Melbourne Integrative Psychotherapy & Counselling
Philosophy
It is human nature to seek meaning in one's life, and to live fully to one's potential, yet for some it may seem elusive or difficult to sustain. Adverse early life childhood experiences, living with complex mental health conditions, co-morbidity issues; chronic ill-health or psycho-social disabilities presents many challenges for individuals and their families.
Research studies have shown that traumatic experiences impacts on the individual's psyche and body over their lifespan. An assault or wound to the body also leaves its imprint on the psyche. Often, what lies in its wake, is that the individual experiences a sense of disconnect from their whole sense of being which then impacts on interpersonal and family relations. It is on this premise that an integrative psychotherapeutic model is central to working with the whole person. An embodied philosophical approach underpins the therapeutic work, it encompasses working with all the dimensions of the human experience and existence across the lifespan. The therapeutic approaches considers the brain body-based relational therapy, biopsychosocial and developmental frameworks, gestalt therapy, somatic experiencing and trauma therapy models, psychological strategies as well as psychotherapy to promote integration towards more of an embodied self.
Melbourne Integrative Psychotherapy & Counselling
Integrative Psychotherapy &
Counselling
Integrative Therapy is drawn from different schools of psychotherapy under the direction of German philosopher, professor, clinical practitioner, researcher, scholar, and teacher (Hilarion Petzold). Prof. Dr. Petzold together with other notable founders of psychotherapies at that time in Europe, Bioenergetics (Alexander Lowen), Gestalt Therapy (Fritz Perls), Family Therapy (Virginia Satir), Psychodrama (Jacob Moreno) and others envisioned a training program that transcended traditional psychotherapies to form the Fritz Perls Institute for Integrative Therapy (FPI) in Germany. Integrative Therapy is a biopsychosocial developmental model that is context-oriented and on a continuum of health-disease model found in clinical social sciences, psychiatry, psychology, and medicine. It also provides a multi-perspectival and intersubjectivity concept of human beings from anthropological, philosophical & sociological perspective that considers all the dimensions of the human condition and existence across the lifespan. (Adapted from EAG/FPI).
Counselling utilises psychological focussed strategies to explore a range of issues such as: anxiety, depression or mood disorders; grief & loss; eating disorders and body image; drug and alcohol; child/parent; identity and life transition; including chronic illnesses and psychosocial disabilities in a safe therapeutic environment. The counselling processes facilitates change through developing insight & awareness in cognition, emotional feelings and behaviours, enhances capacity to tolerate and regulate emotions and empowers an individual towards life changing decisions to embrace positive mental health and well-being.
Psychotherapy use psychological therapies to treat psychosocial, psychosomatic and behavioural disturbances or states of suffering by evidenced-based psychotherapeutic processes. A comprehensive mental health approach considers both conscious and unconscious states, family systems therapy, relational states of being from an existential, phenomenological perspective to understand self in the context of the environment. Psychotherapists and clients work together to understand the conscious aspects of the present lived experience, as well as bringing the unconscious aspects into consciousness; body-based therapies and somatic experiencing supports resolution of trauma; relational patterns are explored through existential phenomenological approaches to support awareness, growth and change. (Adapted from PACFA).
Integrative Psychotherapist - As a practitioner, trained in body movement therapy, clinical social sciences, existential-phenomenological practice, gestalt therapy, family and systems therapy, somatic experiencing, trauma field, including neuro-psychotherapy, it has provided me with divergent and integrative therapeutic models to work with the all the dimensions of the individual towards more of an embodied self.
Clinical Services
-
Mental health assessments
-
Bio psycho social & developmental assessments
-
Therapeutic recovery & treatment plan: individual counselling, family counselling & group therapy.
Specialising in
-
Atachment & developmental trauma
-
Infant-parent mental health & perinatal counselling
-
Chronic illnesses & disabilities
-
Grief, bereavement & loss
-
Complex trauma & post-traumatic stress disorders
-
Eating problems & body image
-
Interpersonal & family relationships
-
Suicide prevention & intervention
Psychological Strategies
-
Acceptance Commitment Therapy
-
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
-
Family based interventions
-
Interpersonal therapy
-
Psycho-education
-
Motivational Interviewing
-
Mindfulness
-
Narrative therapy
-
Psycho education
-
Relaxation Strategies
Melbourne Integrative Psychotherapy & Counselling
GP & Health Professionals
Accredited Mental Health Social Workers are registered providers with Medicare Australia. They have been assessed on behalf of the Commonwealth Government by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) as having specialist mental health expertise to deliver clinical social work services and evidence-based psychological strategies.
An Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) is eligible to provide services through the Commonwealth-funded Better Access to Mental Health Care and Chronic Diseases Management (Enhanced Primary Care) programs. Social workers are also providers in the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) program.
Accredited Mental Health Social Workers have a breadth of experience in assessing and treating people who have mild to moderate and complex mental health conditions and co-morbidity issues. Patients seeking Medicare rebates for focused psychological strategies – allied mental health services will need to have a referral from a GP, Medical Practitioner, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician.
FOCUSSED PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES – ALLIED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ATTRACTING MEDICARE REBATES
MBS Items
-
Individual Focussed Psychological Strategies Services
-
Group Focussed Psychological Strategies
-
Video Conferences for Focussed Psychological Services
-
Non Directive Pregnancy Counselling Support
-
TeleHealth Services
Private Health Funds & Rebates
-
Medibank Private
-
Teachers Health Fund
-
TAC Services
-
Victims of Crime (VOC)
-
WorkCover
