No, external referrals are not necessary, but are welcome if you have one from a medical or allied health professional. Self-referral is acceptable.

There are various types of sessions available. At this stage fees range from $130-$200, depending on the type of session you are engaging with. See Counselling services for specific fee details.

The answer to this will vary from person to person. The length of time a client goes to counselling is a matter of personal choice. There is no minimum or maximum number of sessions someone should attend.

It will depend on the client's needs and experiences, and essentially asking themselves "What am I hoping to achieve?". Individuals or couples who have a specific, identifiable issue to resolve may be able to achieve their goal within 6 to 10 sessions or less. If you're not exactly sure what is troubling you, or if you want to engage with more deeply rooted issues extending further back into your early life, then more time may be needed.

At this stage, medicare and private health rebates are not available. It is acceptable to use an NDIS plan tailored to include counselling, or agreed funding from a specialised service agency that you may be engaged with, such as Orange Door, Red Kite etc.

The first session is primarily giving you, the client, an opportunity to share about what has brought you to therapy. Also exploring what you would like to achieve by engaging in the counselling process. The therapist will also give an idea of how they may be able to support you moving forward. Certain formalities are also discussed.

At Novo Counselling, a brief introductory phone call is offered to clients before their first session for an initial conversation and opportunity to ask any questions the client may have. Before attending your first face to face session take time to determine what you want the therapist to help you with. It may be helpful to write down the issues you'd like to discuss, as well as any outcomes you are hoping to achieve. You may like to mention if you've seen other counsellors previously and your experiences/results achieved with them. This can be helpful for the therapist to know which methods may or may not be best suited to you. Most importantly, be completely honest with your therapist.

We ask for the courtesy of at least 48 hours notice for a cancellation. This allows time for us to fill the appointment. If an appointment is cancelled with less than 48 hours notice, fees apply, ranging from 50-100% of the fee charge. If late cancellations become a regular occurrence clients will be encouraged to reassess their commitment to the therapy relationship.

These sessions are booked personally with the therapist, not through the booking platform. They are private and confidential counselling sessions using the Zoom platform and can be accessed wherever you have a good internet connection, a mobile phone or computer. You must live in Australia to engage in online therapy with Novo Counselling.