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Nik Speaks About Therapy

Sometimes we hear that people are judged by their family or friends, suggesting they “get over it”. Here at ME, we realise that if it was that easy, we would all just do it! Some of the things that impact us may be very powerful and your psychologist will work with you on identifying your unique needs, as well as tailoring and delivering a well-researched intervention.

Why we do what we do | Our Mission

Help people free from suffering and make best use of their minds and bodies to create meaningful lives and valued relationships.

Learn More

For details on Nikita (Nik) Kotlarov, his training and his therapeutic approach, see Who We Are. If you would like to understand some of the scientific advancements that guide therapy, you are welcome to have a look at the free resources from the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science (ACBS).

Feedback

Throughout your work with us, please let us know how we are doing by filling out an anonymous feedback form.  Or you could simply email us at admin@mindzone.com.au or call 0450 MY MIND (0450 696 463)

How do we do it | Strategic Objectives

  • Face to Face sessions (psychotherapy, coaching, counselling)
  • Group sessions (group meetings assisting recovery) (see Training and Coaching)
  • Creative engagement of at risk populations (use of creativity, music, and art; collaborations with Centrelink, Job Search Providers; etc.)
  • Providing Training and Coaching 
  • Community presentations (talks that address specific needs in the community) (see Training and Coaching)
  • Advocacy (provide support to those who need advocating on their behalf)
  • Providing referral services (helping individuals connect with relevant organisations in the community)
  • Professional collaborations (Obesity Prevention and Treatment Network, Contextual Behavioural Science, GPs, Attachment in Psychotherapy, Community)
  • Research contributions (helping the scientific community to continue their investigations)
  • Article writing (helping people access reliable evidence-based self help resources)
  • Phone consultations (providing phone advice)
  • Online advice (participating in online advice services, e.g. Healthshare)
  • Use of information technology to assist professionals deliver therapy (developing software to help therapists deliver therapy)
  • Use of information technology to assist people create meaningful life and cope with adversity (developing software to assist people cope with difficulties whilst maintaining the focus on their life’s meaning) 

 

What usually happens

Your first appointment will be very different from the rest.  Please arrive 15 – 20 minutes early if you need to fill out some forms. The first session usually involves a one hour face-to-face meeting in which you will have the opportunity to discuss some of the things that are important to you.  During the session, we will try to understand the hopes you have for your future, and the things that are holding you back from making effective steps toward your hopes.

We may also ask you to complete some questionnaires to help us get a better idea of your concerns, or you may already have completed these with your forms. This is one of the ways that we try to make best use of your session time.

After the meeting we will work with your referrer (typically, your doctor), and make recommendations that outline the service which we believe best address your concerns.  These recommendations will be discussed with you at the end of you first consultation.

Please understand that your first session may be very different from the rest because during the first session, we will try to understand your situation.  After you have left, your psychologist is likely to research the current literature to ensure your treatment is provided within the guidelines of the most recent scientific advances.

Later consultations may involve psychological services as appropriate, for example: Focused Psychological Strategies, Psychological Therapy Services, Chronic Disease Management, Psychotherapy, Counselling, etc. If you want to know more about services that are supported by Medicare, you may wish to visit Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) listing here: www.mbsonline.gov.au

We provide evidence-based therapies that are appropriate for your individual concerns.  During your time with us, we will continue to assess your progress verbally or through questionnaires in order to gain feedback and assist you in taking effective steps toward your hopes.

Attending Sessions

A consultation will generally last between 51-55 minutes.  If you are late, your consultation will generally finish at the scheduled time, to be mindful of other Clients. We suggest that you allow enough time to arrive early. This should also allow you to centre and focus on what is important to you at your session.  We will do our absolute best not to keep you waiting. We would like to ask for your patience and mention that due to the nature of our service, some delays can not be avoided. For example, if we are dealing with an unexpected crisis, we may devote more time to address the situation. In such an event, your psychologist will provide you with the agreed upon session duration, to ensure you are not disadvantaged as a result.

Please notify your psychologist at least 2 days in advance if you are unable to come in for your appointment to avoid late cancellation payment and to allow us to reallocate your session to someone else that needs to be seen.  Finer detail is available on the Fees page and here

If you have any further questions please feel free to speak to your psychologist.  Here at ME, we invite you to make a shift in perspective – we are here to provide you with service, not the other way around.  As a result, we will not judge you, it is not our place – we will do our absolute best to work with you on finding ways to help you make effective steps toward your hopes.

Outside of Sessions

Being a human means that you are a good learner. Better than any other animal.  We will try to take advantage of that and ask that you continue to practice the skills that you have acquired in your session.  This is an important part of your therapy as working in the session alone may not be as effective as applying learning in your daily life. These are not tests that you can get wrong or fail. The goal is for you to continue with the changes long after your therapy has concluded.

If you have any difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will try to overcome these barriers together.  To ensure we are on the right track, it is in your best interest to test things out when you are not in session and see how your treatment fits your day-to-day life.