Fees

Please contact me to find out my current fees.

People who are unwaged or low income may additionally be eligible for subsidised treatment.  For more information about available subsidies, click here.

Making an Appointment

To make an appointment, call me on 021 0297 8804, email me at Abby@blackdogtherapy.co.nz or use the form below. During our initial conversation, we will agree an appointment time for our first session. You do not need to provide me any details over the phone unless you wish to do so - it's up to you.


The First Session

In our first session you will get a chance to meet me and see the place where I work, and will start developing a sense of whether you feel comfortable about us working together in the future.

You'll have a seat and I'll invite you to tell me a bit about why you've come and what you would like from me. You'll have the opportunity to tell me as much or as little about yourself as you wish in this first session, and will be encouraged to speak as openly and freely as you feel comfortable doing.

By the end of the first session I'll know a bit about your reasons for coming, and you'll have a sense of who I am and how I work, as well as how I can help you whether it's for short term or long term work.

Video Recording

Therapy sessions may be video-recorded with your consent, and I will ask you to sign a consent form for this recording. This is entirely optional, but can significantly improve the speed and outcome of therapy. These recordings are stored with highly secure encryption, and are only used for the purposes of improving the treatment I can provide to you. These recordings provide a number of benefits:

1. Our work together is important to me and I will review the videos of our sessions to ensure that we are working as effectively as possible. Reviewing the recordings will help me to identify what is and what isn't working well and allows me to tailor therapy to best suit your needs.

2. I will review the videos of our work with my supervisor, Dr Stephen Arthey of the Melbourne ISTDP centre. By getting additional input into our work together I will be able to assist you more effectively and identify and overcome any challenges that arise.

3. You will receive copies of the recordings if you so wish. Many clients find it very helpful to view recordings of their therapy sessions. Doing so enables you to observe us both and our interactions together from a more objective position. This often leads to deeper insights and understandings about the challenges you are facing and how to overcome them. Many clients also find that they develop a much deeper empathy and acceptance of themselves by viewing therapy sessions, and are better able to overcome self-criticism and judgement.