Therapy for Gay, Queer and LGBTQ+ Adults in Melbourne

These terms refer to different registration pathways and levels of training, but the most important distinction for LGBTQIA+ clients is often not the title. It's the depth of lived and clinical experience with your community. A psychologist holds a university degree in psychology and is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia. A registered mental health social worker like me holds a social work degree plus specialist psychotherapy training, and is registered with AASW (member #468686), and can offer Medicare rebates via a GP Mental Health Care Plan. An LGBTQIA+-affirming therapist is a broader term that simply signals a commitment to inclusive practice but doesn't specify registration or training level. When choosing a therapist, ask about their specific experience with LGBTQIA+ clients, not just their title.

In my experience, both as a queer person and as a therapist who has worked with LGBTQ+ adults for over a decade, the most common thing clients tell me in a first session is some version of: "I've never been able to say this out loud before." That's not because they haven't tried therapy. It's because they've spent their sessions managing their therapist's understanding of who they are, rather than getting to the actual work. When your therapist shares your context, you don't have to translate yourself. The session can start from a different place, and go deeper, faster, with less of the emotional labour of making yourself legible to someone who doesn't share your experience.

My core specialties are trauma, complex trauma, shame, and the negative core beliefs that form when we've been hurt, dismissed, or made to feel like we're too much or not enough. My therapeutic approach is grounded in Gestalt psychotherapy, a relational, present-focused approach that works with the whole person, not just symptoms. On top of that foundation, I bring specialist training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), which is particularly effective for processing identity-based trauma, experiences of discrimination, and sexual trauma by working directly with how those memories are stored in the body. I also draw on IFS (Internal Family Systems), which helps clients understand and work with the protective parts of themselves, the inner critic, the part that shuts down, the part that learned to hide, with curiosity rather than shame. I am a registered mental health social worker (AASW #468686) and have been working with LGBTQIA+ adults since 2012.

My session fee is $260. As a registered mental health social worker, I offer Medicare rebates to clients with a valid Mental Health Care Plan from their GP. The rebate is currently $87, leaving an out-of-pocket gap of $173 per session. Medicare rebates apply to both in-person and online sessions, and cover up to 10 sessions per calendar year. You don't need a specific diagnosis; a general mental health referral from your GP is sufficient. If you're unsure how to get a referral or what to say to your GP, I'm happy to talk you through it before you book.

Everything discussed in our sessions is confidential. Session notes are stored securely in accordance with AASW professional standards and Australian privacy law. There are legal limits to confidentiality. If I have serious concerns about your safety or the safety of others, I am required to take appropriate action, but I will always discuss this with you openly rather than acting without your knowledge where possible. If you have specific questions about how your information is stored or managed, please ask me directly, I'm happy to walk you through it.

Look for specific experience, not just stated values. Ask whether the therapist has worked in LGBTQIA+ community organisations, whether they identify as part of the community, and whether they have training in trauma, since many LGBTQIA+ adults carry trauma that general therapists may not be equipped to work with. Check that they are registered with a professional body (AHPRA for psychologists, AASW for mental health social workers) so their credentials are verifiable. And have a brief initial conversation before booking a full session, the therapeutic relationship is everything, and a good fit matters more than any credential. I offer a free 30-minute check-in for exactly this reason.

Yes. I offer online sessions to LGBTQIA+ adults across Victoria. Online delivery works well for the approaches I use, and Medicare rebates apply to online sessions just as they do to in-person sessions.