What is counselling?
Counselling is a confidential, supportive form of talking therapy. It gives you a dedicated space to talk through what you are experiencing with a trained, impartial professional who is focused entirely on you. Where friends and family are close to the situation, a counsellor offers something different, genuine understanding without judgement, and the skill to help you make sense of things and move forward.
The heart of counselling is the relationship between you and your counsellor. Decades of research point to that relationship, one of trust, safety, and being truly heard, as one of the most important ingredients in feeling better. Counselling is not about being told what to do or being analysed. It is a collaboration, working at your pace, to help you understand yourself and your situation more clearly and find your own way through.
At Integro Health, counselling is delivered by registered clinicians and qualified therapists in a warm, non-judgemental environment in South West WA, in person or online.
How counselling helps
Talking to the right person, in the right way, does more than most people expect. Putting difficult experiences into words helps the mind organise and make sense of them. Being genuinely heard eases the isolation that so often comes with struggling. And a skilled counsellor helps you notice patterns, understand your reactions, and see options you could not see on your own.
Counselling can help with a specific difficulty, or with a more general sense that something is not right. Many people come while working through anxiety, depression, grief, stress, or relationship difficulties. Others come during a hard season, a big decision, a loss of confidence, or a time of change. You do not need to be in crisis, or to have a diagnosis, to benefit from counselling.
Where a more structured or specialised approach would help, our counsellors and therapists can also draw on therapies like CBT or EMDR, or recommend the approach best suited to you.
The counselling process
Counselling is a collaborative journey, not a fixed formula. While everyone's path is different, most people move through a few natural stages, at a pace that feels right for them.
Getting in touch
It starts with a simple, no-pressure conversation. You reach out, we answer your questions, and we help match you with a counsellor suited to what you are working through. There is no commitment in making that first contact.
Your first session
The first session is about understanding you, what has brought you in, a little of your background, and what you are hoping for. There is no pressure to share more than you are ready to. It is also a chance to see how it feels to work together.
Building the picture together
Over the following sessions, we explore what is going on and why, gently and without judgement. Simply having space to talk it through, with someone alongside you, often begins to bring relief and clarity.
Working through it
As understanding grows, we work on what matters most to you, whether that is easing distress, making a decision, changing a pattern, or coming to terms with something. This is where lasting change takes root.
Moving forward
Counselling is not meant to last forever. As you gain ground, sessions space out, and we finish when you feel ready, with more understanding, more tools, and more confidence than you came with.
Meet the counsellors and therapists
Counselling at Integro Health is delivered by registered clinicians and qualified therapists, each bringing genuine warmth and years of experience. Take a moment to read about our practitioners and find the right fit for you.
Dr Paul King
General Practitioner
MBBS Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgery
FRACGP Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Jools Fordyce
Social Worker & Family Therapist
Bachelor (Hons) – Applied Social Science with Diploma in Social Work
Postgraduate Diploma in Family and Relationship Therapy
Brooke Eden
Psychologist
Bachelor of Psychology
Graduate Diploma of Education
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Nicholas Kerr
Psychologist
Masters of Psychology (Organisational)
Bachelor of Arts
Member of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc.
Carli King
Office Administrator
As Practice Manager, Carli keeps the daily operations of Integro Health running smoothly, ensuring our clients always receive the highest standard of care.
What counselling can help with
Anxiety
Practical, evidence-based help for worry, racing thoughts, and constant unease, so you can feel safe in your own life again.…
Anxiety →
Depression
Warm, judgement-free support for depression and persistent low mood, helping you find your way back toward feeling like yourself. In…
Depression →
Grief & Loss
Compassionate support to carry grief and loss in your own way and at your own pace, with no timeline to…
Grief & Loss →
Stress
Support to understand what is driving chronic stress and build a more sustainable way to live, before it tips into…
Stress →
Relationship Problems
Understand the patterns that keep repeating in your relationships and build the connection you are looking for. Support in Bunbury…
Relationship Problems →
Low Self-Esteem
Build a steadier, kinder relationship with yourself and quieten a harsh inner critic. Psychological support in Bunbury and online across…
Low Self-Esteem →Why counselling at Integro Health
Registered, experienced clinicians
Your counselling is delivered by registered clinicians and qualified therapists, not by anyone without proper training. Experience and genuine care come as standard.
A whole-person approach
We look at every part of you, your thoughts, feelings, relationships, and circumstances, because difficulties rarely sit in just one area of life.
Evidence-informed and tailored
We draw on approaches with real evidence behind them, matched to you rather than a one-size formula, and adjust as we get to know you.
In Bunbury and online
See us in person at our Eaton clinic near Bunbury, or by secure telehealth anywhere in South West WA and beyond. The choice is yours.
Is counselling effective?
Yes. Counselling and talking therapies are among the most researched interventions in mental health, and the evidence is consistent: for a wide range of difficulties, they help. In Australia, counselling and psychological therapy are recognised and funded parts of the mental health system, and psychological therapy is recommended by bodies such as the Australian Psychological Society as effective, first-line support for common concerns like anxiety and depression.
One of the most robust findings in decades of psychotherapy research is that the quality of the relationship between client and counsellor is one of the strongest predictors of a good outcome, often more important than the specific technique used. In other words, feeling safe, understood, and genuinely supported is not a nice extra. It is central to why counselling works.
That said, no honest professional can promise a particular result, because every person and situation is different. What we can say is that counselling gives most people real benefit, and that getting the right support earlier tends to make the work easier. If a different or more specialised approach would serve you better, we will say so.
What to expect in your first session
If you have never been to counselling before, it is completely normal to feel unsure about what happens. There is nothing to prepare and nothing you need to get right.
Your first session is mostly a conversation. Your counsellor will want to understand what has brought you in, a little about your life and background, and what you are hoping for from counselling. You are always in control of what you share and when, and there is no pressure to go into anything you are not ready to. It is also a chance for you to get a feel for your counsellor and how it is to work together, which matters more than anything.
Sessions usually run for around 50 minutes, and how often you come is flexible and up to you. You can read more about what to expect on our first session page.
Is counselling right for you?
Counselling suits an enormous range of people and situations. If you are carrying something difficult, feeling stuck, working through a change or a loss, or simply want to understand yourself better, counselling can help. You do not need things to be serious enough, and you do not need to have it all figured out, to make a start.
Counselling is a good fit if you value a supportive, collaborative space to talk and reflect, at your own pace. If what you are facing calls for a more structured or specialised approach, such as CBT for entrenched anxiety patterns or EMDR for trauma, we can offer those too, or blend approaches to suit you. If you are not sure what you need, that is completely fine. Reaching out is a good first step, and we can help you find the right path together.
Your questions answered
The terms overlap and are often used interchangeably. Broadly, counselling tends to focus on specific difficulties, life challenges, and the here and now, often over a shorter period, while psychotherapy tends to go deeper into long-standing patterns and their roots, sometimes over a longer time. In practice the two blend, and our practitioners draw on whatever suits you. What matters most is finding the right support and the right person, not the label.
There is no set number. Some people find a few sessions is enough to work through a specific issue, while others value ongoing support over a longer period, particularly with deeper or long-standing difficulties. We check in with you regularly, and counselling lasts only as long as it is genuinely helping. You are never locked into a fixed course.
Counselling provided by a registered psychologist can attract a Medicare rebate if you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, which covers up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year. Counselling with some other types of practitioner may not be Medicare-rebatable. We are happy to explain what applies to you and talk through the options and costs before you begin.
Yes. What you share in counselling is confidential, within the usual legal limits, for example where there is an immediate risk of serious harm. Your counsellor will explain exactly how confidentiality works in your first session, so you know where you stand from the start.
Yes. We offer counselling by secure telehealth across South West WA and Australia-wide, as well as in person at our Eaton clinic near Bunbury. Online counselling is just as confidential and, for most people, just as effective. It is especially helpful if you are in a regional area, are short on time, or prefer the comfort of your own space. You can read more on our online therapy page.
No referral is needed to book counselling. You can contact us directly to arrange a first session. If you would like to access a Medicare rebate through a Mental Health Treatment Plan, you will need a GP referral first, and we can guide you through that.
There is no threshold you have to meet. If something is weighing on you, affecting your mood, relationships, work, or sleep, or you simply feel stuck or want to understand yourself better, counselling can help. You do not have to wait until things feel unbearable, and many people wish they had reached out sooner.
That is completely normal, and it is your counsellor’s job to help. You do not need to arrive with a neat explanation or an agenda. Often, simply starting to talk, with gentle guidance, is enough for things to become clearer. There is no right or wrong way to do counselling.
Medically reviewed by
General Practitioner
The clinical information on this page has been reviewed for accuracy by Dr Paul King, General Practitioner at Integro Health. It is general information, and not a substitute for personal medical or psychological advice.
