Absolutely. Many people feel uncertain at first. At Willow Wellness, our warm and empathetic approach creates a safe space where you can take things at your own pace and gradually feel more comfortable.

Therapy is an investment in your mental and emotional well-being, providing lifelong tools to manage anxiety, stress, and other challenges. It’s a space for growth, healing, and self-discovery that can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life.

We offer support for anxiety, depression, grief, family, self-esteem issues, and more. We tailor our sessions to meet each individual’s specific goals and challenges.

Willow Wellness offers a 15-minute free consult to help you get a feel for the therapeutic process and see if our approach is the right fit for you. This session allows you to share what’s on your mind and ask any questions in a relaxed, judgment-free setting.

The frequency of sessions varies depending on your goals and needs. Some clients benefit from weekly sessions, while others prefer a bi-weekly or monthly approach. At Willow Wellness we will work with you to determine the best plan.

Sarah Clarke is a skilled therapist specialising in anxiety and related issues. She combines Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy to create personalised, effective treatment plans that address each client’s unique needs.

Counselling can support you when you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, emotionally disregulated, stuck in unhelpful patterns or struggling with grief, relationships, self-esteem, family dynamics or painful church experiences.

You do not need to have a clear diagnosis or know exactly what you want to work on before beginning. Part of the counselling process is making sense of what has been happening and identifying what support would be most helpful.

In-person sessions are available in Bayswater, Victoria.

Online counselling is also available through a secure video platform, allowing you to attend from your home or another private and comfortable space.

Yes. Online counselling is available for clients who live further away, have limited availability or simply feel more comfortable attending from home.

Online sessions follow the same thoughtful and confidential approach as in-person counselling.

The initial session is a longer, 90-minute appointment that gives us time to understand what has brought you to counselling and what you would like support with.

We may explore your current concerns, important life experiences, relationships, family background, emotional wellbeing and personal goals. You do not need to prepare anything or arrive with everything figured out.

The first session is also an opportunity for you to ask questions and decide whether the approach feels right for you.

Initial sessions are 90 minutes.

Ongoing counselling sessions are 55 minutes.

The longer first session allows us to explore your story more thoroughly without feeling rushed.

A 15-minute introductory phone consultation is free.

Initial 90-minute counselling sessions are $199.

Ongoing 55-minute counselling sessions are $150.

Concession appointments may be available in limited circumstances. Please contact me if cost is preventing you from accessing counselling.

No. You do not need a referral from a GP or another health professional to book an appointment.

You can book directly through the website or begin with a free 15-minute consultation.

Counselling sessions with Willow Wellness are not currently eligible for Medicare rebates under a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

You can still attend counselling without a referral or Mental Health Treatment Plan.

Many clients begin with weekly or fortnightly appointments, as regular sessions can help create momentum and consistency.

The frequency will depend on your needs, goals, availability and budget. We can discuss a schedule that feels manageable and appropriate for you.

There is no set number of sessions that suits everyone.

Some people attend for a short period to work through a specific concern, while others benefit from longer-term support. We will regularly review your goals and progress so that counselling remains purposeful and helpful.

You are not locked into a particular number of sessions.

I take a person-centred and integrative approach, which means counselling is shaped around your individual needs rather than following one fixed method.

My work draws particularly from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Emotion-Focused approaches and Bowen Family Systems Theory.

Sessions may include understanding emotional and relational patterns, developing practical tools, exploring values, building self-compassion and identifying meaningful steps forward.

Yes. Faith can be thoughtfully included in counselling when it is important to you.

This may involve exploring how your beliefs influence your identity, relationships, grief, emotional wellbeing or experience of church. It can also include working through questions, disappointment, spiritual confusion or church hurt.

Faith will only be included to the extent that feels helpful and appropriate for you. Counselling will remain clinically grounded, respectful and free from pressure or simplistic answers.

No. Clients from all faith backgrounds, as well as clients with no religious beliefs, are warmly welcomed.

Your values, beliefs and experiences will be respected, and faith will not be introduced unless you would like it to be part of the counselling process.

Yes. Counselling can provide a safe space to process painful or confusing experiences within churches, ministries or Christian communities.

This may include spiritual abuse, leadership failures, rejection, conflict, loss of community, damaged trust or uncertainty about faith.

The aim is not to tell you what to believe or pressure you to return to a particular church. It is to help you understand your experience, rebuild trust in yourself and explore what healing may look like for you.

It is completely okay to become emotional.

You do not need to apologise, explain yourself perfectly or hold everything together in the counselling room. We will move at a pace that feels safe and manageable, and you will never be pressured to talk about something before you are ready.

Yes. What you share in counselling is treated as private and confidential.

There are some legal and ethical limits to confidentiality, including situations where there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person, concerns about the safety of a child or where information is required by law.

These limits will be explained clearly during the intake process, and wherever possible, concerns will be discussed with you before further action is taken.

Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, please provide as much notice as possible. Late cancellations and missed appointments may incur a cancellation fee, as outlined in the booking confirmation and client agreement.

Please let me know as soon as possible if you are running late.

Your session will usually still need to finish at the original scheduled time so that the next client’s appointment is not affected.

You can book an initial or ongoing session through the online booking page.

If you are unsure whether counselling is right for you, you can begin with a free 15-minute phone consultation. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions and briefly discuss what you are looking for before booking a full session.

Willow Wellness is not a crisis or emergency service.

If you are in immediate danger or need urgent assistance, call 000 or attend your nearest hospital emergency department.

You can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24-hour crisis support.