I am now semi-retired but still taking on a few new clients, so please contact me if you are looking for an experienced, mature and fully registered therapist to work with.
I am also continuing to work with all my existing clients, so if I am seeing you now or have seen you in the past, please email me or SMS me 0423 632 657.
I will send you some dates and times to find a mutually convenient session booking.
Please note that my online booking system is inactive – please use the above method to contact me and book a session. Thanks.
Sessions last 75 minutes and cost $150 for individuals and $200 for couples. No rebates are available.
INDIVIDUALS: From time to time everyone experiences stress, sadness, anger, relational conflict or grief and we often suffer alone. Some people resort to self-medication through addictions, to substances or behaviours. Accepting help from others can be difficult. Maybe you feel you’ve been toughing it out for too long. ‘Be strong’ is so often the mantra we hear but sometimes when we’re not feeling strong this can just make us feel worse.
Whether you are struggling with an identifiable trauma or you’ve reached a point where recurring feelings and/or behaviours are becoming problematic or unmanageable, a course of psychotherapeutic counselling will go towards helping you make sense of what is happening and enable you to gain and maintain some stability.
Feelings of fear or anxiety, anger, rejection, social isolation or awkwardness and lack of confidence are difficult areas. Discussing them with friends and family might not always be possible or advisable. You may feel that you are not being properly heard or understood which can be confusing and isolating. Many of my clients mention the huge relief they feel when able to talk freely through difficult thoughts and feelings.
We all have feelings, we all have emotions. I believe they have been given to us for a reason and rather than ignoring them we benefit from exploring them. It might feel counterintuitive to move towards exploration of our inner worlds and perhaps the darker side of our nature. You might feel that lifting the lid off the can of worms will only cause pain and anguish. However ‘going there’ is often very much less stressful and painful than anticipated and often gives rise to some of the answers we’ve been looking for.
In understanding ourselves more fully we can move towards change. It’s not my job to tell anyone what to do but to facilitate your ability to take steps to reconnect with your innate resources in order to build a happier and more fulfilled future.
In my experience a warm, supportive and connected relationship between client and therapist is a powerful factor in making and sustaining change. Whilst nothing can alter the past, with compassion for ourselves and others we can help understand and accept it in order to progress more positively into the future. Sessions with me can help you to reconnect with yourself and in so doing making better connections with others.
COUPLES: I offer couples a safe and professional space where you can explore your deeper feelings and share them appropriately. I can teach you how to argue successfully and safely, and help you to understand the deeper reasons that brought you together originally, what’s causing any rifts and how you can heal them.
As with individuals, exploring your early life woundings can be challenging but understanding your family of origin is key to understanding yourself in your adult relationships and getting the love you long for and deserve.
‘We are born in relationships, we are wounded in relationships and we heal in relationships.’ (Harville Hendrix, founder of Imago Relationship Therapy.)
Referrals
If you are looking for an Individual Psychotherapist (or Couples Therapist) I suggest you contact: Scout Smith-O’Leary
on 0410 030 463 or via email.
Another experienced, caring and understanding Individual Therapist is Dorian Richards, a Consultant Psychologist registered with Medicare and health funds for rebates (for eligible clients). You’ll find that Dorian is passionate and committed to helping you work through personal challenges to live an emotionally healthy and fully engaged life. You can contact him on 0400 884 920 or email.
Another experienced couples therapist in Sydney using Imago Relationship Therapy is Lee Burns. Contact her on 0407 063 300.
Another experienced Imago couples therapist is Melissa Neve, and you can contact her through her website or by messaging her on 0419 632 022.
If you are looking for an Imago therapist on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, you can contact Renee Voice on 0410 558 024 or email.
If you are female and wanting to deal with alcohol issues, you can contact Melise Ammit at 0405 758 282 or email.
Last but not least, Liz Gray is a registered psychologist and couples therapist who comes highly recommended. She’s based at Balgowlah and is registered for rebates and Medicare referrals. Contact her on 0423 786 257 or see her website www.egraypsychology.com.
Please mention my name when you contact any of the above.
Best wishes,
Approaches
I use several approaches, including Existential, Brief Solution Focused, Intermittent Therapy and Long-term Therapy.
Relationships
I work with couples whose relationship is unhappy, helping them to move from conflict to connection.
Supervision
I assist therapists, counsellors and students using a collegial approach to Supervision.
All are welcome
My clients are diverse and include people of all ages, orientations and backgrounds, many of whom are struggling to cope with life, and just want to be happy.
“Sometimes, we all need someone to talk to.”
Annie is fully trained and registered and comes with a lifetime of experience.
She is available for individual and couples sessions in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and also globally by Skype and email.
She is also a registered Supervisor.
Annie also lectures in Counselling at ACAP and JNI.
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