Brisbane Specialist Suites provides a range of Group therapy options for children, teenagers and adults, hosted by our Group Therapy Facilitator – Victoria Alexander.

Group Therapy is an affordable way to extend your psychological treatment under Medicare with minimal out of pocket costs.

An individual is eligible for sessions of Individual Therapy Treatment and sessions of Group Therapy Treatment per calendar year (January to December) with a suitable referral.

To be eligible for a rebate, you will require a referral from your General Practitioner (under a Mental Health Care Plan) or a referral from your treating Psychiatrist. In addition, you may be eligible for additional rebate from your Private Health Fund, depending on your level of cover.

For a list of dates and applicable costs please contact Reception on (07) 3369 9999.

Contemplate TX

Group
(Age: Teenagers & Adults)

We recognise that at times recovery from an eating disorder can feel like a very lonely process. In this group, we have created a safe space for women struggling with disordered eating to come and talk through their recent experiences whilst sharing in a light meal together. Psychotherapeutic support and strategies will be discussed to help you navigate the emotional and psychological stressors of eating in a calm and supportive environment.

During this group we will also discuss positive body image in teenagers and adults. Using a range of approaches, we will explore the ways in which we can learn to embrace our size and shape, whilst learning to nourish and take care of our body guilt-free.

Developing a Language of Self-Care

Group
(Age: Adults)

In the present day we all lead such busy lives it can be hard to find the time to take care of ourselves. In this group, participants will be encouraged to consider how we can develop a language of self-care by taking time out to look after ourselves, by addressing the needs of our bodies as well as our minds, whilst learning how to balance the demands of everyday life.

How do I know if Group Therapy is right for me?

It can sometimes take a couple of sessions before you feel completely comfortable with the process of Group Therapy. After the first few sessions, when participating in Group Therapy:

You should feel safe, heard, and respected
You should be able to formulate a clear understanding of your current difficulties and challenges
You should be able to create a list of agreed goals to work upon in therapy
You should be able communicate freely when therapy is not working, or when you feel sessions are no longer as productive as you would like

If you experience any difficulties in Group Therapy, please do discuss this with your Group Facilitator so we can help you to find a solution.

What is involved in assessment?

Whether you see a Psychiatrist or Psychologist first, a comprehensive assessment should always involve a detailed history from caregivers. This will involve both parents or guardians. The involvement of both guardians is particularly important if the child in question is required to live between two households. This part of the assessment will focus on:

Observations of your child in multiple settings (at home, at school, at extra-curricular activities)
Family history of anxiety or other medical conditions
Past medical history of the child in question (taking a “bio-psycho-social approach” including developmental and medical history)
Interventional strategies that have been trialed to date by caregivers and professionals

Your Specialist will also request collateral information from prior treatment providers (GP, psychologist) as well as school (teacher, guidance officer or school chaplain).

The second part of the assessment will involve an interview with your child. Your child may be interviewed alone, which is common practice. Whilst taking a history, your Specialist should also screen your child for any co-existing learning or language disorder which might impact on their capacity to self-soothe and participate in school-or peer-based activities.

Depending on the history, your Specialist may recommend blood tests to exclude possible co-existing medical conditions that can typically manifest with anxiety symptoms. This is particularly important if you are considering medication.

What treatment can we expect?

Good practice dictates that first line treatment should consist of regular psychological treatment from an appropriately skilled Psychologist, Psychotherapist or Child Psychiatrist with experience with children of this age. Psychotherapeutic sessions will generally occur weekly or fortnightly, and generally use principles from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Caregivers are encouraged to be strong participants in their child’s therapy. Your Specialist at Brisbane Specialist Suites will teach caregivers skills so that they may have the knowledge to reinforce strategies at home.

Medication is only considered when psychological strategies have failed, or when anxiety is of such severity that the child is unable to participate in psychological treatment or has serious thoughts of self-harm. Medication should only be considered under the supervision of a Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist