Our Team

Our Team2019-08-09T01:08:23+10:00

Josh Hobson

Psychologist

About Josh Josh Hobson is a compassionate and supportive psychologist who works with his clients to identify their inner strengths, and to draw on these strengths so that his clients […]

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Dayana Noor

Psychologist

About Dayana Dayana is a Registered Psychologist with the Psychologist Board of Australia. She is also a full member of the Australian Psychological Society and a member of the Association […]

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Patch Callahan

Clinical Psychologist

About Patch Patch has been working as a clinical psychologist since 2010 in public youth mental health, child/developmental, health psychology, headspace, and hospital-based outpatient group therapy. He has trained in […]

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Brock Bastian

Psychologist

About Brock Practising as a psychologist for the past 15 years I have worked with a great variety of people from a wide range of backgrounds. My approach draws on […]

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Steve Fahey

Psychologist

About Steve After previously working in the corporate and tertiary education sectors, Steve Fahey has been a registered psychologist since 2004. He has worked as a counsellor in community and […]

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Deborah Hart

ACT Therapist, Counsellor and Coach

Who am I? I have spent the first three decades of my working life as a professional horn player with orchestras around Australia and The Netherlands. Most of that time […]

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Jed Blore

Jed Blore, Social Worker & Counsellor

Social Worker

About Jed I specialise in counselling for men. I have worked as a counsellor and mental health practitioner for the past two years in correctional and community settings with men who […]

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Nicole Lockwood

Psychology Intern

About Nicole Nicole is a Provisional Psychologist with a strong people focus and a love of communication, mindfulness and engagement. She enjoys finding connection, developing rapport and establishing warm, collaborative […]

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Julian McNally

Counselling Psychologist

About Julian Julian McNally has practised counselling psychology since 1995. He trained in client-centered and solution-oriented approaches before discovering Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in 2003. The mindfulness components of ACT […]

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Get Your Life Back On Track, Find A Way Forward, Experience Peace of Mind

We’re here to help you find the way into a life you love. You may be facing one of life’s everyday setbacks like separation or a relationship breakup, loss of a loved one, conflict at work or change of job, loneliness, family problems and so on. Or you may be experiencing a mental health condition like depression, anxiety, addiction or trauma. Perhaps you’re just trying to understand yourself, your thoughts, emotions, sexuality or relationships, or perhaps to understand and find purpose in your life. A skilled Melbourne psychologist expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and other scientifically supported therapies, will work with you, putting your strengths and new insights in the service of a more fulfilling life. Phone today to chat with one of our friendly psychologists, or complete this form and we’ll call you back.

Commonly Asked Questions

What Is A Psychologist?2019-07-16T09:32:40+10:00

The term “psychologist” refers to a person professionally-trained and certified to provide psychological assistance to clients ailed by a wide variety of conditions that range from mild to more severe issues. The psychologists at Act of Living are university-trained and have professional training and skills allow them to deal effectively with various psychological issues.

 

What Is Therapy And Counselling?2019-07-16T09:27:18+10:00

Counselling is the professional service psychologists offer that is designed to help individuals deal with issues and concerns in life that may be affecting them emotionally or mentally. Unlike simply giving advice, counselling allows psychologists to apply particular techniques and strategies that are specifically designed to deal with concerns of mental and emotional health.

When Should I Get Counselling?2019-07-16T09:25:28+10:00

There is no set rule for when someone should seek counselling. People seek counselling for many different reasons and at different points in their life. Common reasons are to help manage symptoms of a mental illness such as anxiety or depression, to provide clarity, support or motivation. Counselling provides an opportunity for you to talk freely with an empathetic and non-judgmental professional that can help you work through your everyday experiences and issues. For more information on how our practitioners can help you click on the ‘our team’ tab to see our different practitioners. Alternatively, you are welcome to call or email the clinic.

 

 

Is Counselling Private?2019-07-16T08:59:34+10:00

All counselling sessions at the Act of Living are private and exclusive only to you and to your psychologist. As our psychologists and therapists are accredited and licensed, we make sure all correspondence during sessions are kept confidential. The only exception to this is if your information is specifically requested by the courts, or if you request this data yourself.

What Should I Expect For My First Session?2019-07-16T08:57:07+10:00

For your first session, you can expect this to be something that will help you and your therapist zero in on your particular concern or issue. This means your psychologist will more or less begin the session by asking you about things that are happening in your life and about your particular issue. How much you open up about your issue is up to you. From this session, your psychologist should be able to plot out a basic overview of the approach they will take throughout the course of your sessions together, in order to get your desired result. Your first session is important as it allows both you and your therapist to identify aspects of the problem that need focus. It also marks the beginning of the therapeutic relationship and will allow you to feel more comfortable when discussing issues with your therapist.

Can I Stop Seeing My Therapist?2019-07-16T08:48:18+10:00

As much as we’d feel sad seeing you go, you are allowed to cancel your sessions with our team and your psychologist. Do clarify with our customer service representatives regarding the specifics of your cancellation of our service. However, remember that our team will always be here should you want to start seeing us again, as we understand that our customers also tend to exit their sessions because of a wide variety of reasons. Our doors will always be open to accommodate you and help you find the best solutions in order to solve your particular concerns.

Is Counselling Effective?2019-02-06T04:49:19+11:00

Yes, over 80% of people who see a counsellor experience improvement, and generally fewer than 10% will be worse off after effective counselling. At The ACT of Living we measure the outcome achieved for each client and publish our aggregate effectiveness.

What approach do you use?2019-07-16T08:47:05+10:00

We mainly use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, but we are trained in other methods such as humanistic and existential counselling, cognitive-behavior therapy, solution-focused therapy, functional analytic psychotherapy, positive psychology, motivational interviewing and more.

How Much Does It Cost?2019-01-10T19:56:58+11:00

See the fee and rebate details for each practitioner by clicking on the ‘Practitioners’ menu above and choosing the practitioner you’re interested in.

How Long Does It Take?2019-01-10T19:57:10+11:00

That depends on many factors. Most people achieve a significant benefit by around 6-10 sessions. The average client who achieves any improvement with us does so in around nine sessions. This varies a lot though from one client to the next.

To understand more about our approach to counselling and therapy email or call us today!

About Us

203 High Street, Northcote, VIC 3070

(03) 9939 9437

 (03) 9015 6736

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We’re ready to help now, so don’t hesitate to contact us. Got a question? Let us know.

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