Getting Started
How Counselling Works at Thoughtful Strides
No Guesswork, Just a Clear Process
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, especially if you don't know what to expect. There is no pressure to have everything figured out before reaching out. Here's exactly what happens, from your first message through to how progress is actually tracked over time.
Have a specific question? Jump straight to the FAQs below.
Getting Started
Get in Touch
Reach out via the contact form, call 0479 171 121, or send an email. There is no obligation and everything you share is completely confidential.
Discovery Call
A free 15-minute call to talk through your concerns, ask any questions, and see whether Thoughtful Strides is the right fit for you. No commitment required, just a conversation.
First Appointment
Your initial session focuses on understanding your background, current concerns, and what you'd like to achieve from therapy. Sessions are available in person in Narre Warren or via telehealth across Australia.
Ongoing Support
A personalised treatment plan is developed with you. We work together at a pace that feels right, adapting as you grow, heal, and move forward toward the life you want.
How We Track Your Progress
Therapy shouldn't rely on guesswork about whether it's helping. Alongside our conversations, I use validated screening tools before treatment begins and again as we go, so we can both see the trend over time rather than relying on how any one session felt.
These tools aren't about labelling you. They're a shared reference point, completed at the start of treatment and again at intervals, so both of us can see whether things are genuinely shifting, not just guess.
If you have questions about the process before reaching out, we're happy to help.
Get in Touch →Common Questions
About the Process & Screening Tools
They're recommended but not compulsory. They're a tool to support the work, not a requirement for it, and you're welcome to discuss any concerns about completing them.
That's useful information in itself. Questionnaires are a starting point for conversation, not the final word, and we talk through the results together rather than treating the number as a verdict.
No. They screen for the severity of particular symptoms and help track change over time. A diagnosis, if relevant, involves a broader clinical assessment, not a single questionnaire score.
Typically at the start of treatment and again at intervals as therapy progresses, so we can see the trend over time rather than relying on a single snapshot.
Ready to take the first step?
Appointments are available now. Reach out today and we'll find a time that works for you.
Book an Appointment