Counselling for Anxiety & Depression Sydney

How do I know which therapist or therapy is best for me?

We have more than 25 therapists practising different counselling styles and psychological therapies, catering to a wide range of needs. You can utilise our Find Your Best Fit Psychologist online tool or give us a call at 1300 001 778. Our clinical intake team works closely with all our psychologists and are professionally trained to match you with the best therapist for your specific mental health needs.

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New Vision Psychology’s team of professional, diligent, and compassionate clinical psychologists, registered psychologists, and clinical counsellors are experienced in psychological therapies as depression and anxiety treatment. Treatment can vary greatly, depending on your psychologist, their therapy methods, and the type of depression you’re experiencing. Psychologists often utilise CBT, IPT, or psychodynamic therapy, as well as provide self-help strategies that can alleviate the symptoms of depression.

Whether you’re looking for ‘Psychologist for anxiety Sydney’, or ‘Depression counselling near me’, New Vision Psychology is here to help. With clinics located in Burwood, Castle Hill, Chatswood, Hurstville, and Sydney CBD, we are confident that we have the right psychologists to provide the best possible outcome for your needs.

Can I choose who will be my psychologist and what if we don’t click?

We encourage you to browse through our team to see if there is a psychologist that stands out for you.

We have clinical psychologists and registered psychologists who are fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese, Bengali, Hindi, Afrikaans, Norwegian and Croatian, so if you prefer to speak your mother tongue, you can!

All our psychologists are registered with the Psychology Board of Australia with many being members of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).

It is important that you feel comfortable with your psychologist when seeking help for depression treatment or anxiety, so it is 100% okay to change the psychologist you are seeing if it is not working.

We encourage you to provide us with feedback immediately if you feel your psychologist does not understand your situation, or if you feel they are unable to help. Please call us on 1300 001 778 to discuss.

What is the difference between depression or anxiety treatment and general counselling?

Depression and anxiety are both specific mental health conditions that are characterised by a set of symptoms, causes, and psychological treatments. While very different, managing anxiety or depression will often involve specialised therapy, techniques, and strategies that have been proven to be effective in addressing anxiety disorders or depression.

On the other hand, general counselling is more broad, not specific to anxiety or depression, and may encompass a wide range of psychological therapies and techniques. General counselling may help to address a wide range of concerns and will often cover areas of relationships, families, careers, life transitions, self-esteem, and more.

General counselling can be beneficial for both depression and anxiety. However, if you are experiencing symptoms specific to anxiety disorders or a type of depression, it may be best to seek support from a clinical psychologist or registered psychologist who is specifically trained in these areas, such as depression treatment, and can provide more targeted support for the condition and the symptoms you’re dealing with.

What kind of problems can therapy help me with?

Seeing a psychologist, therapist, or counsellor can help you to identify and work through a wide range of issues. Here is a list of common areas that our psychologists can help with:

Anxiety Disorders:

• Generalised anxiety disorder: GAD is the most common type of anxiety, characterised by excessive stress, worry, or tension, even where there is nothing to provoke it.
• Panic disorder: A disorder characterised by sudden and recurrent panic attacks.
• Social anxiety disorder: The fear of social situations and the fear of being rejected or judged in social situations.
• Specific phobias: Phobias refer to a type of anxiety characterised by extreme fear of a specific situation or object.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder: OCD, while no longer officially classified as an anxiety disorder, has a significant anxiety component. It is characterised by persistent, regular thoughts or behaviours that a person feels compelled to perform and is unable to ignore.

Depression Disorders:

• Major depression: A type of depression characterised by strong and ongoing feelings of hopelessness, sadness, worthlessness, and a lack of interest in activities or things that were previously enjoyable.
• Persistent depressive disorder: PDD refers to a type of depression that involves persistent, low-level depression with a wide variety of symptoms, often lasting for at least two or more years.
• Bipolar disorder: BPD, also known as manic depression, is a type of depressive mood disorder where elevated and depressive moods are experienced in bouts.
• Seasonal affective disorder: SAD refers to a type of depression that occurs during the winter months as a result of less natural sunlight.

Although there is no causal connection between both disorders, it is common for people to suffer from both anxiety and depression. Seeing a psychologist can help you to understand the type of anxiety or depression you’re experiencing, provide professional insights, and deliver personalised, tailored strategies to improve day-to-day life. A psychologist will also provide long-term treatment and support if required.

Do I need a referral to see a psychologist?

You do not need a referral to see a psychologist. A referral is only necessary if you want to claim a Medicare or SIRA/Workcover rebate.

How do I get a Medicare rebate?

Make an appointment with your GP to get a Mental Health Treatment Plan and bring it to your first session. This will enable you to claim a Medicare rebate of $137.05 (for a clinical psychologist) or $93.35 (for a registered psychologist) per session for a maximum of ten sessions per calendar year.

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Medicare rebates are provided immediately after each session.

We do not offer bulk-billed sessions through Medicare.

What if therapy doesn’t work for me?

For therapy to be effective, it’s important to have a good therapeutic relationship and have clear and realistic expectations for your treatment outcomes. You must also take an active role in managing your therapy and put in the work outside of the treatment room.

If you find that something isn’t working for you or if your therapist says something that you find unhelpful, it’s important to let them know. Every psychologist has an ethical obligation to explore different options to facilitate your care. Feedback enables your therapist to develop a new plan to overcome barriers. Therapy is flexible and adapts to the client’s needs – your therapist may take a different approach or intervention, or refer you to another psychologist with a different skillset. Sometimes, clients may be referred back to their GP for further assessment or a psychiatrist to add a pharmaceutical treatment.

What are the different therapies used by New Vision Psychology?

There are several different types of therapy that are effective in managing and treating specific mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. The most common include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: CBT is often used within both anxiety treatment and depression treatment. The aim of CBT is to help individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours that contribute to anxiety or depression.
• Interpersonal Therapy: IPT is a type of therapy often employed in treatment for anxiety and depression. IPT focuses on improving relationships and communication skills in an effort to alleviate the isolation often experienced with these conditions.
• Psychodynamic Therapy: This type of therapy focuses on understanding, untangling, and resolving conflicts felt unconsciously that are contributing to anxiety or depression.
• Dialectal Behaviour Therapy: DBT combines CBT with proven mindfulness techniques to help regulate emotions and improve overall coping skills.

Other anxiety or depression treatment methods may also include medication, group therapy, and exposure therapy. It’s important to understand that each treatment method and type of therapy will depend on the individual and their specific needs. For many, seeking help will involve multiple types of therapy and treatments. Your initial consult with a New Vison Psychologist will involve discussing your condition, your needs, and the most appropriate support for you.