Bayside Psychotherapy, Highett: Counselling, Psychotherapy and Hypnotherapy Since 2009

Starting therapy is a big step, and it is normal to have questions or worries. Bayside Psychotherapy, at 8/539 Highett Road, Highett, says so plainly on its website, and builds its approach around making that first step easier.

A Highett practice since 2009

Adam Szmerling, a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, founded Bayside Psychotherapy in 2009, having already worked in mental health for some years. According to the practice, it has since grown into a team of eight therapists with different training and approaches, working from purpose-fitted rooms in Highett and by video. The team includes psychotherapists, a clinical psychologist, counsellors and clinical hypnotherapists.

What you can expect

The practice lists four things clients can count on: privacy, with what you discuss in sessions staying confidential within the limits of the law; therapy that fits you, with your therapist taking time to understand what has brought you in; no judgement; and trust, with therapists checking in on how sessions feel and adjusting as you go.

Counselling, psychotherapy and more

The services page explains the difference between counselling and psychotherapy. Both are talk therapies in which you meet a trained therapist regularly and in private. Counselling usually works on a current problem and practical ways through it, while psychotherapy tends to go further, looking at the patterns and inner conflicts that keep a problem coming back. In practice, the practice says, the two overlap.

Other services include clinical psychology with clinical psychologist Natalie Szmerling, who uses approaches such as CBT and DBT, longer-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy with Adam Szmerling, hypnotherapy for habits, fears and phobias, and couples counselling. Six of the therapists also use hypnotherapy. The website's "I want help with" pages cover common concerns such as anxiety, phobias, mood and relationships.

Finding the right therapist

Because the therapists work in different ways, the practice says the relationship you build matters more than any one method. A short quiz on the website suggests a therapist, a video explains the three ways of working, and the first session is where you find out whether the fit is right. Qualifications and memberships are listed on every practitioner's profile.

Evenings, Saturdays and online

Sessions run for 50 minutes, in Highett or by secure video anywhere in Australia. The website lists therapist hours of 8am to 8pm on Monday, 8.30am to 8pm Tuesday to Friday and 8am to 6pm on Saturday, though times vary by therapist. Reception answers calls Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm. You can book online and choose your own date and time. Medicare rebates apply only to sessions with two of the practitioners and require a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, and the practice explains fees and rebates in detail on its website.

Getting there

The clinic is at Suite 8, with the practice's name on the glass door. The website notes it is close to Highett station and several bus routes, with free parking at the front and in the rear car park. It also states that the clinic has no wheelchair-accessible toilet, accessible car park or hearing loop, and that every therapist also sees people by video, or you can call reception to talk it through.

Who it suits

The practice is a good fit for adults wanting support with anxiety, relationships, long-standing patterns or habits, and for couples who would like help communicating. It is not a crisis service: the website says that if you or someone else is in danger you should call 000, and that Lifeline is available on 13 11 14 at any hour.

Planning your visit

Bayside Psychotherapy is at 8/539 Highett Road, Highett. Call reception on (03) 9557 9113, send a message through the website or book online.

Visit Bayside Psychotherapy

If you are unsure where to start, call reception, tell them what you are looking for and they can help point you to a therapist who fits.

Contact

Bayside Psychotherapy
8/539 Highett Road, Highett VIC 3190
Phone: (03) 9557 9113
Email: adam@baysidepsychotherapy.com.au
Website: baysidepsychotherapy.com.au
Hours: Reception Monday–Friday 8:30am–5:30pm; sessions Monday 8am–8pm, Tuesday–Friday 8:30am–8pm, Saturday 8am–6pm

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