Our service may or may not be a good fit for you.
And the reality is we cannot take on every prospective client who contacts us…
In fact, we only take on a new client if we genuinely believe we are best suited to help them with their particular issues and they are likely to get the full value and benefit from our services.
Why is the right client fit so important?
There are two main reasons:
- First, we dedicate a great deal of time, energy and focus to helping every client we work with. So when we do take on a new client, it is a serious commitment we are making to that child and their family. (And we don’t stop thinking about your issues whenever you are not sitting in front of us.)
- Second, the best results can only achieved when there is a close alignment between client needs, desires and goals and the way we actually work.
Who is a good fit for our child psychology services?
Here are some common qualities of clients who achieve the best results when working with us:
- You are looking for expert help outside of the school or education system. We provide 100% private, confidential and independent help. And we will never hold back from giving you honest and forthright advice that is in your child’s best interests.
- You want practical, evidence-based strategies and methods. We only offer professional psychological services that are practical, solution-focused and clearly supported by clinical or research evidence.
- You are ready to embrace change. You are willing to think ‘outside of the box’ and try some different approaches. And you want to learn something new about your child, yourself and your family.
- You are willing to actively engage in the process. To achieve the best outcomes it’s vital that parents are actively involved in the therapeutic process, especially with younger children.
- You understand that the therapeutic process takes time. The aim is to learn healthier ways of thinking, relating to others, problem-solving and responding to stress and then to establish these skills as long term habits. Sure, some minor issues might be resolved in a couple of sessions but most relatively mild issues take around six sessions (on average, give or take). What’s more, kids often make rapid progress in the early stages which gives the illusion that all of their challenges are resolved when in fact they may have some way to go.
- You appreciate the value of ongoing care and follow-up. After the initial service period we like to keep in touch to find out how your child and your family are going. We also offer periodic check-up/preventative sessions to: a) recognise and celebrate any achievements, b) help refocus on new goals, and c) prevent any minor issues from snowballing out of control.
And who are we NOT suited to?
If any of the following apply to you, we’re probably not a good match for your needs at this particular time:
- If you are are looking for a ‘quick fix’ or a ‘band-aid’ solution we are not the right service for you. As much as we would love to have magical powers 🙂 … unfortunately we can’t just wave a wand and fix everything overnight.
- If you really don’t believe that professional counselling, coaching or assessment can possibly benefit your child, we’re not going to attempt to convince you otherwise.
- If you are struggling to pay the bills each month we are not the right service for you. Although Medicare or private health rebates can make our services affordable for many families, we are a private clinic and we do not bulk bill. If you cannot afford to pay the ‘gap’ fees we recommend that you ask your GP for a referral to a government-funded service.
- If you require appointments on weekends we are not the right service for you. We offer appointments until 6pm on most weekdays. We believe in a healthy work-life balance for our staff. And it can be ineffective to provide services late in the evening when children are tired, or on weekends when they could otherwise be enjoying leisure activities with friends and family.
- If you or your child are suffering from a serious mental illness or psychiatric disorder we are not the right service for you. (For example, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, severe depression or anxiety, substance abuse, etc.) We recommend instead that you seek immediate help from your GP (or a government mental health service) and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist.
- If you have an intervention order in place.
“Ok, I think your services may be a good fit for my child. What’s the next step?”
When you are ready to take the next step, please click the button below to get started: