Bendigo Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre was established by Christine Brett Vickers in 2009 to provide counselling and psychotherapy - in person and/or online - for people living in the Central and Northern Regions of Victoria. Christine Brett Vickers brings more than twenty years clinical experience to this work.
SERVICES
Welcome to Bendigo Psychotherapy Centre
Bendigo Counselling and Psychotherapy Centre has been established to provide counselling and psychotherapy for people living in the Loddon Campaspe Region. In some instances - eg individual counselling or psychotherapy - this can be undertaken online and/ or by telephone. This is particularly suitable for people living in remote/rural areas.
This practice draws its inspiration from the psychoanalytic and group analytic traditions. To this are added insights from interpersonal, systemic, humanistic and behavioural frameworks. I work with individuals, couples, families or groups. As a qualified professional with a number of years of supervised clinical experience which is ongoing, I have a srong commitment to life-long learning and professional development.
Areas of Work: Brief Counselling and Therapy
Long Term Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Couple Relationship Counselling and Therapy
Group Therapy
Family Counselling
Supervision, Consultation and Training
INDIVIDUAL One to one therapy – Clients, generally, are seen from once a week. For long term clients this may be up to three or more times a week depending on the nature of the problem. Each session is fifty minutes long with appointments at the same time each week. Some clients will be seen fortnightly.
COUPLE RELATIONSHIP COUNSELLING/ THERAPY Couples are seen weekly or fortnightly. In couple therapy attention is paid to the processes that occur in the relationship between both members of the couple with a view to understanding the ways in which each ones' ideas and belief systems become entangled and to work towards a realistic understanding of one another within the context of the relationship. It is important for both members of the couple to attend each session together. Couple therapy can be long term. And, indeed, some couples will need a short period of counselling to get their relationship back on track. Sessions are for an hour.
GROUP THERAPY Some issues may best be addressed in group situations where between five to eight participants meet on a weekly or twice weekly basis with ther therapist. Generally people may opt for group therapy after a period of individual or couple therapy. Sessions are one and a half hours duration.
THINKING ABOUT COUNSELLING OR PSYCHOTHERAPY?
Emotional difficulties often arise as a response to problematic situations, as well as traumas experienced in childhood as well as adulthood. These may have resulted in development of personal belief systems or self talk - ( eg.' I am no good; I can never be good enough';) or symptoms such as depression or anxiety - ( 'I can't cope with group situations'; 'I am having problems at work/ with my partner/family etc.' It may be that you are detecting patterns in your life and relationship which are not working out. Or it may be that you are feeling basically empty and unhappy and do not know why.
Undertaking psychotherapy, or any form of psychological assistance, is a serious business. It is often entered into after much soul searching and frequently as a last resort. Talking to someone trained to listen carefully, may be the first time you will have felt able to speak about some of your innermost thoughts and anxieties.
The therapeutic setting is carefully structured to offer a safe space where one can become more aware of conscious and unconscious processes behind many beliefs, thoughts and feelings. It is an opportunity to work towards understanding how and why these came into being by locating them within one's life history and context and seeing how they may affect present day living and experiencing even though one is now an adult. Particular attention is given to the developing therapeutic relationship, as it becomes a space and time in which these processes can be explored and engaged with.
For couples and group members, too, the opportunity to observe and understand the ways in which patterns of the past influence your response to those close to you, enables the devlopment of a more realistic and thoughtful understanding of yourself and others. It is not an easy process; it can be difficult to confront entrenched patterns and learn about their possible meanings. In this way though the development of self understanding and a acceptance of oneself, options for change become clearer.
BEGINNING THERAPY – WHAT IS INVOLVED?
The intial meeting is an assessment process. This will enable you to work out with the therapist whether you can work together, and to work out the duration and mode of therapy to be followed.
Some people may need to focus on particular issues – and for therapy to be time limited – say between six to twelve sessions. This is particulary suited to those seeking help under Medicare's 'Better Outcomes in Mental Health.' It may be, though, that after this is finished, you decide you wish to continue onto a more open ended and longer term therapy. This would be negotiated at the time.
LONG TERM - Some may feel their issues are more complex and wish to have an open ended arrangement to understand themlseves. Longer term work is possible for couples and individuals. Group therapy entails a long term commitment.
REFERRAL AND FEES
Fees are negotiated with the therapist concerned. If eligible, part of your fees may be rebateable under Medicare's ' Better Outcomes in Mental Health'. You will need a medical practitoners referral for this. This will be for the first six sessions with eligibilty for another six pending medical approval. This is for every calendar year.
Simiarly you may be approved to seek counselling subsidised by Workcover, TAC or VOCAT. This will be discussed at the first session.
If you choose, you can attend sessions without a referral, but will not be eligible for a rebate under Medicare.
SUPERVISION AND TRAINING
I am listed on the supervision register for the Australian Association of Social Workers. Members of the AASW are able to gain double CPE points for each session. I also provide supervision to practitoners from disciplines other than social work and who are interested in working with individuals or couples from a psychoanalytic view point.
COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY – WHEN CAN IT HELP?
Crises/ traumatic stress...
Counselling and/ or debriefing can help people who suddenly find themselves in an emotional crisis. Perhaps you have experienced some sort of traumatic event, a loss or death of someone close to you; the end of relationship, job loss or anything else. Some may find that underlying issues are surfacing as a result of the crisis, others will be able to move on quickly.
Relationship counselling.
People can have difficulties with relationships in all sorts of ways: with family members, partners, friends or work colleagues. Or indeed some have difficulty forming an intimate relationship. Some find it difficult to express their thoughts and feelings and so feel unsatisfied in relationships. Perhaps an affair has disrupted the relationship. Or you may find yourself repeating family patterns you wished to avoid.
Identity,
Negotiating difference can be hard when people feel they are from socially marginalised groups. Issues of ethnicity, culture, and migration might be on your mind; or you are concerned about issues of sexual orientation or gender issues.
Life Changes
One has to negotiate many events – from school to university; to work and retirement. Or you may be finding that difficutties are surfacing after the birth of a new child, or the children are reaching adolescence and leaving home. Or you may be negotiating separation and a divorce, and repartnering
Personal Growth
Some people see therapy as a way of developing themselves and their lives. They want to undesrtand themselves more deeply.
Specific Issues
These include depression, anxiety, low self esteem, eating disorders..You may be feeling unhappy and unsure why, depressed, anxious, stuck or feeling empty and lonely. It may be that you feel, generally, dissatisfied with life.
THE VARIETIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP AVAILABLE
There are a number of people who choose the helping professions as their line of work.
Psychiatrists are qualified as medical doctors who have specialist training in mental disorders. They deal with severe breakdowns, work in hospitals and community mental health teams. They can prescribe medication. Some specialise in psychotherapy or psychoanalysis, or have other forms of psychotherapeutic training.
Psychologists have a degree in psychology. They are trained to assess mental health difficulties and treat them. They can use questionaires. Some have undertaken specialist training in clinical or counselling psychology within the psychology discipline, and have also undertaken specialist training in psychotherapy and counseling available to all mental health practitioners including psychiatry.
Social Workers have completed a degree in psychology which is built upon an undergraduate degree , perhaps in Arts, Law or indeed psychology. They are trained to consider the contextual aspect of people's lives and to examine the ways in which people relate to others in their family or work environmment. Most Accredited Mental Health Social Workers have undertaken additional training in counselling and psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy Training tends to be of a long duration, anything between three to five years or more. It draws profesionals from a variey of backgrounds: psychiatry, psychology, social work, occupational therapy or other mental health professionals. Counselling tends to focus on adjustment issues – and is time limited– say between one and 40 sessions, or so. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy seeks to address deeper issues lying behind presented difficulties – often this work is open ended, although some very effective short term psychoanalytic psychotherapy work can be done in some instances depending upon the issues.
GENERALLY the main modalities of counselling or therapy available are:
Behaviourists – who work with symptom relief and provide techniques to manage stress and anxiety. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is a useful form of therapy for many people – as it also lends itself to scientific research and thus considered to be 'evidence based'.
Psychoanalysis – the talking cure is an intense form of treatment, which can be anything between 3and 5 sessions a week.It is based on what the patient brings to the session, and upon the relationship between therapist and patient. ( This is often called 'transference and countertransference). Generally psychoanalytic psychotherapists see people between 1 to 3 times a week.
Humanistc schools, These include Gestalt, Existentialism, Bioenergetics and so on. Many pratictioners of alternative therapies use this modality on conjunction with their work as it follows a client centred ethos.
Systems Theory
This is generally used in family therapy settings in which family patterns of relating are tracked and analysed. Family of origin work enables family patterns to be traced through generations.
***In all of these modalities increased knowledge and understanding enables personal patterns to be reviewed and, if desired, changed.
QUALIFICATION DETAILS
Bachelor of Arts - ANU
Bachelor of Social Work - Melbourne
Graduate Diploma: Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy: Theory, Practice, Research ; Monash University/ Department of Health - 1991.
I developed and taught a training program in couple therapy: "Couple States of Mind" offered as part of Clinical Master of Social Work Program, University of Melbourne, School of Social Work, 1999-2005.
Counselling, Psychotherapy
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