Services

Every child's story matters. Children and families are met with warmth and curiosity to support in healing. Using a child centred space, play and child adapted EMDR, children process their trauma and integrate difficult memories, reduce distress, and develop stronger emotional regulation skills. Using a combination of individual and dyadic sessions, therapy is play based, relational and grounded in safety. Life story work helps children to make sense of their personal history to develop a stable sense of identity.

The Lifestory Practice therapists are recognised with advanced training in mental health assessment, formulation, and evidence-based treatments.

Their biopsychosocial framework enables nuanced understanding of complex presentations, including trauma, attachment difficulties, developmental concerns, and comorbid conditions.

With strong foundations in risk assessment, safeguarding, and systems-based practice, therapists are well positioned to manage complexity and provide coordinated care.

Trauma-focused therapy with EMDR helps adults work through past traumatic experiences that continue to affect their thoughts, emotions, and relationships. EMDR supports the brain’s natural healing processes, reducing emotional distress and fostering a greater sense of clarity, confidence, and balance.

Clinical Areas of Focus:

• Trauma & complex trauma

• Anxiety disorders

• Emotional dysregulation

• ADHD & ASD support

• Attachment concerns

• Grief and adjustment difficulties

• Depressive disorders

• Aged Care Transition issues

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Families come in all shapes and forms — and no matter how your family is made up, relationships matter. At The Lifestory Practice, we provide family therapy that supports connection, understanding, and emotional safety within the family system.

Family therapy can be helpful during times of strain, conflict, grief, separation, parenting challenges, life transitions, or when communication feels difficult. We work with families across the lifespan to strengthen attachment, repair ruptures, and create healthier patterns of interaction.

Our approach is warm, respectful, and evidence-informed. With children and young people, we often incorporate play-based and creative approaches to help them express emotions in ways that feel natural and safe. With adolescents and adults, we support open dialogue, emotional insight, and practical strategies that improve day-to-day relationships.

Family therapy can help:

• Strengthen attachment and emotional bonds
• Improve communication and reduce conflict
• Support families navigating separation or blended family dynamics
• Process shared grief or trauma
• Increase understanding of behavioural or emotional challenges
• Build resilience within the family unit

We focus on helping families feel heard, understood, and empowered to move forward together. Our goal is not to place blame, but to support meaningful change that improves connection and wellbeing for everyone involved.

At the life story practice, we offer specialised group counselling for children in foster care, providing a safe and nurturing environment for emotional expression and peer support. Having worked with children in care for many years, therapist's understand the unique challenges faced by children in care. Sessions foster connection and resilience. By connecting kids of similar ages, with others who share similar experiences, sessions help them build trust, learn coping strategies, and promote healing together. Often, group therapy is a good stepping stone for children who would benefit from individual therapy but need scaffolding. 

Group counselling sessions are run in school terms only. There are a variety of options due to every child having their own unique circumstances and your child's group will be selected based on their uniqueness and that of others. 

Please speak with your child's case worker to see if group therapy might be a good fit. 

• Age group: Developmentally adjusted groups 6-10 

• Group size: 4-6 children

• Duration: School term weeks

• Delivery: In-person

A trauma-informed, therapeutic group program supporting children to build emotional awareness, regulation skills, and coping strategies to improve daily functioning at home, school, and in social settings.

This group is suitable for children with emotional regulation difficulties, anxiety, trauma-related presentations, and behavioural challenges.

Children participating in this group will be supported to improve their ability to identify emotions, regulate emotional responses, and apply coping strategies during times of distress. The program focuses on building functional skills that enhance participation in daily routines, learning environments, and peer relationships.

• Age group: 5-6 or 7–9 years 

• Group size: 4–6 children

• Duration: 8-week program

• Session length: 50 minutes

• Delivery: In-person

• NDIS self-managed and plan-managed participants welcome

• Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living

• Small group format to support safety and engagement

Navigating the child protection system can feel overwhelming, isolating, and uncertain. This therapy service is designed specifically for parents who are facing investigations, court involvement or reunification processes. Providing a safe, non-judgmental space where you can process your own personal trauma experiences using EMDR, build emotional resilience, and strengthen the skills you need to move forward with confidence.

Whether you are working toward reunification, striving to maintain stability, or seeking support during supervised visitation, we are here to walk with you every step of the way.

Our approach combines trauma-informed care, practical guidance, and compassionate understanding of the unique challenges families face within the child protection system.

At The Lifestory Practice, our therapists are highly trained to provide comprehensive assessments and evidence-based therapeutic supports for individuals living with disability across the lifespan.

We undertake thorough assessments, including psychosocial assessments, to inform clear, practical, and goal-focused recommendations tailored to each participant’s needs. Our work is centred on enhancing quality of life, strengthening social functioning, and building meaningful connections.

Using evidence-based therapeutic approaches, we support participants to develop emotional resilience, strengthen relationships, and increase social and economic participation. We provide disability-specific interventions that focus on building essential life skills while maintaining existing strengths.

Our team also assists participants to navigate services and systems, build individual capacity, and address practical barriers through collaborative problem-solving and structured goal-setting. We work alongside participants to ensure supports are purposeful, empowering, and aligned with their NDIS goals.

Life coaching that meets you where you are — and supports where you’re ready to go.
Offered in-person or online, individually or in small groups, our coaching provides practical guidance, reflection, and accountability to help you create meaningful change. Whether you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or simply ready for something more, you don’t have to do it alone. This is structured support for real life — at your pace, in a way that works for you.

In life coaching, the focus is on practical growth and forward movement, while still allowing space for reflection.

Areas that might be explored include:

• Clarity & direction – identifying what you want, what matters to you, and where you feel stuck

• Values & priorities – aligning daily choices with what’s genuinely important to you

• Life transitions – navigating change such as career shifts, parenting stages, separation, or identity changes

• Patterns & habits – understanding what keeps repeating and developing healthier ways of responding

• Confidence & self-trust – strengthening decision-making, boundaries, and self-belief

• Emotional regulation & resilience – building tools to manage stress, overwhelm, and pressure

• Goals & accountability – breaking big goals into achievable steps and staying on track

• Balance & wellbeing – work–life balance, burnout prevention, and sustainable routines

• Communication & relationships – assertiveness, boundaries, and clearer expression of needs

• Future planning – creating realistic, values-led plans for the months or year ahead

Referral Pathways

We aim to make accessing support at The Lifestory Practice simple and straightforward.

We accept:

• Mental Health Care Plans (Medicare)
• NDIS (where therapy supports are included in your plan)
• Private referrals
• Self-referrals
• Third-party referrals (including approved external agencies and funders)

You do not always need a referral to access therapy. Individuals and families are welcome to contact us directly to enquire about services.

Fees & Funding

The Lifestory Practice accepts referrals under:

• Medicare Mental Health Care Plans
• NDIS (where applicable)
• Private payment
• Approved third-party funders

Medicare rebates are processed promptly following full payment of your session fee.

We also accept self-funded clients and, where eligible, private health insurance rebates may be available depending on your level of cover. Please check directly with your insurer.

NDIS services are billed in accordance with current NDIS pricing arrangements.

Out-of-pocket costs or gap fees may apply depending on your referral pathway and funding arrangements.

If you are unsure which pathway applies to you, our team is happy to guide you through your options.

Starting therapy can feel like a big step — we aim to make the process clear and supportive from the very beginning.

Step 1: Get in Touch
Contact us via phone or email to discuss your needs, ask questions, and explore the most suitable referral pathway for you.

Step 2: Referral (If Required)
If you are accessing support through a Mental Health Care Plan, NDIS, or a third-party funder, you can arrange for your referral documentation to be sent to us. Self-referrals are always welcome.

Step 3: Initial Appointment
Your first session focuses on understanding your goals, current challenges, strengths, and what you would like to achieve through therapy. We will also explain how sessions will work and answer any questions you may have.

Step 4: Ongoing Support
Together, we develop a clear and collaborative plan tailored to your needs. Therapy moves at a pace that feels safe and purposeful for you or your family.

If you’re unsure whether therapy is the right fit, we welcome you to reach out for a brief discussion — we are here to help you make an informed decision.