How much does a session cost?
Fees are means-tested and based on a sliding scale that increases in $10 increments ranging between $220 and $300 per session. This is in contrast to the APS recommended fee which is $318 per session.
For more information see here
How long is a session of therapy?
Sessions are a standard 50 minute psychoanalytic hour. The use of the traditional psychoanalytic hour allows us to take time in-between patients to read over and write additional notes. This in turn allows us to maintain best practice.
What is our privacy policy and how is confidentiality maintained?
All health records and session notes are kept in a locked filling cabinet or an external hard drive or an encrypted online system.
Rooms are spacious, have thick walls, and are set apart assuring that you can not hear other patients sessions and they cannot hear your session.
We use Zanda as a booking system because it has the best encryption.
Any financial information about our patients that has been written on paper is redacted before being filled.
Informed consent forms are signed in the first session of therapy with ample opportunity to discuss privacy and limits to confidentiality.
Our confidentiality and privacy practices are governed by The Health Records Act 2001 and the guidelines set by APHRA Psychology Board and the APS.
Should I commence long term therapy or do I only need medium term therapy?
If you wish to attend to underlying psychological issues that are the result of entrenched behavioural issues, difficult relationship patterns, or the impact of abusive or complex issues during childhood long term therapy may well be best for you.
Whereas if you are wanting to address a specific psychological difficulty that is holding you back but isn’t causing you to be psychologically overwhelmed or fragmented medium term therapy may well be adequate.
This said the length of therapy also depends on what your want. It is fine to only wish to address a particular issue even if there are deeper issues that you know are sitting under the surface. Likewise it is wonderful to engage in long term therapy as a means of knowing yourself better or to explore philosophical perspectives on the art of living a human life.
It is also fine to not know how long you want to stay in therapy when you begin the process. The choice is always your to make.
You can select your preferred Psychologist here:
Commencing therapy with Senior Registered Psychologists Dr Lisa Engle is a good option if you are unsure whether you want to do mid-length or long term therapy.
Whereas if you wish to start long term Psychotherapy we recommend seeing Registered Psychologist Christian Dinse, Clinical Psychologist and Psychodynamic Psychotherapist Harry Nazikian, or Registered Psychologist and Psychodynamic Psychotherapist Dr Sara Taylor.
Naming of the practice.
During 2025 The Melbourne Centre of Psychotherapy and Consultancy is in transition to be called The Melbourne Centre of Psychotherapy. The reason being simply that the name The Melbourne Centre of Psychotherapy is shorter and easier to remember. Currently both business names are owned by the founding director.
What are we referring to in adopting an ethos of RESPECT?
The Melbourne Centre of Psychotherapy and Consultancy is governed by a policy of respecting all people who attend the centre. We consider each and every person to as having their own unique story and reasons for seeking therapy.
We also have a great respect for the governing bodies of Medicine and Psychology and the value of all evidence based therapeutic techniques including Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy.
What underlies our emphasis on WARMTH & NURTURE?
We believe that a nurturing & warm therapeutic stance and physical environment promotes a feeling of safety and that this provides you with the best opportunity for healing.
What does our ethos of TRANSPARENCY and PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY refer to?
We are mindful of the power dynamic inherent in the therapeutic and hence assure you that we will never manipulate or exercise control over our patients.
We take time to look after ourselves to assure our minds are in good working order when we are treating you.
We never keep patients in therapy longer than they need to be.
We do not ask of our patients anything that we do not expect of ourselves.
