Frequently Asked Questions

We offer therapy for individuals, couples, and relationships of two or more people. Our team of psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, and accredited mental health social workers provide trauma-informed, evidence-based, and relationship-focused support across a wide range of needs.

Services include:

• Individual therapy for personal growth and mental wellbeing

• Relationship therapy, including support for non-traditional and multi-partner dynamics

• Sex therapy, offered within a safe, inclusive framework

• Trauma therapy with clinicians trained in evidence-based methods

• Psychology sessions with Medicare rebates under a Mental Health Care Plan

• Integration therapy and harm reduction for clients engaged in medicine-assisted treatment

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services for organisations

• Support for ADF members and veterans through Open Arms and other referral pathways

We tailor every service to the individual or relationship, creating a space that supports exploration, insight, and long-term wellbeing.

Getting started is straightforward. Submit an enquiry through our website or call us during business hours. Our admin team will typically respond within one business day — we know that once someone decides to seek support, the sooner they can get moving the better.

We'll ask a few brief questions about what you're looking for, then suggest a therapist (or two) whose background and style are a good fit. From there, you can book directly into a first appointment or start with a free 15-minute phone consultation if you'd like to chat with a therapist first.

Absolutely — and we encourage it. We offer free 15-minute consultation calls with prospective therapists so you can get a feel for the person before booking a full session. Just let our admin team know when you enquire, and we'll arrange it.

No referral is needed for most of our services. You can self-refer and book directly.

If you'd like to access Medicare rebates through a Better Access Mental Health Care Plan, you will need a referral from your GP, psychiatrist, or paediatrician first. Your GP can assess your eligibility and prepare the plan in a standard appointment. Once you have your Mental Health Care Plan, bring it to your first session or send it to us beforehand.

Veterans and ADF members accessing services through Open Arms will need to go through that pathway. For NDIS clients, we will work with your plan manager to set up appropriate arrangements.

Availability varies across our team. Some therapists can see new clients within a week or two; others have longer waitlists depending on their specialty and current caseload. When you enquire, we'll give you an honest picture of current availability and, if needed, suggest the closest match who can see you sooner.

If you have a specific urgent need, please mention it when you enquire and we'll do our best to prioritise accordingly.

Most people aren't sure — and that's completely okay. Our admin team is experienced at helping people figure out where to start. When you enquire, just describe what's going on for you in your own words, and we'll suggest a therapist whose training and approach fit your situation.

You can also request a short 15-minute call with a potential therapist to talk through what you're looking for. Many people find their way into the right approach naturally as therapy unfolds, and you can always adjust direction as your needs become clearer.

Our therapists work with a wide range of presentations, but we don't provide crisis or emergency support, and we don't offer after-hours services. If you're experiencing an acute mental health crisis, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or call 000.

If your needs fall outside our clinical scope or training, we'll be honest about that and help you find the best possible referral. We'd rather point you toward the right support than offer something that doesn't fully fit. See our Resources page for 24/7 crisis support contacts.

We use a sliding scale fee structure for most of our non-psychologist and non-social worker sessions, which allows clients to pay a rate that reflects their financial situation. We never ask for proof unless you're applying for a concession spot.

For sessions with our clinical psychologists, the fee is $265 per individual session. For accredited mental health social worker sessions, the fee is $240 per individual session.

Relationship therapy and longer sessions are priced differently. Please enquire for current rates.

Some appointments follow the rates set by Worksafe, NDIS, Open Arms, ADF, and other external bodies — we adhere to their fee structures for those sessions.

You can find our full fee breakdown on the Fees page.

If you hold a valid Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP), you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate on sessions with our clinical psychologist or accredited mental health social worker.

For psychologist sessions ($265): we process the Medicare claim for you in the amount of $145.25. Your out-of-pocket cost per rebated session is $119.75.

For accredited mental health social worker sessions ($240): we process the claim for you in the amount of $87.25. Your out-of-pocket cost per rebated session is $152.75.

Medicare pays the rebate directly to your nominated bank account, typically within a day or two of the claim being processed. You pay the full session fee at the time of the appointment.

The Better Access initiative allows up to 10 individual and 10 group therapy sessions per calendar year with a valid MHCP. Your GP can advise on your specific eligibility.

Yes. To access Medicare rebates for psychology or mental health social work sessions, you need a current Mental Health Care Plan prepared by your GP, psychiatrist, or paediatrician.

If you don't have one, book a longer appointment with your GP and mention you'd like to discuss your mental health. They'll assess your eligibility and prepare the plan on the spot. Once you have it, we'll take care of the rest.

Our counsellors and therapists who are not psychologists or social workers are not eligible for Medicare rebates, but their sessions are typically available on the sliding scale.

Please let us know. If your income changes and your fees are based on our sliding scale, we're happy to adjust your rate in either direction. Just reach out to our admin team and we'll update your arrangement without any fuss.

Yes, we do. We work with NDIS clients whose plans include support for improved daily living or improved health and wellbeing. Please reach out with your plan details and we'll discuss how to set things up with your plan manager or support coordinator.

Depending on your level of cover, some private health funds do provide rebates for psychology or counselling sessions. We recommend checking directly with your fund about what your policy covers and which provider types are eligible, as this varies widely between funds.

We ask for as much notice as possible so we can offer the appointment to someone else on our waitlist.

• More than 48 hours' notice: no charge

• Between 48 and 24 hours' notice: 50% of the session fee

• Less than 24 hours' notice, or no-show: full session fee

You can notify us by phone, SMS, or email. We understand that genuine emergencies happen and handle those on a case-by-case basis.

Invoices are processed after each session. Most clients save their card details to their client profile so payments are handled automatically. For those who prefer not to store card details, we send invoices by email with payment options including BPAY.

We ask that payment is processed before your next session. If you're having difficulty, please reach out to our admin team — we'd rather have a conversation than have payment get in the way of your care.

We offer several options: most clients save a card to their profile for automatic processing after each session. Alternatively, we can send invoices by email with a payment link or BPAY details. For third-party billing (NDIS, Open Arms, ADF, Worksafe), we follow the established invoicing process for those organisations.

Our practitioners draw from a broad range of evidence-based modalities. Depending on your therapist and your presenting needs, this may include:

• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

• Internal Family Systems (IFS / parts work)

• Schema Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)

• Psychodynamic Therapy

• Gottman Method principles

• Gestalt and Somatic Therapies

• Mindfulness-Based Approaches

• Strengths-Based and Narrative Therapies

• Attachment-Focused Therapy

• Psychedelic Integration and Harm Reduction

Each practitioner brings their own training and clinical perspective. Your therapist will adapt their approach to your goals and pace.

Yes. We have therapists with experience in sex therapy and sexual wellbeing. This may cover areas like intimacy difficulties, desire discrepancy, compulsive sexual behaviour, sexual identity, and recovery from sexual trauma. Sex therapy at Unison is talk-based and conducted in a professional, non-judgemental space. Sessions never involve physical contact.

Integration therapy supports people in making sense of profound or unusual experiences — including experiences from psychedelic substances, plant medicines, or altered states — and incorporating insights from those experiences into everyday life. It's a non-judgemental, collaborative process.

Harm reduction is a complementary framework that supports people to make safer, more informed choices about substance use without requiring abstinence as a goal. Our therapists working in this space do not encourage or discourage substance use — they support your autonomy and wellbeing.

Yes. We work with Melbourne businesses to provide EAP counselling for their employees. Under an EAP arrangement, the employer funds a set number of sessions per employee each year at no out-of-pocket cost to the employee.

Our EAP offering is particularly well-suited to organisations that value inclusivity and want to ensure their employees have access to culturally responsive, affirming mental health support. We can also include relationship therapy sessions as part of an EAP package — something most EAP providers don't offer.

If you're interested in setting up an EAP arrangement for your team, please get in touch to discuss.

Yes. We are experienced in supporting current and former ADF members and their families, including through the Open Arms — Veterans and Families Counselling program. Eligible veterans and their families can access free counselling through Open Arms.

If you're accessing support through Open Arms or another ADF-related pathway, please let us know when you enquire and we'll set up your appointments accordingly.

Individual sessions are generally 50–60 minutes. Relationship therapy sessions are 65–75 minutes to allow space for multiple people and the additional complexity of relational work. Longer sessions are available on request, with fees adjusted accordingly.

Individual therapy offers a confidential space to explore your experiences, emotions, and patterns of thinking or behaviour. Sessions are guided by what feels most important to you — whether that's managing stress, understanding your relationships, processing past experiences, or working toward a specific goal.

Your therapist will adapt their approach based on your preferences, needs, and pace, helping you reflect and gain new insight in ways that feel supportive and safe. There's no fixed programme — therapy is shaped around you.

It varies widely, and that's intentional. Some people find a few sessions helpful for a specific concern. Others prefer ongoing support over months or years, or choose to pause and return when they need it. Your pace, goals, and what feels useful to you shape the process.

Many people check in from time to time about whether the frequency or focus of sessions is still working for them. Your therapist will support you to make those decisions rather than prescribe a timeline.

You wouldn't be alone — and it's a completely reasonable thing to bring up. Therapeutic fit matters enormously, and a poor match, a mismatch in approach, or feeling misunderstood can put people off therapy for a long time.

Part of why we offer 15-minute consultation calls before booking is to reduce the chance of that happening. We encourage you to tell us about your previous experiences when you enquire so we can take them into account when suggesting a therapist. Many people who've had difficult therapy experiences find that a different approach, or simply a better-matched practitioner, makes a meaningful difference.

Our team draws on a range of trauma-informed approaches to support recovery and integration at a pace that feels right for you. Depending on your needs, this may include EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic and Gestalt techniques, DBT skills work, Narrative Therapy, or mindfulness-based approaches.

We recognise that trauma can show up differently for everyone. Our role is to provide a collaborative, grounded, and compassionate space that supports safety, choice, and gradual healing — not to push you faster than feels manageable.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy developed specifically for the treatment of trauma and post-traumatic stress. It involves processing distressing memories using bilateral stimulation — typically eye movements or tapping — which helps the brain integrate traumatic experiences that have become 'stuck'.

EMDR is recognised by the World Health Organization, NICE (UK), and Phoenix Australia as an effective treatment for PTSD and trauma. It often produces results in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy for trauma-specific presentations. Several of our practitioners are trained in EMDR.

Relationship therapy provides an opportunity for partners to reflect on their relationship in a supportive, neutral environment. The process can involve exploring patterns of interaction, communication styles, emotional needs, and areas of conflict or disconnection.

Our aim is to support understanding and collaboration — not to assign blame or take sides — while creating space for everyone present to feel heard and respected. Sessions are longer than individual therapy (65–75 minutes) to allow room for everyone's experience.

Yes — and we have genuine experience in this space, not just a policy of inclusion. Therapy with polycules or multi-partner relationships recognises the unique structures, agreements, and dynamics within these connections.

Sessions may involve all partners or just some, depending on what feels most helpful. We can work on communication between multiple partners, emotional boundaries, navigating agreements, managing different attachment needs, jealousy, and relationship system tension — with the goal of fostering clarity, understanding, and mutual respect across the dynamic.

Yes. We work with relationships in all forms — that includes close friendships, co-parenting relationships, family members, or other configurations that feel relational in nature. If there's a relationship dynamic you'd like to work on, please describe it when you enquire and we'll suggest the most appropriate therapist and format.

Several of our therapists draw on Gottman Method principles in their relationship work. The Gottman Method is a research-based approach to couples therapy developed by Drs John and Julie Gottman, focused on building friendship, trust, and healthy conflict patterns. It's evidence-based and well-suited to a range of relationship concerns.

We don't use a single prescriptive approach across the practice — therapists integrate methods that suit each couple's needs, which may include Gottman, Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), attachment-based work, or other relational frameworks.

That can happen, and it's not a failure of the process. Sometimes therapy helps a couple clarify that they want different things, or that the relationship isn't working in its current form. Therapy can be just as valuable for navigating a separation thoughtfully and with less harm as it is for staying together.

If your goals shift during therapy, your therapist will work with you on whatever is most useful — whether that's supporting a healthy transition, parallel individual therapy, or working through a co-parenting arrangement.

Not at all. Everyone is welcome at Unison regardless of their identity, relationship style, or background. We work with people across the full spectrum of sexuality, gender, relationship structure, and lived experience.

What sets us apart is that we have specific experience and training in areas that mainstream services often handle less well — including LGBTQIA+ identities, gender diversity, ENM and polyamory, kink and BDSM, and neurodivergence. If those aren't part of your world, you're still in the right place.

It means our therapists work from a position of genuine affirmation — not neutrality, and not 'tolerance'. LGBTQIA+ identities, gender diversity, and queer experiences are understood as part of normal human variation, not as issues requiring correction or explanation.

In practice, that means you won't need to spend session time explaining what it's like to be queer, defending your relationship structure, or managing your therapist's discomfort. You can focus on what brought you in.

We also keep up with relevant research and community knowledge around queer-specific mental health concerns, including minority stress, internalised shame, healthcare discrimination, and the compound effects of living in a world that often misunderstands you.

Kink-aware therapy refers to working with a therapist who has specific knowledge and understanding of kink, BDSM, and sex-positive communities — and who approaches these with clinical neutrality rather than pathologising them.

Many people in kink or BDSM communities have had experiences of being judged, misunderstood, or diagnosed incorrectly by practitioners who lacked this context. At Unison, you don't need to defend or justify your interests. Our therapists understand the culture, the ethics, and the emotional landscape of these communities.

Kink-aware therapy is simply good therapy — with the prior knowledge that means you don't have to do the educating.

Yes. We have specific experience supporting ethically non-monogamous (ENM) people and polyamorous relationships, including couples, triads, quads, polycules, and relationship anarchy structures.

We understand that ENM and polyamory come with their own relational dynamics, communication needs, and emotional challenges that differ from monogamous relationships. You won't need to explain the basics or justify your relationship structure — we start from where you are.

Yes. We have therapists experienced in working with autistic adults, people with ADHD, and others with neurodivergent profiles. We're aware that neurodivergent people are frequently underserved by mainstream mental health care — particularly late-diagnosed adults, autistic women, and people whose neurodivergence intersects with trauma, sexuality, or complex relationship histories.

Our approach is non-pathologising. Neurodivergence isn't something to fix — but it can be helpful to understand yourself better and to work through the specific ways that neurodivergence has shaped your relationships, your inner world, and your mental health.

Yes. We recognise that sex workers often face significant barriers to accessing non-judgemental healthcare, and that few therapists have the cultural knowledge to provide genuinely supportive care in this space.

Our therapists approach sex work with clinical neutrality and cultural awareness. You can expect confidentiality, no moralising, and no assumption about why you do the work you do. If there are specific concerns you want to work through — occupational stress, relationship dynamics, identity, or anything else — we're here for that.

Yes. Many of our therapists offer in-person sessions in Melbourne, primarily from our Carlton practice. There is an additional $20 in-person surcharge per session on top of the standard session fee, reflecting the costs of the space.

All of our therapists also offer telehealth sessions, and the majority of our sessions are delivered this way.

Our in-person practice is at 3 York Place, Carlton VIC 3053. Carlton is centrally located and well-served by public transport — trams run along Swanston Street and Lygon Street nearby, and the practice is a short walk from Melbourne University.

For clients who can't make it to Carlton, we offer telehealth sessions to anyone in Australia.

Many people are pleasantly surprised. Telehealth offers the convenience of connecting with your therapist from wherever you feel comfortable — your home, your car, or anywhere else that gives you privacy.

All you need is a device with a camera and microphone, and a stable internet connection. We use a secure video conferencing platform; you'll receive the link with your appointment confirmation.

Some people find that the familiarity of their own environment actually makes it easier to open up. And yes — we love meeting your pets.

For most presentations, the research evidence supports telehealth as being comparably effective to in-person therapy. It's not a lesser alternative — it's a different delivery mode that suits many people well, particularly for talk-based therapies.

That said, some therapists or therapeutic approaches work better in person — for example, certain somatic or body-based techniques, or situations where a client finds it harder to connect through a screen. Your therapist will let you know if they have a clinical reason to recommend in-person sessions.

Generally, yes — depending on your therapist's availability at our Carlton location. Many clients mix modes depending on what suits them week to week. Just let us know when booking if you'd like in-person or telehealth, and we'll arrange accordingly.

Yes. Everything you share in sessions is confidential. Your therapist will not share information about you without your consent, except in specific circumstances required by law or professional ethical obligations. These are:

• If there is a serious and imminent risk of harm to you or to another person

• Mandatory reporting obligations — for example, if there are concerns about the safety of a child

• If we receive a court order or subpoena requiring disclosure

Your therapist will explain these limits clearly at the start of your first session. Outside of these circumstances, your information stays in the practice.

We use an AI-assisted note-taking tool called Heidi to help therapists generate draft session notes from session recordings. This is done only with your explicit consent before the session begins.

If you prefer not to have AI transcription used, you can say so and your therapist will take notes manually — this will not affect your care in any way. You can also withdraw consent at any time.

Heidi is built for Australian healthcare providers and complies with Australian privacy law. Your session content is not used to train AI models. For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

Your clinical records are maintained in Halaxy, an Australian practice management system with strong security and privacy controls. Access is restricted to your treating practitioner and authorised practice staff.

Under Australian law, we are required to retain health records for a minimum of seven years from your last appointment, or until you turn 25 if you were a minor when you attended.

We take your privacy seriously. Our full Privacy Policy is available on our website.

Yes. Under Australian privacy law, you have the right to access the information we hold about you, including your clinical notes. To make a request, contact us at contact@unisonmentalhealth.com or by phone. We'll respond within 30 days.

Clinical notes are written primarily as working documents for your practitioner, so they may not always read the way you'd expect. If there's something specific you're looking for — such as a summary letter, a report for another provider, or a record of your sessions — please let us know and we'll do our best to assist.

Unison is not a crisis service, and we are unable to provide emergency or after-hours support. If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health emergency, please:

• Call 000 for emergency services

• Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)

• Contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 (24/7)

• Contact Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

• Contact the 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (domestic and family violence)

• Present to your nearest hospital emergency department

Our therapists are available only during scheduled appointments. If you are a current client and need to reach us urgently between sessions, please contact our admin team during business hours and we will do our best to help you connect with support.

This is something we take seriously. If you are currently safe and seeking to explore these feelings in a therapeutic context, we can work with you. Our therapists are trained to support clients who are experiencing suicidal ideation in a thoughtful, non-alarmist way.

However, we are not a crisis service and cannot provide after-hours or emergency support. If you are in immediate risk, please call 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14 rather than waiting for a session.

When you enquire, please let us know if crisis safety is a factor so we can ensure the right therapist and level of support are in place from the start.