Frequently Asked Questions About Psychology and Therapy

A clinical psychologist is a registered mental health professional trained in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of psychological, emotional, and behavioural difficulties.

Clinical psychologists work with people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, stress-related difficulties, behavioural concerns, relationship challenges, and many other psychological difficulties across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

Clinical psychologists use evidence-based psychological therapies that have been scientifically researched and shown to be effective.

Evidence-based therapy refers to psychological treatments that have been scientifically researched and shown to help people improve their mental health and wellbeing.

In therapy, you work collaboratively with a psychologist to understand your difficulties and develop practical strategies for change.

Treatment is tailored to your individual needs, goals, and circumstances.

Therapy is not only for people experiencing a diagnosed mental health condition or significant distress. Many people seek psychological support to better understand themselves, improve coping skills, strengthen relationships, manage life transitions, or work towards personal goals.

Evidence-based therapy can support personal growth and wellbeing, even when someone is not experiencing a specific mental health difficulty.

Yes. While many people experience similar concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or stress, every person's life experiences, relationships, strengths, and challenges are unique. Two people may have the same diagnosis but require very different approaches to treatment.

At Serenity Psychology, we take the time to develop a thorough understanding of your individual circumstances, including the factors that may be contributing to your current difficulties. This allows us to create a treatment plan that is personalised to your needs, goals, and preferences.

Rather than applying the same therapy to everyone, we use an integrative, evidence-based approach, selecting the therapeutic techniques that are most appropriate for you. Our aim is to provide treatment that is thoughtful, individualised, and focused on helping you make meaningful changes that align with your goals.

Your first appointment is an opportunity for you and your psychologist to get to know one another and begin developing an understanding of what has brought you to therapy. You will be invited to talk about your current concerns, relevant background, personal history, and what you hope to achieve through therapy.

There is no expectation that you need to share everything in your first session. You are encouraged to work at a pace that feels comfortable for you, and your psychologist will guide the conversation in a supportive and respectful way.

You are welcome to ask questions about therapy, discuss any concerns you have, and decide together with your psychologist what approach feels most appropriate.

By the end of the session, you will often have a clearer understanding of your goals, possible treatment options, and the next steps in your therapy journey. There will also be an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the therapy process.

Clinical psychologists are trained in a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches. The type of therapy used depends on your individual concerns, goals, preferences, and circumstances.

These may include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

• Person-centred therapy

• Behavioural therapy

• Psychodynamic-informed therapy

• Systemic (family-focused) therapy

• Brief Solution-Focused Therapy

• Clinical Hypnosis

Choosing the most appropriate therapeutic approach begins with gaining a thorough understanding of you as an individual. During your initial assessment, your psychologist will explore your current concerns, personal history, strengths, goals, and the factors that may be contributing to your difficulties.

Using this information, your psychologist develops a shared understanding of your situation and selects the evidence-based therapies that are most likely to be helpful. Rather than relying on a single approach, treatment is often tailored by integrating different therapeutic techniques to best meet your individual needs.

As therapy progresses, your treatment plan is reviewed regularly and adapted where appropriate to ensure it continues to support your goals.

The following therapeutic interventions are available at Serenity Psychology:

• Family therapy

• Couples therapy

• Systematic desensitisation therapy

• Assertiveness training

• Person-centred therapy

• Group therapy

• Behavioural therapy

• Relaxation training (Jacobson’s)

• Teddy bear therapy (children)

• Strategic therapy

• Clinical Hypnosis

• Brief Solution-Focused Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Traumatic incident reduction therapy

• Trauma debriefing

• Communications training

• Psychodrama

• Interactional therapy

• Play therapy (children)

• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

• Sex therapy

An integrative approach means your psychologist draws from different evidence-based therapies depending on what is most helpful for your situation.

This allows therapy to be flexible and tailored, rather than relying on a single method for everyone.

At Serenity Psychology, we combine different therapeutic perspectives to develop a deeper understanding of each person and provide treatment that is individualised to your needs.

Therapy can help with a wide range of emotional, psychological, and behavioural difficulties, including:

• Anxiety and panic

• Depression and low mood

• Trauma and PTSD

• Stress and burnout

• Relationship and family difficulties

• Work or study-related stress

• Grief and loss

• Addiction and substance use concerns

• Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCD)

• Phobias

• Bipolar disorder

• ADHD

• Autism

• Health anxiety

• Life transitions

• Childhood and adolescent concerns such as anxiety, bullying, or behavioural difficulties These are just some of many situations in which psychotherapy can be beneficial.

• Sleep difficulties

• Anger management

• Self-esteem and confidence

• Perfectionism

These are just some of the situations where psychological therapy may be helpful.

The number of sessions varies depending on your needs, goals, and circumstances.

Some people benefit from a shorter course of therapy, while others may benefit from longer-term support depending on their individual circumstances.

Your psychologist will discuss this with you and review progress regularly so that therapy continues to meet your needs.

Therapy is reviewed regularly, and together you can decide when you feel ready to finish or reduce the frequency of sessions.

You can view our current pricing on our Fees page

No. You do not need a referral to make an appointment with Serenity Psychology. If you feel psychological support may be helpful, you are welcome to contact us directly to discuss your needs and arrange an appointment.

We also accept referrals from GPs, psychiatrists, other healthcare professionals, schools, workplaces, and other organisations. If you have been referred to us, we will work collaboratively with you and the referring professional where appropriate to support your goals.

Serenity Psychology does not directly accept or process medical insurance claims. However, many of our clients are able to seek reimbursement from their private health insurance provider by paying for their appointment directly and submitting a claim to their insurer.

We recommend checking with your individual insurance provider before your appointment to understand your level of cover and any requirements they may have.

For details on our current session fees, visit our Fees page