Individual therapy can help you to identify and address any psychological or emotional distress you may be experiencing, as well as long-standing life patterns which may disrupt relationships or your capacity to live the life you want to live. It is not solely for those with mental health diagnoses, but rather for anyone looking to enhance their wellbeing and functioning.
At South Melbourne Psychology, your psychologist will work collaboratively with you to build a trusting and compassionate environment of which your needs and goals are the focus. Your psychologist will work with you to develop a transparent treatment plan, focusing on your desired therapeutic goals and outcomes, and will continue to evolve this plan with you as needed. Our psychologists have all undertaken extensive training in a variety of therapeutic approaches, allowing for a flexible process that you feel comfortable with.
Some common reasons that people seek therapy include anxiety, mood disorders, stress management, trauma, interpersonal and attachment difficulties, grief and loss, emotion dysregulation, distress during life transitions and adjustments, addiction, and more.
It is often not easy to take the first step, which is why our psychologists are committed to fostering a safe and trusting environment where you can feel comfortable and empowered to achieve your therapeutic goals.
Individual Therapy
At South Melbourne Psychology, clinical psychologists Dimitra Spalas and Dr Rebecca Dredge, understand relationships and the complex challenges that they can face. They work with couples to help them to understand that healthy conflict exists and how to achieve it, to cultivate friendship and shared meaning in the relationship, as well as to support intimacy.
Our psychologists are also trained to assess and work with the damaging effects of abusive behaviour and acts of betrayal in relationships. They will do so with the utmost sensitivity, with safety at the core of the support they provide. Many couples have the capacity to work through these challenges, but for those who believe it has passed this point, our psychologists will assist in the separation process, with mediation and referrals to appropriate services.
Our psychologists can also work with family systems (the whole family or dyads within the family). They will work with families to develop a better understanding of unhelpful or unhealthy dynamics that exist as well as coping and communication strategies to manage these difficulties.
Couples and Family Counselling
Although the period of pregnancy, birth and the first year of life can bring joy and happiness to many families, many individuals and relationships struggle with the adjustment to pregnancy, birth trauma and/or parenthood. Emotional and psychological difficulties can make patients feel vulnerable, lonely and insecure, sometimes even leading to pre- or post-natal depression (PND).
Alongside this, some couples struggle to conceive and embark on the journey of assisted reproductive treatment which is a complex, multifaceted and stressful process for many individuals and couples. The spectrum of emotions experienced can be unsettling with the pendulum swinging from excitement and hope to grief and disappointment. This can make the journey emotional and psychologically challenging.
At South Melbourne Psychology, Dimitra Spalas offers a comfortable, safe and non-judgmental environment to work through the complex decision making and relationship issues that may arise, as well as addressing any personal and identity related issues that can arise with fertility issues.
IVF / fertility issues & pre- and post-natal challenges
