Frequently Asked questions

Counselling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, couples, families, or groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.

 RLCW can support you with a range of topics including: depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, anger management, relationships, change, AOD, addiction, body image, self-esteem, self-worth, and boundary setting.  

Counselling can help by providing you with a safe and confidential space to discuss the things going on in your life, implement therapeutic interventions, provide you with tools and resources, and provide support in achieving your goals. 

Sometimes there are topics or situations that counsellors are unqualified or unable to assist with, such as formal diagnosis of mental health disorders. If this were ever the case, I will be open and honest with you about my limitations, and will either up-skill to meet your needs or refer you on to another service that may be better suited to meet your needs.  

RLCW is a private practice. The average cost of counselling ranges from practice to practice. My rates are as they are due to the level of expertise, experience, and quality of care I give to my clients, and are on the medium to lower end due to my belief mental health services should be accessible for everyone.

If my rates are out of reach, please speak with me directly during our initial no-obligation phone call, and we can discuss your situation, potential solutions,  and whether or not my service is most appropriate for you or if you would benefit more from a public health service instead. 

Unfortunately Medicare does not currently cover counselling services, and therefore I am unable to provide a Medicare rebate. The governing counselling bodies ACA and PACFA are working towards changing this. 

Some private health insurances do offer a subsidy depending on your level of cover. Please speak with your health insurance provider to find out if you are covered, and you may be able to provide your counselling invoices for re-imbursement.  

RLCW is not registered with the NDIS , however if you (or your child) are self-managed, you can allocate your NDIS funds towards counselling as desired. 

(Some services charge the maximum rate when they know you are NDIS funded, however my rate does not change based on if you are self-funded or not, as I find this would go against my ethics).   

Counsellors take a person-centered approach to clients and use therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), play therapy, art therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focused therapies, to assist you in achieving your mental health goals (e.g. managing anxiety).

Psychologists have special training in diagnosis and assessment and tend to support people with more severe mental health concerns (e.g. can diagnose an anxiety disorder). They cannot prescribe medication. 

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who provide diagnosis and treatment for complex and serious mental health concerns. They are able to prescribe medication. (e.g. can diagnose an anxiety disorder and provide scripts for medication)

Counselling is not a regulated industry in Australia. Therefore there are people who can just say they are a counsellor and charge people for services. 

Therefore there are regulatory bodies in Australia, including the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), who try to maintain the integrity of the counselling profession by requiring their members to have approved degrees, provide proof of regular clinical supervision, and complete ongoing professional development in order to maintain their membership status. 

These bodies also provide ethical guidelines for their members to adhere to. 

I am registered with the ACA and you can find my profile here: https://www.theaca.net.au/counsellor/rebecca-lea-van-schaik

If you have a question, please do not hesitate to jump over to the contact us page and drop us a line. I will happily answer your questions to the best of my ability as soon as I can.