About Northside Therapy
Jenny specialises in helping people lead authentic, healthy and connected lives by tackling their problems proactively. Whether you seek greater closeness with your partner, aspire for more goodwill in your relationships, or need to understand or alter behaviours that are limiting you Jenny can help you work towards these goals. Jenny is a trainer in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and also offers professional supervision.
Therapy Services
Coming to counselling for yourself can be a powerful way to address issues that may have been present for a few weeks or many years. Individual counselling can be helpful for support around depression, anxiety, confidence, relationship breakdown, work stress, adjustment and loss, family issues, loneliness and low self-esteem. Therapy can be a helpful space to gain a better understanding of emotions and examine actions and behaviours that may be problematic.
Couples need to interact and communicate well to organise their daily lives, have plans and hopes for the future, and share the many emotional experiences that life raises together. Problems often arise when couples become stuck in repetitive and destructive patterns of behaviour and thinking. When anxiety increases within a person or a relationship, people often revert to unhelpful actions such as withdrawing, criticising, attacking or becoming defensive.
Being a parent can be one of the most rewarding and meaningful experiences, but at times it can also be challenging, frustrating, confusing and stressful. Parents may feel overwhelmed with trying to manage their children’s needs and behaviour while meeting other competing demands in their lives. If you’d like to have a more loving and closer relationship with your child and see them grow into healthy, resilient and thriving adults Jenny may be able to help.
Enhance Your Professional Skills
Northside Therapy offers comprehensive training and supervision to help health professionals excel in their practice and provide the highest quality care to their clients.
Expert
Supervision
Receive personalised guidance and support through one-on-one and group supervision sessions, fostering professional growth and reflective practice.
Gottman Method Training
Advance your therapeutic skills with certified Level 1 and Level 2 Gottman Method training, enhancing your ability to work effectively with couples.
Specialised Workshops
Participate in focused workshops on topics like Intimate Partner Violence and Positive Parenting, expanding your knowledge and practical skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
In your initial phone call, your therapist may have sent you information regarding matters of the counselling process (e.g. cost, consent, confidentiality). If so this should be brought to your first the session.
Counselling sessions are typically 60 minutes in duration.
Parking on the Pacific Highway after 10am (non-timed)
1 hour and non-timed street parking close-by (unmetered)
Therapists set their fee which reflects their level of training along with recommendations set by the relevant governing Association (APS, AASW). For information on fees contact the therapist directly. Some clients are eligible for a rebate through Medicare.
We understand things change but if you are able to give 48 hours notice to cancel a session it allows us time to offer your place to someone else. For a late cancellation there is a fee (the cost of the session).
If a child is at significant risk of harm therapists at Northside Therapy are Mandatory Reporters which means that they are required by law to report to the NSW Department of Family and Community Services any safety risk. In the case of a child or adolescent engaging in unsafe or suicidal behaviour, parents will be informed and a safety plan devised.
Assessment incorporates a clients emotional and physical circumstances. If safety risk emerges (for example through suicide risk, domestic violence etc) a management plan is devised incorporating a safety plan in order for therapy to commence or continue.Communication with relevant treating professionals or emergency services if there is a significant safety risk.
Information communicated in the session is confidential unless there are concerns about someone’s safety.
At times communication with other health professionals is necessary, for example, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, GP’s and School counsellors. In this case you will be asked to sign a “Release of Information Form” to allow this.
There are times when a file can be accessed via court subpoena or when a client is referred to another practitioner and permission is given by the client.
The type of therapy offered also depends on the training and the personality of the therapist.
All information collected is kept in the client’s file which is stored in a locked filing cabinet. Client files are legally required to be kept for a minimum of 7 years. After this time your files can be shredded.
Some people have one or two sessions, others decide to come for a number of months. Many people come to counselling for a few years. Initially weekly appointments may be necessary depending on how severe and distressing the issue is at the time, however the majority of people come between fortnightly or monthly. It is also common for a person who has attended therapy to come intermittently once problems are largely resolved or make contact on an “as needed” basis.
- Use a reflective journal
- Spend some time before and/or after the session thinking about what you have learnt, what you want to discuss etc
- Expect set backs in progress. Recovery or improvement with an issue is rarely straight forward and often involves a sense of “two steps forward one step back”.
- Counselling is more likely to be of benefit to people who are willing to work on issues between sessions and use appointments as a “springboard” . As with learning any new behaviour practice and homework will help consolidate areas you are working on.
- Make a regular appointment time and stick to it even if you don’t feel like coming – if after some time you feel the key issues are resolved space the sessions until you feel you no longer need to come.
- Many people come to counselling because of an immediate crisis. Equally as important is addressing issues in your life before they have escalated to crisis point.
Recognising where a person is at in the “change process” is fundamental to therapy and provides a guide for regular review of goals, potential triggers for relapse and areas for growth. Part of the work of therapy involves strengthening a persons own motivation and commitment to change by allowing the person to set the pace of the work.
Change is more likely to occur when a strong therapeutic alliance is established and where therapy is conducted in a non-blaming way and existing strengths are explored and built upon. Change also depends on the clients level of insight and awareness into their own behaviour and thinking as a vehicle for change, rather than a reliance on changing or fixing others.
Counselling often involves hard work and examining behaviours that need to change. It can also mean talking about difficult things with family members or your partner.
Take the First Step Toward a Better Tomorrow
Ready to improve your well-being and strengthen your relationships? Whether you’re seeking individual therapy, couples counseling, or professional training and supervision, Northside Therapy is here to support you on your journey.