time answering your questions (within reason, I have had potential clients who basically ask for counselling over the phone rather than just ask a few relevant questions to decide if they want to make a booking)? Do you even like their voice? How do you feel talking to this therapist? Do they pressure you to book straight away? There are a lot of things you can learn from this initial phone call. What do they charge? Are their fees clearly displayed on the website, or do you need to ring up to ask (and risk a hard sell). Oh and remember - the most expensive is not always the best! At the end of the day, taking all of these things into consideration, I would go with my gut. Go with the therapist that you feel a good conection with from your initial research. Go with the person you feel you could trust, and who you feel has the ability to help you. And remember - sometimes the first therapist you go to turns out not to be a great fit for you, sometimes it takes a few tries to find the right one for you. So don't be discouraged if you need to try a few before you find the right fit. When you do it will be so worth it 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 Monday to Saturday 8.00am – 8.00pm (Sydney daylight saving time).

Inner West office

Terry Road

Dulwich Hill NSW 2203

Thursday and Friday 10.00am - 4.00pm

Saturday morning by request.

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 $150.00 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. If there is any conflict between your conscious ‘thinking’ mind and your subconscious ‘emotional’ mind, the subconscious always wins. Like the head/heart conflict we sometimes encounter, the heart is usually the winner even if it’s not ‘sensible or logical’. Hypnosis itself is a natural mind state that we all experience many times during our day, the times when your mind drifts off in a daydream, or a memory, or when you are fully involved in a good book or movie. The state of hypnosis feels like that lovely drifty feeling between being deep asleep and wide awake. Hypnotherapy uses this natural ability of our mind to focus inward. In fact, hypnosis is sometimes referred to as a state of ‘focused awareness’, because in hypnosis your attention is fully focused on the imagery and feelings involved in creating the change. There is no ‘Magic’ involved in this therapy. The hypnotherapy I use has no relation to ‘stage hypnosis’ that you might see on TV. You are always in control. In fact most clients can easily recall most of what is said during hypnosis and really enjoy the feeling of deep relaxation that they experience. What a great way to create lasting permanent changes! Let me reassure you. Clinical Hypnotherapy is NOT mind control by a ‘hypnotist’ – it’s a collaboration between you and me to help you to create your changes in your own way. Some of my clients worry that they might not be ‘hypnotisable’ but I am yet to meet someone that can’t easily relax into this pleasant state. You can’t do this wrong, the way that YOU experience your hypnosis is the right way for you. Hypnotherapy is not a ‘magic bullet’ to 'cure' you without any changes in your behaviour, or make you stop doing something if you really don’t want to. Hypnotherapy works by supporting the changes you want for yourself and helping you find the inner resources or motivation to create that change for yourself. In my sessions I use two types of hypnotherapy: Suggestion Therapy, which is a wonderful way to create change using visualisation and evoking the positive emotions that go with the change. Suggestion therapy is simple, effective and the results are usually permanent. I record all Suggestion Therapy sessions (free of charge) for my clients to continue to use at home as this repetition of the message is key in helping to create lasting results. Hypno-Analytic Psychotherapy, is useful for doing deeper work, finding out why or how the mind is dealing with an issue. This will sometimes take the form of Inner Child work or Parts Therapy or other psychotherapies used while you are in the state of hypnosis. I do not record these sessions. This type of therapy is usually longer-term than suggestion therapy. Please feel welcome to ask me any questions you have about how Hypnotherapy can help you.



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. EFT has become one of my favourite techniques in Emotional Healing. It is the number one method that I recommend for self-help and it’s usually one of the first tools that I use when something comes up in my own life. EFT is based on the theory that emotions stay within the body as stuck energy. By gently tapping on specific points on the body we’re able to stimulate and release these energy blocks. The Energy points used in EFT follow the same Energy lines (known as Meridians) as are used by the Chinese Acupuncture healing methods. By lightly tapping with two fingers on these points while allowing yourself to feel the emotions of a situation, you’ll find that the emotion will begin to dissipate, often after only one round of tapping. EFT is amazingly effective on any number of issues including anxiety, stress, anger, sadness, overwhelm, pain, fear, phobias, cravings, deleting food or drink compulsions, changing habits, releasing emotional pain of past memories or future worries, peak performance, the list is endless. Try it on everything! Click here to learn how to use EFT yourself How I use EFT in my sessions with you I absolutley love using EFT with my clients to help them have really quite amazing breakthroughs. I have found through years of experience that if we approach the issue first by using EFT to clear the 'stuckness' or intensity of a feeling, belief or problem, then we clear the way for the hypnotherapy to work much better. So, quite often I will suggest that we start with EFT and then consolidate the changes using hypnotherapy. These two therapies work beautifully together, each strengthens the results of the other. More and more clients are seeking out EFT as its reputation spreads world-wide. So it is not uncommon for me to work with clients only using EFT. We get dramatic results and often don't need to use hypnotherapy. Also, EFT is really easy to learn so I will teach it to you and give you written instructions so that you can continue to use EFT at home. Another advantage for you about using EFT as part of our work together is that you can get very quick and lasting results without having to continue seeing me for lots of sessions. You get the results you want AND save time and money. Can't argue with that!



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. My role as a counsellor is to enable you to explore many aspects of your life and feelings, by talking openly and freely. Talking in such a way is rarely possible with family or friends, who are likely to be emotionally involved and have opinions and biases that may be detrimental to the success of the counselling. Everything discussed in our session is totally confidential. I neither judge you, nor offer you advice but I do offer you an opportunity to express difficult feelings such as anger, resentment, guilt and fear in a safe environment. The ultimate aim of counselling is to enable you to make your choices, reach your own decisions and to act upon them accordingly. The main steps in the counselling process are: To help clarify the problem To identify options open to you in the situation To work out what you hope to achieve Identify ways to achieve this goal Provide strategies, support and encouragement as you work towards your goal The beauty of incorporating EFT and Hypnotherapy into the counselling process means that you can get some really deep emotional and personal changes happening much more efficiently and permanently than using just counselling alone. However, some of my clients come to me for counselling only, and that is fine. I am happy to work with whatever strategies you feel comfortable with.



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.