Direct Focus Solutions provides counselling services in Sydney

Do I need counselling or psychology services?

Across all cities in Australia, Sydney included, counselling and psychology providers differ in the kinds of services they can offer. It’s a good idea to check the qualifications of the practitioner you wish to see to ensure that they can provide the service you require.

Psychologists are highly trained AHPRA registered professionals who are qualified to provide counselling, perform intellectual and psychological testing, diagnose mental health issues and provide psychological therapies.

Counsellors can have a variety of training, skills and experience and are less rigorously regulated. In fact, in Australia, counsellors are not required to have any particular training or registration, though most do. They can offer counselling services, typically managing short term issues that can be resolved at the conscious level.

For your peace of mind, all our Sydney counselling practitioners are highly trained through reputable education organisations and are registered with the Australian Register of Counsellors. Depending on your needs and personal preference, you can choose to begin your therapy with one of our psychologists who offer counselling services or with one of our highly trained counsellors who manage the overall wellness of our clients.

Therapy models and types of counselling offered at DFS

Direct Focus Solutions utilises an extensive range of therapies to suit all kinds of clients and their concerns. Our team uses Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness, motivational interviewing, solution focused therapy and narrative therapy, to name a few.

At DFS, we acknowledge that your mental health concerns are specific to you. That’s why our experienced and highly qualified counsellors offer a range of services and strategies, all provided with an empathetic attitude and accessed by people from all walks of life

Individual Counselling: Sydney

Children, adolescents and adults seek help from us to:

• manage anxiety and depression;
• work through past traumas;
• overcome phobias;
• manage stress and conflict;
• learn coping strategies specific to developmental issues such as ADD/ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD);
• deal with school refusal, opposition or defiance;
• conquer addiction (e.g. substances, gambling, Internet);
• manage anger-related concerns;
• recover from eating disorders;
• enhance and maintain healthy relationships;
• build self-esteem and resilience;
• work through concerns of bullying; and
• gain support for symptoms of personality
disorders.

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Couples Counselling: Sydney

The needs of couples vary greatly depending on the state of their relationship at the time they seek assistance, as well as their shared goals of the couple. These are generally quite different from their needs as individual clients. Couples may seek couples counselling:

• for support through relationship breakdown;
• to improve communication with family members, including managing disagreement or conflict in a respectful and supportive way;
• for advice on parenting, particularly, advice on parenting a child with special needs or circumstances; and
• for support with sexual intimacy concerns within a relationship

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Family Counselling: Sydney

Direct Focus Solutions is proud to work with a wide variety of families, including the LGBTQI+ community. Our family therapy is a highly effective form of counselling and, by following advice given by our counsellors, families can expect to see positive see results within a short time. Our therapists work with all kinds of family groupings and can help support them to function as respectful, effective units, always with the interests of the whole group in mind. Families may seek support from us:

• for parenting advice, particularly if a child in the family is experiencing difficulties at home or at school, including focus and attention concerns or behavioural issues;
• for strategies to support a child with a disability or mental health concern, including autism (ASD);
• to facilitate respectful and productive discussion between family members that are estranged or angry with each other or who have difficulty actively listening to one another;
• to manage family changes associated with divorce and separation;
• to better cope with problems that may occur after re-marriage, particularly with transitioning into a blended family situation; and
• to collaboratively manage other family problems that occur from time to time.

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Counselling is about building relationships. If a connection cannot be made between therapist and client, your therapy will be far less effective.

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Why Work With DFS?

Counselling is about building relationships. If a connection cannot be made between therapist and client, your therapy will be far less effective. At DFS, we understand that one size definitely does not fit all! As a holistic, multidisciplinary practice, we can take advantage of the many clinicians who practise in our clinics to find exactly the right fit for you, your child or your family.

We make it a point to employ counsellors who represent a wide range of Sydney society such as young support workers, who work closely with psychologists to reach a younger audience, and more mature therapists who can connect with our adult clientele at their level.

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Is counselling in Sydney covered by Medicare?

If you are being referred for counselling by your General Practitioner, they can provide you with a mental health treatment plan, which allows you to access a number of sessions with a mental health provider, like DFS, that can be claimed on Medicare. If your provider charges more than the scheduled fee, there will be a ‘gap’ amount payable.

What about private health cover?

Some private health insurers offer options for mental health cover. If you have private health insurance, check with your insurer to see if you are covered for mental health services and you may be able to make a claim. For counselling services in Sydney, contact us and feel the DFS difference.

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