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Carolyn's Affordable Counselling

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About Carolyn

Carolyn’s Affordable Counselling was founded in 2013 as a more affordable option to help support the wellbeing and mental health of individuals, couples and families in the Caboolture and surrounding suburbs.

Carolyn’s early career was in the education system which involved helping special needs children. She then moved to customer service and progressed through to management. Carolyn’s interaction and support of people through her occupation led her to realise how expensive counselling support was in North Brisbane and how this was jeopardising and preventing people from getting help. Carolyn started volunteer counselling and this led her, in 2008, to pursue her qualification in counselling. Shortly after graduating in 2011 Carolyn joined the ACA and MHA and started establishing her business.

Since then Carolyn has counselled over 1000 clients providing them with support, knowledge, skills and strategies to resolve, change, adjust and overcome difficulties which in turn, has enhanced their quality of life.

Carolyn’s mission for making counselling more affordable for everyone has seen her offer half hour sessions, reduced fee for first session as well as pensioner discounts. Carolyn also considers financial hardship on a case to case basis.

Carolyn continues to develop her skills, training, and supervision each year above and beyond what is required of her in accordance with the Australian Counselling Association.

Qualifications

  • Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling
  • Diploma of Professional Counselling (AIPC)
  • ACA Membership Level 2
  • Psychological First Aid Certificate
  • Family Law Counsellor Certificate
  • Food and Nutrition Certificate
  • Bachelor of Counseling

MHA Certificates

  • Pre-Marital Counselling
  • Emotionally Focused Therapy
  • Relationship Breakdown
  • Losing Intimacy
  • Communicating with children
  • Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Loss & Grief
  • Alcohol Addiction
  • Bipolar disorders
  • Depression
  • Indigenous Studies
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Eating Disorders
  • School Bullying
  • Coaching strategies part A & B
  • Anger Management
  • Growth mindset
  • Managing chronic pain
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Counselling Clients with Disabilities
  • Couple Counselling: Models and Interventions

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear”

Mark Twain

Services

Marriage/Couple Counselling
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Marriage/couple counselling

Carolyn helps couples to identify their strengths, look at issues and concerns and facilitate communication that enhances listening skills and understanding. Through different strategies Carolyn assists the couple to reduce negative repeated patterns and move forward towards their relationship goals.

Communication break-down and lack of intimacy
As time goes on and with the daily grind of life, couples often communicate less, argue more, sometimes name call or stone wall and can take each other for granted, resulting in them becoming distant. This isolation can lead to feelings such as; anger, sadness and anxiety. This in turn can cause the couple to feel they are living separate lives. The limitation of a couples’ communication and closeness, often results in lack of intimacy.

Pre-marital Counselling
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Pre-marital counselling

This course is recommended for engaged couples.
Australia’s rate of divorce is not as high as other western nations although still has over 30% of marriages ending in divorce, according to cmlaw.com.au (2016). This can be detrimental in terms of stress to the couple and children if any, as well as the huge financial stress caused through separation.
Pre-marital counselling helps the couple to get to know each other, become aware of each other’s background, values, differences and potential problems. This is done through a series of questionnaires and worksheets.

Individual Counselling
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Individual Counselling

Carolyn works with clients whether they are going through a relationship that has turned bad, experiencing conflict with family members or have been a victim of bullying or abuse. Whatever concern/issue, counselling is an important support in helping you get through this time of need. Counselling is a therapeutic outlet for many people.

Separation
Clients dealing with life changing separation or divorce can find themselves in one of the grimmest times of their life. It can turn your whole world upside down and make every day a struggle to get through. The confusion, the flood of emotions, the anger, frustration, sadness can seem unbearable. Nobody should go through this alone.

Counsellors support, listen and help clients get through and adjust during this most difficult time.

Grief Counselling
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Grief counselling

Losing someone you love is detrimental and clients go through emotions such as denial, disbelief, shock, confusion, sadness, anger and many more. People often get physical symptoms such as stomach pain, intestinal upsets and sleep disturbances. More profound events can occur such as anxiety attacks and depression. The death of a loved one may produce life changing events and affect certain aspects of their life such as going back to work or single parenting.
Grief counselling is a crucial support for clients to help them through their time of need.

Child/Adolescent Counselling
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Child/Adolescent Counselling

School bullying, cyber bullying, addictions, grief, problems adjusting to parents separating, and other concerns can be addressed and helped through counselling. Referrals to other practitioners will be made if needed.

Family Counselling
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Family Counselling

Family life can be a source of love, comfort and support bringing security and happiness to its members.
Family life can also have its ups and downs, like a roller coaster. Full of attitudes, conflict and misunderstandings.
Counselling can help struggling families to communicate, respect and support each other again.

Contact Carolyn for more information

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FAQs

How do counsellors help?
Counsellors listen and help clients to identify problems, explore options, learn strategies and increase awareness. Many clients consider counselling a therapeutic outlet.
What therapeutic approach do you use in counselling?
The situation will determine the approach used. The main therapeutic approaches used in Carolyn's Affordable Counselling are: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Person Centred Therapy, Humanism, Psychodynamic Approach, and Mindfulness Skills.
Why should I choose Carolyn’s Affordable counselling?
Carolyn Lacey is one of north Brisbane’s most affordable professional counsellors. Carolyn endeavours to keep her fee down to prevent further burden when clients are often at their lowest.
Carolyn is passionate about helping people and this is reflected in her attitude and reviews. Her understanding and caring nature has often bought clients back to her for a chat after years have passed.
Carolyn’s Affordable Counselling is committed to providing a safe, comfortable, respectful environment where clients can get the support they need to help them resolve their issues.
GP is not necessary, you can self-refer.
Are you a Counsellor or Psychologist?
Carolyn is a qualified professional counsellor. Carolyn Lacey MACA Prof Couns Dip 2011, Level 2.
Are you qualified and experienced?
Carolyn is a professional counsellor level 2. She has all relevant qualifications necessary for counselling in compliance with the Australian Counselling Association.
She completes professional development each year(training, courses and supervision). Carolyn has counselled 1000 clients and specialises in relationship counselling.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No, you do not need a doctor’s referral, although doctor’s or psychologists may give you my number. You may self- refer. Book online or call/email on your own accord.
What if I need a Psychologist, how do I know?
Carolyn will refer a client if she feels the scope of help you need is outside the boundaries of her qualifications.
If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness and are unsure if you can see a counsellor, contact Carolyn and after a few questions she will let you know.
Is there a charge if I miss my session or if I cancel?
If you cancel a session, you will not be charged if you have given 24hrs notice.
If no one can attend the session and 24hrs prior notice was not given you can be charged.
An emergency cancellation is accepted within 24hours of session time.
If I book online, do I have to pay upfront?
No, you can choose to pay in person at the session. You can pay via secure PayPal machine using Visa, American Express, or Mastercard or you can pay with cash.
Will my health fund cover me?
Counselling is not always covered by health funds.
Please check with your health fund prior to booking.
How can I afford counselling?
Just as your physical health is important, so is your mental health and happiness. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that stress can affect your physical health. Carolyn’s Affordable Counselling offers counselling at a very competitive rate. If your case requires more than 5 sessions a discount is offered on the next session.
Lower income, unemployment, pensioners may receive 10% discount upon sighting of their pensioner card.
Financial hardship will be considered on a case to case basis.
Can I have a longer or shorter session?
Yes, clients can have from 30 to 90 minutes. The cost will change depending on the time you choose, this different amount can be paid at the session.
What kinds of counselling do you do, what do you help people with?
Marriage/relationship counselling
Family Counselling
Individual Counselling
Pre-marital Counselling (proactive in reducing divorce)
Addictions
Anxiety and Depression
School/ workplace/partner Bullying
Anger Management
Alcohol Addiction
Giving up Smoking
Past childhood abuse
With couple/family counselling sessions, can we see you separately or do we always have to come together?
It may be beneficial for clients to come separately to start with. This can be more comfortable for the client to speak out without fear of interruption, criticism or judgement from their partner or family member.
It is best to come to your counselling session, even if at times your partner or family member cannot make the session.
How many sessions will I need and how many weeks or months will it take to help?
This is a grey area and no definitive answer can be given as each case is different and treated accordingly. It will also depend on how often you can come.
Some Clients may only need a few sessions.
If I have finished counselling, can I come back to you in the future?
Most clients can come back to Carolyn’s Affordable Counselling.
Occasionally a clients situation is outside the scope of help Carolyn can give in which case the client may be referred to another professional.
Will counselling save my marriage/relationship?
Not always, although the sooner you get help the better chance you have, so don’t wait too long.
Once marriage/couple counselling has finished, as a preventative platform It is recommended the couple come back once every 3-6 months for counselling, as clients seem more motivated to keep working with strategies and have less regression to old unhealthy behaviour habits.
Couples that are more willing to make some changes, become aware, learn and implement strategies taught, have a much higher chance of not only staying together but maintaining a more fulfilling relationship.
If my child needs counselling do I come with them?
Yes at least for the first session, and if your child prefers you to be there yes.
What if I am running late, should I still come and will I get the full session?
Yes still come, even if you're running late as you would still get charged for this session because you haven't given enough notice to cancel. There is usually a 30 minute gap between clients, therefore you may use this time.
There may be clients immediately after your session, you will then have to finish at the allotted time.