A little clarity
before the
first conversation.

Ask about their qualifications, professional membership or registration where applicable, and experience relevant to your concern. Find out how they describe their approach, assess suitability and review progress. A warm first impression matters, but it is not a substitute for clear information about competence, boundaries and practical arrangements.

Family therapy accepts people aged 11 and over. The practitioner needs to assess suitability, the young person’s wishes and capacity to consent, safeguarding, any relevant parental or guardian authority, and privacy arrangements. This does not confirm individual counselling for children or young people. Read about family participation.

Requirements vary between practitioners and services. Ask whether a referral is needed and whether any funding arrangement has separate eligibility conditions. No rebates are available. You do not need to diagnose yourself to ask about support or explain what you have been noticing.

Ask for the session fee, duration and payment timing before you book. The cancellation requirement is at least 48 hours’ notice; read the refund policy for late cancellations, missed appointments and exceptions. If cost is a concern, say so and ask about suitable alternatives. No rebates are available for counselling at The Counselling Wollongong Studio.

There is no single schedule that suits everyone. Ask how frequency is decided, when goals will be reviewed and how ending or pausing is discussed. The number of sessions should not be presented as a guarantee of a particular outcome.

You can ask about physical access, sensory needs, interpreter arrangements, communication preferences, breaks or other adjustments that would help you participate. Ask what can actually be provided rather than assuming a service has a particular facility or specialist capability.

Online sessions use Zoom. Discuss whether online support is suitable for your circumstances and what happens if the connection drops. You would need a space where you can speak privately and a clear understanding of safe contact arrangements. For relationship work, each person must be able to speak freely; being online does not remove safety concerns.

Ask what is recorded, where information is held, who can access it and what legal or safety limits apply. For couples or family work, also ask how separate messages or conversations with individual participants are handled. These policies should be explained before you rely on an assumption about privacy.

You can bring a few points you do not want to forget and say if a topic feels too much to discuss all at once. It is reasonable to ask why a question is being asked or to talk about the pace. If something is not helping, raising that can be part of deciding how to work together—or whether another option would be a better fit.

This website and its enquiry form are not urgent-support services. Do not wait for an enquiry response if you need immediate help. If you are in immediate danger in Australia, call 000. If there is fear, control or abuse in a relationship or family, read the safety information and specialist support details before considering joint sessions.