Counselling with Cate

Cate is trained in a variety of treatment techniques. She will identify and integrate a combination of techniques that work best for your individual circumstances. Below is a description of some of the techniques you can expect to notice in your counselling appointments:  

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is a practical therapeutic technique that focusses on helping people live a fulfilling life that is aligned with their values. It involves learning mindfulness and acceptance techniques to address negative thoughts and feelings. ACT is an effective treatment method for depression, anxiety, stress and burnout. It can also improve overall quality of life and assist people to identify and reach personal goals. 

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) 

CBT focusses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and how changes in one domain can create improvement in others. It is commonly used to treat anxiety, depression, PTSD and substance abuse disorders. 

Within CBT, Cate will often use the technique of Prolonged Exposure (PE) to address specific fears and process traumatic memories. This involves safely and gradually exposing someone to the fears or memories they have been avoiding, either through imaginal activities in counselling or through practical activities outside of appointments. Through this effective technique, the negative impacts of traumatic memories will be reduced or removed. 

Flash Technique (FT-EMDR)

The Flash Technique (FT) EMDR is a recently developed evidenced-based therapeutic intervention used to reduce the disturbance associated with traumatic or other distressing memories. FT is a minimally intrusive option that does not require the client to disclose the content of the memory, which significantly minimises the distress experienced by the client while processing the memory. 

Originally developed as an addition to the preparation phase of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), FT has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing the disturbance level associated with severely painful memories, sometimes in as little as ten to fifteen minutes. Like EMDR, FT utilises eye movements or alternating tapping and is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain. Cate has been trained in FT-EMDR and will often use this technique in conjunction with other interventions to increase the tolerance and effectiveness of therapy. 

Somatic Interventions

Somatic interventions are therapeutic approaches that engage body awareness and connect the mind, body and behaviour. By applying body based techniques to calm the nervous system and increase client awareness of their physical reactions, a more holistic healing process can occur. Cate has trained in Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), which is an empirically validated clinical intervention based on the principles of Hatha Yoga. Incorporating movement, breathing practices and body awareness into counselling where suitable allows Cate to increase the effectiveness of therapy and provide practical emotional regulation strategies that clients can use independently for years to come. 

Mindfulness Based Interventions

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focussing on your awareness of the present moment while  calmly accepting and acknowledging your thoughts, feelings and body sensations. Mindfulness based interventions involve taking clients through guided mindfulness meditations, providing meditations for home practice or assisting clients to develop mindfulness skills in other ways. Cate uses these practices alongside other therapeutic techniques to reduce the impact of negative thoughts, feelings and sensations, further improving recovery and wellbeing.  

Counselling Appointment (Approximately 50 - 60 minutes): $180

A Medicare rebate of $85.20 is available under the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative for up to 10 sessions. To access this, you will need to visit your GP and obtain an Mental Health Care Plan. 

AMHSW services are recognised by some private health insurance funds such as Bupa, HCF and Teachers Health (including UniHealth and Nurses and Midwives Health). Benefits paid by these funds vary depending on the level of ancillary cover and your eligibility. 

Cate is an approved counsellor for NSW Victims of Crime. She is also able to provide services under Return to Work SA. If you would like to discuss these programs further, please contact us.