Counselling Wollongong

Therapy is an individual journey; a skilled clinician will follow and guide you as you travel. Sometimes people seek counselling because

they want to change something in their lives or better understand their place in the world. Some want to understand the impact they are having on others. Others may want guidance in understanding, managing or solving a problem and finding their own answers to life’s dilemmas.

Counselling falls under the umbrella of ‘talking therapies.’ This is where you talk to a trained professional about your feelings, behaviour and thoughts. Sometimes talking through your concerns can be beneficial to your overall mental health, particularly if there are unresolved issues that may be causing emotional distress. Counselling may help to improve learned negative emotional responses and help you work through the determinants.

Therapy also provides a wonderful opportunity to recount past experiences with a “skilled helper”. Your counsellor can provide an opportunity to reprocess information you choose to share in a way that facilitates new learning or interpretation and a renewed peace or acceptance, with the ultimate aim of bringing growth to you as an individual.

We believe counselling is not a one-size-fits-all therapy

Counselling is not a one-size-fits-all therapy. Each session is tailored to your individual needs and offers some degree of flexibility. During your first counselling session, your counsellor will want to understand your presenting issues before exploring issues in more detail. You may be asked questions about why you are seeking therapy, your therapy goals and your personal and family history.

Following on, you will typically have ongoing sessions where your concerns will be explored in more detail. As you become more comfortable with your counsellor and the therapy process, you may find it easier to talk through deeper concerns. There is much to be said for the power of communicating and connecting with someone who listens and cares.

Your counsellor may challenge you to consider a different perspective and could provide you with helpful advice that may assist you to uncover any underlying causes that may be affecting your behaviour, thought patterns and unhealthy coping mechanisms. An individually tailored therapy plan can then be developed to help alleviate your symptoms and assist you to manage them in a healthier way.

Depending on your particular circumstances, sessions may take the form of face-to-face or group sessions. A telehealth (online) consultation is an available option that is becoming more and more popular, particularly during times of lockdown and travel restrictions due to COVID-19 or for regional clients who cannot readily access one of our clinics.

Mental health is equally as important as physical health and in fact, they often go hand in hand. However, while we tend to take care of our physical health, we often neglect our mental health. Unhelpful advice like, ‘pull yourself together’ either from others or as part of our own self-talk only serves to weaken our mental health and resilience rather than strengthen it.

Fortunately, as awareness of mental health issues has become more prominent, it is becoming easier for individuals to access the help they need and work through the emotional blockages that are holding them back.

As a multidisciplinary, holistic practice, Direct Focus Solutions provides various mental health services to individuals across their lifespan, including counselling. Wollongong is home to one of our clinics where we can offer you the assistance you need thanks to our team of accredited, qualified professionals. Our team members come from a variety of disciplines, including psychology and occupational therapy. By working together, our clinicians offer direct and real solutions to identify your issues and innovate strategies to help you overcome them.

Being a multidisciplinary practice also means that you can choose between a counsellor or a psychologist who offers counselling services, depending on your therapy needs or your preferences. You can find out more about psychology services at our DFS Wollongong clinic here.

You are not alone! We have professionals who can help you to address your concerns, whatever they happen to be. We acknowledge that sometimes taking that first step to improve your life is challenging but we also know that it is an important and empowering step.

Contact us at to DFS to find out more about counselling at our Wollongong clinic. Or if it’s more suitable for you, talk to us about booking a Telehealth appointment conducted from the comfort of your own home or from anywhere that’s convenient.

Be empowered to take action; let us help you improve your life today with counselling at DFS Wollongong.