Frequently asked questions
Hopefully some of what you wanted to know about sexology and sexual support.
What is sexology?
Sexology is the study of human sexuality. It is a multifaceted area that is concerned with feelings, meaning and behaviours. A sexologist is a professional who has undertaken many years of scientific study in the field of sexology and the many intersecting domains. Sexologists often look at topics through a social, mental, physical and spiritual lens which is similar to a biopsychosocial approach.
A sexologist may provide sexual education, psychosexual therapy (also known as a sex therapy) or practice within diverse fields that are related to sexuality, such as sexual advocacy or sexual health promotion and policies.
When is your next available Initial session?
We are still accepting new clients! There is approximately a 3-4 month wait for an initial session from the time of booking, with the option to join the waitlist.
What can I expect in the first session?
The first (and every) session will be a safe and confidential space where we work intentionally and collaboratively. The first session usually involves exploring the bigger picture, determining how all your experiences and beliefs fit together. I’ll ask you to share as much as you feel comfortable about your experiences, what life is like outside of the challenges you may be going through, your beliefs and values and how these interlink within the contexts, structures and systems you live.
We’ll recognise your hopes and goals, build upon your strengths, identify resources and collaboratively determine which approaches would best meet these goals. Because sessions are co-created, I’ll ask you about your preferences, your theories and ideas, which tools and skills you’d like access to. Each and every decision we make will be shared.
Do you offer Medicare or private health cover & rebate?
Unfortunately counselling, sexology and sex therapy are not covered under the private health sector and are currently not covered by Medicare. Mental Health Care Plans (MHCP) are also not accepted in this practice as these are only accessible by a psychologist or social worker. You do not need a referral to work with me.
Do you offer a concession?
I recognise that therapy is expensive and this cost can be a barrier to accessing support. In congruence with my values, I want sex therapy to be equitable, accessible and affordable for all people. I offer several sliding scale fee reduced positions for individuals and a limited number of fee reduced placements for couples/those in relationships. Based on your needs, we negotiate a fee that feels more affordable to you within a specific range. Placements are limited and a waiting list is available if there are no current availabilities.
I ask that all those who can afford the full fee please pay it to allow continued access of sliding scale positions for those who are unable to afford therapy. This is one way you can pay it forward and support people in your community. Please complete the contact form or email me if you believe you need access to a sliding scale.
Can I bring a support person?
Having a support person or partner to join you in sessions is more than welcome, especially if this increases your feelings of comfort or safety. Deciding to seek therapy as a partnership or arrangement where 2+ people receive therapy together is also an available service. Many sexual and pleasure challenges occur within the context of relationships and attending counselling together can increase your ability to understand one another and find effective ways to support each other. Please let me know if you’re seeking relationship therapy or individual therapy with a support person as the session fee will differ.
How frequently should I have sessions?
This is a personal choice and affordability, available time to prioritise this work and other commitments might be factors that influence your decision, Many people find fortnightly to monthly sessions work for them because they find this gives them enough time to reflect, practice the skills we’ve discussed and get to any homework from the session and builds enough momentum at the start to get grounded in the work. Being intentional and prioritising the work between our sessions is arguably more important than frequent sessions.
Do you have evening/weekend appointments available?
I currently only offer sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We currently do not offer weekends or evening sessions (but this may soon change as we take on more practitioners). If you can only attend evening sessions, please send us an email to info@pleasurecentredsexology.com.au and we can add you to our waiting list or offer you referral options for practitioners who have more availability.
Do you offer in-person sessions?
Sex therapy and support is available both in-person or online through video chat platforms or by phone. In-person sessions are available on Mondays and Thursdays at the SWell centre in Hawthorn by appointment only.
What is the price for a session?
A standard 60 minute individual session is $200 and a relationship/couples session is $265 (GST inc).
Why is there a price difference between individual and relationship therapy?
Working with a couple or 2+ people during a session often requires increased skills and mental exertion to hold space and support for multiple experiences. People in partnerships also experience certain social and economic privileges not afforded to individuals. Therefore, people seeking solo therapy pay a reduced fee in order to account for these factors, to reduce inequity and barriers that individuals are more likely to experience.
How do you accept payment?
All payments are online via stripe or bank transfer. I accept Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit and debit cards. Transactions can be made at the end of the session via invoice, through your confirmation email, through my booking portal or for a quick and easy autoprocess with your card on file or for in person sessions, tap to pay with our card reader.
Can I have a longer or double appointment?
Sometimes the 60-minute sessions may not feel long enough. Because of this, I offer an additional 15min and 30minute add-on for when you want to extend your session and spend more time addressing topics and issues. If you want to adjust your session times further, alternative appointment lengths can be negotiated. Please use the contact form or email me.
Are there risks with confidentiality and online services?
There are several confidentiality risks associated with online services that are less likely to be present during in-person sex therapy. While all online services are encrypted, secure and protected, data shared online could be accessed by outside parties, including anyone who has access to your device(s), has knowledge of passwords or who may be at your location during the session or thereafter.
You are responsible for your own confidentiality when you’re in your own space. To protect your privacy in your space, please ensure you secure your devices with passwords, avoid sharing passwords and accounts, find a private area for meetings and use headphones during sessions. Please complete the contact form or email me if you have any concerns or for more info and resources on how to reduce the risk of confidently breaches when accessing online support.
What happens if we’re using online services and my internet connection drops?
In the world of tech, this is a fairly common issue. In the event of a lost connection during online support, we will spend one or two minutes trying to reconnect and then will continue via phone until a connection is re-established. If we have audio challenges but video works, I’ll call you on your mobile for audio and we’ll continue with video to see each other. For instant messenger support, the remainder of the session will be postponed until the next possible opportunity.
How do you remain accountable?
The field or sexology and counselling are self-regulated industries. This means it’s the responsibility of the professionals practicing in this area to maintain their training, skills and knowledge and hold themselves accountable to provide ethical and legal support for all those they work with. I remain accountable through regular supervision, updating my skills and knowledge through professional development, training and the latest research. I also remain accountable by seeking feedback from every person I work with. I take this feedback on board and develop or change my approach in response. I engage in the lifelong practice of challenging my beliefs and assumptions, unlearning cultural and social messages and relearning accurate beliefs that align with my values. I also do regular individual supervision (every 3 weeks), group supervision (every month) and peer supervision (every month) which is an ethical and legal requirement of my work as a sexologist and embodied counsellor.
I don’t live in Australia, can I work with you?
Unfortunately, I’m only able to offer sex therapy to Australian citizens, residents and people currently based in Australia or New Zealand.
Have another question you want to see on my FAQ list? Get in touch.