northernriverscounselling.com.au

How can I get started?

Feel free to call or email us. Having a conversation with us will give you a sense of who we are and how we approach counselling. If you are new to counselling some people find that having a lot of questions to ask at the initial phone/email contact is helpful in making that initial commitment. Other people are more comfortable getting a sense for how counselling works at the first session.

How much does it cost?

Pedro $70 per 1 hour session. He has several concession spots in his practice. Feel free to discuss with him possibilities for negotiating a fee reduction.  

Pedro also offers an initial free 30 min session as way for you to meet Pedro, to get a sense of how he works and to explore whether you and him are a good therapist-client match.

Alice charges $100 per session. For clients who are eligible, a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP entitles you to a $80 rebate per session (up to 12 sessions per year only). Your GP must diagnose an identifiable mental health issue for you to be able to access this scheme.

Where are you? Is there parking?

We work from 2 practices: Lismore and Mullumbimby.

Lismore practice: Suite 3 / 95 Molesworth Street, next to the Summerland Credit Union Building. There is plenty of parking located behind our building, in a 2-hour free parking lot.

Mullumbimby practice: Suite 2 /108 Stuart st, Mullumbimby. It is on the first floor of the Stuart St Arcade which is next to Retra Vision. There is street parking and also a parking lot at the back.

Alice is available at Lismore.

Pedro is available at Lismore and Mullumbimby.

Is there wheelchair access?

Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access at these premises.

What is your availability? Are you available afterhours?

Alice is available on Wednesdays and Thursdays only.

Pedro is available Mondays to Thursdays. 

How long are the sessions and how often would I need to see you?

Sessions are generally 1 hour duration although longer of shorter sessions can be negotiated. Most of our clients come for a weekly sessions although we can negotiate more frequent contact, if such a high level of support is needed, or less frequent contact according to what you feel works best for you. Saying that, we believe that the most effective level of contact is weekly.

What kind of commitment do I need to make?

This question really depends on what sort of commitment you feel you can make. Our work is client centred in that we work with what the client needs. Some people find 3 sessions is enough to gain some clarity on an issue and to experience a shift in circumstances. Other people commit to work that extends over a few months or longer term. We believe that counselling can be more effective when a commitment to a number of initial sessions is made, such as 6 to 12. This allows the work to have more focus.