Sydney CBD

  • Private: Russell

    Registered Psychologist Sydney

    BA (Psych); Grad Dip Psych; Grad Cert Psych Prac, M.Nursing; MClin Psych (in progress)

    Hart Centre Certified

    100% Trust and Satisfaction Guarantee In Relationship
    LOCATIONS
    • Sydney CBD
    About Private: Russell

    Russell is friendly, compassionate and an experienced Psychologist/Relationship Counsellor. Russell became a Registered Psychologist in 2005, this is also the year he started work at Relationships Australia. Russell has an extensive background in couples counselling through work at Relationships Australia, IVFAustralia and private practice.

    Russell completed Level I, II and III Certification training at The Gottman Institute in Seattle, USA. The Gottman Institute is world-renowned, having conducted intensive, long-term scientific studies into why marriages succeed or fail.

    Russell also completed training in Emotion Focused Therapy (another evidence-based form of couples therapy). Russell completed training by Dr Leslie Greenberg (a Canadian Psychologist and one of the primary developers of Emotion Focused Therapy).

    Russell also uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing when he is helping individuals who have anxiety, depression or stress.

    Russell works collaboratively with individuals and couples so that the sessions are tailored to meet the clients’ needs. He seeks to empower clients.

    Particular areas that Russell is very experienced in:

    •       Individual and/or couples counselling to help people manage conflict using evidence-based strategies.
    •       Training in communication skills.
    •       Improving a couples’ friendship and connection. Increasing intimacy.
    •       Individual and/or couples counselling to help people cope with step-family dynamics.
    •       Helping to re-build trust after the disclosure of an affair.
    •       Individual and/or couples counselling to help people deal with infertility or sterility.
    •       Supporting clients who have experienced a miscarriage.
    •       Helping individuals to cope with separation/divorce. Grief and loss counselling.
    •       Counselling adult survivors of childhood abuse.
    •       Cancer counselling.
    •       Helping clients who have anxiety, depression or stress.
    •       Helping men who are struggling.

    Are you feeling unhappy about your relationship? Are you arguing about the same issues and unable to reach a solution? On average people wait 6 years before seeking help with a relationship problem. The longer a problem persists, the greater the resentment builds towards your partner.

    Seeking help can feel confronting. People are sometimes anxious because they don’t know what will happen in couples counselling. Russell knows that this can be a very difficult time. If you could use some support, Russell would like to help.

    Russell provides face to face sessions in the Sydney CBD on Sundays. Russell can also provide Skype or Zoom sessions for on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Eligible patients in rural and remote areas (Modified Monash Model areas 4-7) can now access Medicare rebates (with an appropriate referral) when the person has an individual session with a Psychologist via videoconference.

    How many years counselling experience do you have?

    16 years’ experience in a wide variety of areas. I started as an Intern Psychologist in 2003. I have been a Registered Psychologist since 2005.

    What are three strengths you have as a Psychologist/Counsellor?
    1. I’m very open-minded. As a Registered Psychologist and a Registered Nurse, I have worked with a very broad range of clients. I accept individual differences.
    2. I am friendly. Clients say that they feel better after the session and that they didn’t need to be so nervous before the first appointment.
    3. I have done a lot of continuous professional development. I have attended a lot of courses, workshops, conferences and seminars. I continually strive to be a better therapist.
    What is the most satisfying and fulfilling part of the work you do?

    I enjoy helping people. Some people make a counselling appointment due to a crisis for example they have just discovered that their partner is having an affair, or a loved one has cancer. It can feel like the rug has been pulled out from underneath them. People can feel anxious and overwhelmed. I like to provide a safe space where clients can process what has happened. To give evidence-based strategies that will help them to manage the stress. To explain possible options. Ultimately, I want people to leave each session feeling more empowered. I want clients to walk away with some strategies that will help them.

    What’s an example of a couple you have helped the most?

    Couples with communication issues. Couples often come to couples counselling because they have been arguing about the same issues and are unable to reach a solution. Alternatively, some couples stop discussing problems because it has backfired in the past (unfortunately this doesn’t work because resentment builds up). During the couples counselling sessions, they learn about and practice evidence-based communication skills taught by The Gottman Institute in Seattle. Couples leave with more realistic expectations about how to manage ‘perpetual differences’ and they also leave with evidence-based strategies to manage conflict.

    I also work with individuals and couples who have fertility or sterility issues. Fertility treatment can place an enormous strain on a relationship. Failed cycles, disappointment, grief and different ways of managing stress can impair a couple’s connection. Sometimes a couple are advised that they require donor eggs or donor sperm in order to have a child. This can be difficult to process for the spouse who will not have a biological connection to their child. Individual and couples counselling can help with processing the grief and loss. During the sessions alternate pathways to parenthood (or a life without children) can be explored.

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    Or to book an appointment, please call 1300 830 552