Assessments
Adolescents
Adults
Children
Couples
Supervision
Group Workshops
Families
Assessment
We provide assessments for a variety of purposes. Whether it is for school settings, application to NDIS, DSP (Centrelink) or VOCAT. These assessments cover children, adolescents and adults.
Assessments provided include:
- Cognitive assessment
- Learning difficulties
- ADHD and executive functioning
- ASD
- Personality Assessment
Adolescents
Why is everything so hard?
Why don’t I feel like I fit in anywhere?
Who am I, anyway?
The transition from childhood into adulthood can be a confusing, challenging and difficult time, in this increasingly complex culture. Understanding this transitional stage is not only hard for those going through it but can also be difficult for parents as well. We offer advice, encouragement and wisdom to parents who are struggling to navigate the challenge of adolescents who are not thriving.
We recognise also that at this stage in life more complex and life altering diagnoses can begin presenting and the need for extra support is essential to navigate the added complexities that these bring. We are here to help and supply guidance, mentoring and understanding to adolescents who are in crisis and experiencing high anxiety, depression, identity formation, struggling to find out who they are and where they fit, and feeling overwhelmed by the social challenges they are facing.
Visit the Sensory Garden
Adults
Are you struggling with an inability to get things done?
Suffering long term ill health?
Difficulty coping with change?
Feeling disconnected from people?
Living in a cycle of fear?
Bouncing from one crisis or another?
Flooded, overwhelmed and confused?
Struggling to find meaning?
Experiencing self-destructive thoughts and behaviours?
Waking up tired and struggling to get going?
Feeling the fury?
Avoiding bad memories and numbing out?
If you can relate to any of these, we can help you. It is our purpose to help you find answers…
Life can be stressful and challenging at times, and it’s not uncommon for us to experience feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression. These feelings can be caused by many factors, such as family issues, financial concerns, relationship breakdowns, workplace issues, lack of confidence, worries and overthinking, trauma or a lack of work-life balance and many more. Together, we can help you work through these challenges and improve your overall well-being.
Through counselling, we can help you learn new ways of thinking and behaving and develop healthy coping strategies. Mental health is a vital aspect of our overall well-being, and it is important to take care of it just as you would your physical health.
Children
Children and adolescents can sometimes seem hard to understand, manage or even engage with, leaving parents feeling increasingly out of their depth. When children are not thriving, their behaviour can reflect disrespect, frustration, anger, hostility, low confidence, relationship difficulties, or simply excess energy. At other times they can appear shut down and withdrawn. In these situations, you may need support, encouragement, practical help or explanations as to why things are happening as they are.
Often these behaviours indicate unaddressed needs that can be very difficult to identify.
We can help by identifying and addressing these needs through building a positive connection with your child. We aim to provide a corrective relationship where the specific focus addresses the social and emotional developmental issues that so often occurs in children. This approach is informed by a combination of neuroscience, attachment theory, biology and relationship dynamics. The interventions may include play-based therapy; practical skills training; psychological insight and assessment of your child’s needs as well as advice and strategies for parents tailored to your unique situation. Our facility includes outdoor spaces for creative or experiential activities, as well as animal assisted therapy.
We are here to help you, and your child move on from feeling stuck and frustrated to building hope and confidence.
Explore the Story Trail and Fairy Garden
Couples
Longing for connection?
Tired of the same old arguments?
Wondering if you can ever be happy again?
We can help you. At Mount Evelyn we recognise and value the importance of healthy relationships. As a couple, we view your ‘relationship’ as the client.
We are not here to take sides but to help restore what’s broken. It’s not just about improving communication or reducing conflict, but if you feel stuck in patterns of conflict and misunderstanding that never seem to change, we can help create new patterns and facilitate foundational change that work just for you, where surface changes aren’t working.
Some of the other areas we offer support in are the challenges of neurodiversity, second marriages, blended families, infidelity, emotional intelligence and recovery after divorce.
Pre-marriage Counselling
Are you looking to invest in your marriage before it begins?
Wondering why you see things from completely different perspectives?
Want to look at differences before they become problems?
We recognise the value of marriage and the journey that it takes to have a thriving and fulfilling relationship. Pre-marriage counselling enables you to lay a good foundation to create a lasting marriage.
Knowing where your individual strengths and weaknesses lie, what your core beliefs are, how personalities differ and what your hopes and dreams for your future can be, will help you identify any areas of potential conflict and difficulty. We will help you have discussions about issues that really matter.
Families
Children and adolescents can sometimes seem hard to understand, manage or even engage with, leaving parents feeling Why does my family feel broken?
No-one talks anymore!
I’m so tired of the arguing, why can’t we just get along?
Families are a complex system of individuals with different personalities and needs. We are here to help your family and facilitate the difficult conversations needed that are not able to be done alone. Where you feel like your family is struggling with relationship issues and are having trouble identifying the barriers that are restricting connection, we can evaluate what’s not working and why and open up alternative possibilities for change.
Workshops/Groups
Looking to add some tools to your mental health toolbox?
Wanting to upskill and gain some knowledge in a particular area?
Looking for support from those with similar struggles and needs?
Group counselling and workshops can be a helpful form of therapy, information gathering and support either on its own or as a complement to one-on-one therapy.
The key advantages of group work include:
- Group work allows people to receive the support and encouragement of the other members of the group as they all learn together.
- Group participants can serve as role models to others of the group as all are there for the purpose of growth.
- Group work is very cost effective.
- Group work offers a safe haven to share.
- Group work is fun, and a great way to connect and share with others.
Supervision
We can provide clinical supervision to counsellors, psychologists, clinical social workers and Pastors with an APRA registered supervisor who has extensive clinical, theological and church governance experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Psychologists and Counsellors?
Counsellors and psychologists are related fields that provide mental health treatment.
The main differences between the two are:
- Counsellors are trained to help people address relationship or emotional problems. They deal with their clients in social circumstances and help them to resolve issues, using a broad range of modalities (types of interventions).
- Psychologists work within a medical model to diagnose serious mental health conditions and use psychological testing to inform strategies for therapy, while counsellors adopt a more person-centred approach.
- Counsellors listen to their clients without judgement and help them find solutions themselves, while psychologists work with clients on overcoming or managing mental health issues and emotional and social processes.
What is a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP)?
A Mental Health Care Plan is a plan obtained from your GP that gives you access to Medicare Rebates for up to 10 sessions per calendar year with a psychologist or Clinical Psychologist.
A MHCP can not be used for the purpose of seeing a counsellor.
How long is a standard appointment with a Counsellor/Psychologist?
The duration of a standard appointment session is 50 mins.
Do we offer Bulk Billing?
Bulk billing services are at the discretion of the individual practitioner and requires consultation with them. Available options to reduce costs are via a MHCP and Private Health Cover. Please note: Not all health funds cover counselling.
Is there a cancellation or no-show policy?
24 hours’ notice is required for cancellation, otherwise a $60 fee will be incurred. Failure to attend your appointment is treated as per the cancellation fee.
What are the days and hours that different practitioners are available?
There are practitioners available for either face-to-face or telehealth appointment from Monday to Friday. It is best to contact our office for information about when a specific practitioner would be available.
Do we offer telehealth appointments?
Yes, we do offer telehealth appointments. These can be undertaken either by phone or through a video platform such as Zoom.
Can I come into the appointment with my child?
Yes, you can attend counselling with your child. As every case is different a discussion with your practitioner as to the suitability of you continuing or giving permission for your child to continue alone will be sensitively engaged in. This will be to ensure the mutual satisfaction of all parties.
What kind of assessments we offer and how long do they take?
- Cognitive assessment – requires approx. 3-4 appointments.
- Educational Assessment (incl. Dyslexia and other learning difficulties) – requires approx. 6 appointments.
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – requires approx. 4 appointments.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – requires approx. 4-6 appointments.
- Intellectual Disability (ID) – Consultative with practitioner.
- Personality Tests – Usually done as part of a Disability Support Pension or NDIS application – Consultative with practitioner.
- NDIS Review Report – requires 2 hours of the practitioner’s time.
Do you provide assessments for adults and children?
We provide assessments for both children (5-18 years) and adults (18 plus).
How much are the fees for the different assessments?
Assessments costs vary, depending on the type of assessment and length of time. The price range is between $1,000 – $2,000. Please consult with our office for specific pricings.
