PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
Dr Samantha Fearns provides psychological therapy to individuals (adolescents aged 16 years and over, adults, and older adults), couples, and families. Weekday, weekend, and after-hours appointments are available.
Appointments can be made via the Book Now page of this website.
All enquiries are warmly welcomed via phone (0404 009 161), email (samanthafearns@gmail.com), or the Contact page.
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY SESSIONS
50 minutes
$270.00 (weekdays)
$280.00 (Sat / Sun)
(These fees are below the 2023-2024 Australian Psychological Society's recommended rate of $300.00 per 45-60 minute session with a Clinical Psychologist. See Fees & Rebates for more information.)
Individual therapy sessions are 50 minutes in length, and are available for adolescents (16 years +), adults, and older adults.
Dr Samantha Fearns specialises in the treatment of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, stress, trauma, substance abuse/dependence, grief and loss, and relationship issues. Samantha also sees individuals experiencing workplace-related difficulties, and is a SIRA-registered provider of Allied Health services to individuals receiving workers compensation in NSW.
Samantha uses a range of treatment modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies, and family and relationship therapies such as structural, systemic and solution-focused techniques. Treatment plans are collaboratively tailored to each individual's unique concerns, personal style, and preferences within a warm, empathic, caring and respectful environment.
PLEASE NOTE: For safety, privacy, and convenience, all sessions are currently via Telehealth by video (Zoom or FaceTime) or phone.
COUPLES THERAPY SESSIONS
60 minutes
$295.00
Couples therapy / relationship counselling sessions are designed to address tensions and dysfunction within relationships, enhance communication and conflict resolution skills, and improve intimacy and connection between partners.
Samantha uses systemic and solution-focused therapeutic approaches to help couples work through difficult topics and areas in which they feel 'stuck'. She also teaches couples clear and practical communication skills to help facilitate non-triggering, calm, respectful communication and allow both partners to feel heard and understood.
Samantha completed a specialised internship and training in couple and family therapies during her doctoral degree, and worked for nine years as a sessional Marriage and Relationships Educator / Facilitator for CatholicCare. She has worked with couples in private practice since 2007, and is passionate about helping couples achieve their relationship goals.
Sessions of 60, 90, and 120-minute duration are available. A treatment plan will be discussed at the conclusion of the assessment session. Couples can then nominate their desired appointment length.
FAMILY THERAPY SESSIONS
60 minutes
$295.00
Sessions are offered to two or more family members, and are designed to address conflict and other difficulties within family relationships.
Samantha uses a range of family therapy approaches to address these difficulties, including systemic, structural, and solution-focused techniques.
Sessions of 60, 90, or 120 minutes can be scheduled depending upon each family's needs and preferences.
Samantha strives to help all family members feel respected, heard, and understood across sessions, and is highly dedicated to helping families restore closeness and calm communication.
TELEHEALTH SESSIONS
Safety - Privacy - Convenience
Samantha has offered sessions via video and phone since 2007 if required or preferred by clients (e.g., due to domestic or international travel, moving interstate or abroad, family or workplace demands that made in-person attendance difficult, etc) and has always personally found this to be as engaging, personal, and effective as sessions held within a physical clinic.
In March 2020, like many psychologists, Samantha moved all of her sessions to a Telehealth (video or phone) format for safety due to COVID-19. She soon found that her regular clients began expressing a desire to continue with Telehealth sessions rather than return to face to face appointments. Their reasons included:
- an enhanced sense of privacy and comfort through being able to choose their own location for the session
- a greater feeling of confidentiality (clinics vary considerably in the soundproofing of treatment rooms, and conversations can at times be heard within adjoining rooms)
- less stress and cost associated with travelling to a physical clinic (e.g., traffic and transport delays, parking fees, petrol costs)
- eliminates risk of contracting a respiratory illness in the clinic room or waiting area
- less concern about running into people that you know (e.g., friends, school parents, colleagues) in the waiting area that you may not wish to discuss your therapy with
- greater comfort if the session start time is delayed - continue on with work or home tasks, or simply feel more relaxed than you may in a busy waiting room
- the ability to attend sessions if you do have COVID-19 or another respiratory or infectious illness and you feel well enough to attend, whereas a face to face session would need to be cancelled to avoid infecting others
- being able to attend a session while at home with your baby, toddler or children
- the flexibility to schedule sessions within a break time during workdays since the travel time to a physical clinic is eliminated
- an improved ability to take notes during the session or engage with links or other material that Samantha may send you during your appointment
- the removal of the pressure to get dressed and ready for an appointment and travel to a clinic when physically and / or emotionally not feeling up to doing so (sometimes this can be a good thing, but on other occasions - such as when feelings of depression, anxiety, or physical health issues are more severe - it can make the process seem harder and lead to a stronger desire to cancel appointments and lose momentum in therapy)
- the ability to attend sessions from anywhere in the world, giving you the option to maintain session frequency or receive support if you are away from home
If you haven't tried Telehealth sessions before and would like to see if they could work well for you, too, head to the Book Now page to make an appointment via Zoom, FaceTime, or phone.