Therapy FAQ

Psychotherapy and
Counselling in Brisbane

 
 

Therapy FAQ

 WITH NATAJSA WAGNER, BRISBANE CLINICAL PSYCHOTHERAPIST, EDUCATOR & SUPERVISOR

 
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Did you know that 90% of people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime?

While many people move forward from their traumatic experiences, some people find it challenging to manage the impacts of trauma.

Trauma is sometimes referred to as big T trauma (complex) and little t trauma (single incident).

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‘Single Incident Trauma’ 
is often referred to as PTSD and can include things like a car accident, natural disaster or death of a loved one.

‘Complex Trauma’ (or developmental trauma)
is trauma that happens in relationship. It's cumulative, repetitive and often categorised by feelings of fear, helplessness and overwhelm.

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Our past experiences

influence who we are in the present.

When we haven’t had experiences of consistent care, nurturing and comfort from our caregivers it can result in developmental challenges that fundamentally change who we are and how we relate to ourselves and others.

 

I have a special interest in working with developmental trauma because it has such a lasting impact on our adult lives.

Trauma sits on a continuum

It is important to note that you don't have to have experienced what people might consider extreme cases of trauma (e.g., domestic violence, abuse or other frightening events) to be affected.

 

Emotionally neglectful caregiver(s)

This could look like growing up in a privileged home, but experiencing emotional neglect from a caregiver who didn’t have the capacity to be there for you or to hold your emotions or feelings.

You learn that people can’t be relied on and attempt to meet your own needs. It feels safer to be alone than to be too close.

 

Inconsistent caregiver(s)

Your caregiver was consistently unavailable or unpredictable due to addiction, unresolved trauma of their own or other challenges.

You learn that you can’t trust people to be there for you and it is safer not to let your guard down. You may also have felt like you had to step into the role of the caregiver for your family members, and struggle with boundary-setting as an adult.

Frightening caregiver(s)

You may have had a caregiver that felt frightening and/or was frightened of you. Perhaps they had anger issues or were physically threatening or abusive.

You learn that relationships are unpredictable and that your caregivers weren’t to be trusted. You decide that in relationships you can't just attach and connect, but must defend and protect.

 

Emotionally disconnected caregiver(s)

This can look like growing up in a family where the belief was that you shouldn't show your emotions.

You learn that it is not acceptable to be vulnerable with others as an adult and struggle to form close relationships with others as a result.

 

When our most intimate relationships feel unsafe, we grow up feeling like every relationship is unsafe.

Instead of being wired for connection
we become wired for protection.

My practice is informed by my own lived experience of trauma.

I utilise a blend of body based somatic therapies in my work. These include Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. I also use parts work and am one of Janina Fishers Australian certified TIST therapists. I have a special interest in dissociation, structural dissociation and attachment challenges. My goal is to support you in developing your own unique resources to process and re-negotiating the impacts of trauma.

 
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We each develop our own unique attachment style and way of relating.

Through the process of therapy I help you understand and repair your attachment patterns.

By understanding the unique ways you coped with challenges in your family of origin we can identify the underlying unmet needs that caused you to adapt your attachment in the first place.

Through the safe and supportive process of therapy, we can work with the emotional difficulties and fixed patterns that are causing you difficulty.

You can learn new ways to get your emotional needs met as well as resources that support emotional regulation and effective communication in relationship. 

 

Phases of Therapy

My work follows the three-phased approach of working with complex trauma. Each person’s therapy journey is unique and many of my clients come at different starting points. We work in partnership to tap into the wisdom of your nervous system and find your own unique solutions that work for you.

 
 

What to expect in therapy

I do…

  • Encourage human-ness (being messy, curse-words and imperfection are welcome)

  • Work with approaches that focus on both brain and body

  • Use a trauma-informed approach that focuses on you feeling safe

  • Speak with authenticity & share my experience

  • Believe in collaboration and working together

  • Offer In-person & online sessions & work with people all over the globe

  • Support diversity & inclusion

  • Continually update my skills

I don’t…

  • Take notes while you are speaking to me

  • Force you to do anything you don't want to do

  • Focus on labels or pathologising you. You are not just a set of symptoms to be diagnosed or a conditinon to be fixed.

  • Tell you what you 'should' be doing

  • Belive in quick-fix band-aid approaches

  • Come from the expert model of thinking where the therapist is the person who holds the power for change or ‘cure’. I believe with support everyone is capable of growth and change.

 FAQs

Who do you work with?

I work with adults (21 years +).

I do not work with children, adolescents, teenagers or families.

How long is a therapy session?

Each therapy session is 50 minutes.

What are your counselling fees?

Individual Counselling
Individual Counselling sessions are charged at the standard rate of $200 Inc GST.

EMDR Processing Sessions are charged at the standard rate of $220 Inc GST.

Supervision
Supervision sessions are charged at the standard rate of $210 Inc GST. Group Supervision is $65 per person with a minimun of 4 people per group.

Private Practice Mentoring
Private practice business mentoring sessions are charged at the standard rate of $210 Inc GST.

Group Therapy
You can read more about my group therapy offering here. Sessions are $50 a fortnight with a commitment to the 6-month term.

Do you accept Mental Health Care Plans (MHCP’s)?

Unfortunately, psychotherapists and counsellors are not eligible for Medicare rebates, so we don’t take Mental Health Care Plans from your GP. You don’t need a GP referral and can access counselling simply by booking your session online via the work with me page or sending me an email to be added to my waitlist.

How can psychotherapy and counselling help me?

Many people find it helpful to talk to someone who’s not a family member or friend. A therapist can provide neutral and non-judgmental support, guiding you through gentle evidence-based strategies. A therapist can also help you develop self-awareness, get clarity on your challenges, and illuminate potential blind spots as well as different perspectives.

A therapist will also support you in achieving the outcomes you want by helping you to create a conscious change. Therapy is also supportive because it represents a rare experience in today’s world: A space to be heard, a space without expectation, a space where we can fully explore who we are in the world and get in touch with our deeper thoughts, emotions and beliefs. Being able to mindfully examine and explore our thoughts, emotions and challenges is priceless. It’s from this place that we can create conscious change and we can choose to act differently.

What is your therapy approach?

As a therapist, I’m focused on:

• Ensuring you feel seen, heard and validated.
• Creating safety, so you can be your authentic self.
• Holding a non-judgmental space, free of shame or blame.
• Centering your process and needs. (I won’t carry an agenda as to how you ”should” be healing or growing)

Research shows when there is a good match between therapist and client, sustainable and meaningful change can occur.

Generally, my work with clients tends to be longer-term as we work to understand and process developmental trauma, belief systems and patterns of relating that may have become part of your procedural learning.

The therapy journey is like any journey of transformation: At times, it’s painful, there are many challenges as we look into the face of adversity, and it’s beautiful, awe inspiring, nurturing and joyful.

As part of a good working relationship, I speak openly about the fact that ruptures or moments where I ‘get it wrong’ or misunderstand you are likely to happen. Conflict, ruptures, and mistakes are a normal part of what it means to be human. They’re also bound to happen in the therapy process.

These moments give us an opportunity to understand how we react and respond in relationship and work through the challenges (rather than avoiding difference or leaving therapy prematurely). In this way, they can also be profound catalysts for transformational healing and growth.

What happens in my first counselling session?

It’s normal to have a range of feelings when coming to therapy. Whether it’s your first-ever session or you have been to therapy before, feelings of nervousness, excitement or apprehension are all normal and expected! When you arrive, I’ll greet you and invite you in. You’ll be given a form to fill out with your details. We’ll have a relaxed, down to earth conversation about what has brought you to therapy, and what you might like to work on.

The first session is an opportunity to get to know one another. You’ll be able to share your story and experiences with me, as well as ask questions. My role is to hold the space for you and really get an understanding of your thoughts, feelings and perspectives. In this session, you can also get a feel for my therapy space and what therapy will be like.

Together, we’ll decide if we would be a good fit to work together. We know that the biggest predictor of success in therapy is the relationship between therapist and client, so it’s essential you feel that my approach resonates with you and is suited to your individual needs.

During your first session, you may wish to ask questions relating to what to expect, and how I can best support you. You can also watch my video discussing psychotherapy here.

How many sessions will I need?

The amount of therapy sessions you may need will vary depending on your goals. Healing is often not a linear process. I believe that long-term sustainable change and transformation is a process that does not involve a ‘quick fix’.

Some people come to therapy for a few sessions to address their current goals or life challenges. Others come looking to do deeper work around trauma, which may span over a few months to a year. Many people return to therapy from time to time as needed or to take the next step in their personal growth journey.

Counselling and psychotherapy are most effective when it is regular and consistent. Generally, sessions occur weekly or fortnightly to begin, but this also depends on what works for you. Together, we’ll assess your needs and what is going to work best for you. We’ll continue to check in and discuss our work together as we go.

Choice is an important part of therapy. This means you can end the therapeutic relationship with me at any time, take a break, or alter the frequency of our sessions.

Do you only provide counselling in Brisbane?

I provide in-person counselling at my private practice, located in the Brisbane suburb of Ashgrove (within 5kms of Brisbane CBD and close to the neighbouring suburbs of Bardon, Paddington, Red Hill, Kelvin Grove, Rosalie and Newmarket). I also provide secure online counselling through Zoom.

Do you offer tele-health or telephone counselling?

Yes I do! I offer secure sessions online via zoom.

Is therapy confidential?

Yes. The information you share with me is confidential. I also work to maintain confidentiality at all times in the collection, recording, storage, dissemination and disposal of my notes and any information I collect.

The only exception to confidentiality is my legal requirement to disclose information about you in certain circumstances, including if:

• You disclose that a child, minor or vulnerable adult is at risk of harm
• You plan to harm yourself or others, or I have a reason to believe that you pose an immediate risk to harming yourself or others
• I am legally subpoenaed to provide the release of my notes and your records.

These situations are rare, however in the case any of these things arise in our work together I will always make every reasonable effort to speak with you before taking any required action.

What issues or challenges do you not work with?

I do not work with:
• Court-Mandated Therapy
• Crisis Response/24-Hour Services; and
• People who actively have suicidal and homicidal intents and plans.

I also would not be a good fit if you need a higher level of care such as a:

• A partial Hospitalization Program: A therapeutic program with a level of care that’s set at a minimum of five hours a day, five days a week for a duration of two weeks to a whole month.
• An Intensive Outpatient Program: A therapeutic program with a level of care set at a minimum of three hours a day, three days a week for a duration of up to two months.

Both of these types of treatments are for individuals who need to see a clinician and medical provider more than once a week for their mental health, physical health, and substance use issues (e.g., addiction, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, self-harm) and find these issues severely impact their ability to function on a day-to-day basis such that work needs to be put on hold for a period of time.

Can I contact you after hours?

I am unavailable after opening hours and Natajsa Wagner Psychotherapy is not an emergency service. If you require immediate support, contact emergency services immediately:

• Police, Fire or Ambulance - 000
• Lifeline - 13 11 14
• Blue Knot Helpline - 1300 657 380
• Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800
• Domestic Violence Hotline (QLD) 1800 811 811

 Schedule a Counselling Session

New Clients

I'm currently not taking on any new clients. If you're looking to work with me as a new client, you can join my wait list or send me an email.

Existing Clients

Clients who are currently working with me (or who have worked with me in the last 3 months) can book their session online.

*Note ~ Natajsa Wagner Psychotherapy does not accept Mental Health Care Plans.