Swinburne Psychology Clinic's Free E-Newsletter

Help is on the way: Support for individuals, couples and families in the community

The Swinburne Psychology Clinic’s electronic newsletter is designed to keep the general community, health professionals, past and present clients and counsellors informed about the Clinic’s upcoming events and activities. Over 800 community members, students and health professionals have already subscribed to receive this free service. 

The New Years edition of our newsletter can be read below.  If you would like to subscribe to receive the newsletter via email please send an email to the Project Officer at psychprojects@swin.edu.au

New Year Newsletter 2009

We hope that you enjoyed the holiday period and that you are looking forward to the year ahead. In 2009 the Psychology Clinic will continue to provide low-cost counselling services, specialist group therapy programs and psychological assessments to individuals couples and families in the Melbourne community. The Psychology Clinic will also continue to deliver a range of professional development workshops, seminars and networking opportunities for psychologists, provisional psychologists and other counselling professionals.

This edition of the Psychology Clinic's newsletter includes our Words of Wisdom segment, answers to common questions about our group therapy programs, contains important information about upcoming events and as usual ends with our monthly joke.

Words of Wisdom

Healing in daily life...
In the last months of 2008 our newsletter has included a series of quotes about psychological practice to provide you with inspiration and some humour. This segment includes four simple quotes that explore healing in daily life.

The sun is nature's Prozac. ~Astrid Alauda

[Psychoanalysis] is not the only way to resolve inner conflicts. Life itself still remains a very effective therapist. ~Karen Horney

If you just set people in motion they'll heal themselves. ~Gabrielle Roth

It is essential to our well-being, and to our lives, that we play and enjoy life. Every single day do something that makes your heart sing. ~Marcia Wieder

Group Therapy Questions Answered

The Psychology Clinic receives many questions from doctors, counsellors and community members about its specialist group therapy services. In this edition of our newsletter we have published answers to some of the most common questions we receive.

What group therapy programs are available at the Psychology Clinic?

Group therapy programs are available for people who experience Social Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Eating Disorders, Compulsive Hoarding and Bipolar Disorder.

What is the difference between individual counselling and group therapy at the Psychology Clinic?

There are a number of differences between the Clinic's individual counselling and group therapy services. These include differences in the issues discussed, the length of sessions, the duration for which a person accesses a service and how counselling fees are paid.

In individual counselling at the Psychology Clinic a person typically works one-on-one with a counsellor by discussing their thoughts, feelings, actions and relationships. A broad range of issues can be discussed and support is provided to the client through the therapeutic relationship. Individual counselling sessions typically run for 50-60 minutes and they are held once a week. There is no limit to the number of counselling sessions a person can have at the Psychology Clinic and payment is made at the end of each session.

Group therapy programs at the Psychology Clinic two counsellors work with 4-8 people who experience similar feelings, thoughts and problems. Groups run for 8-12 weeks and each session runs for 1.5-3 hours, depending upon the group. The group discussion is focused on issues shared by the group's clients and group program fees are paid up-front.

What are the benefits of group therapy?

In the Psychology Clinic's group therapy programs people with similar feelings, thoughts and problems work together to develop new ways of managing psychological difficulties. Group members benefit from receiving support from others who share their experience and by being able to practice new skills within the context of the group. Over the course of a group members learn practical skills, gain insight into areas of difficulty and often experience a sense of acceptance and belonging within the group.

Can I access individual counselling and complete a group therapy program at the same time?

This question is always answered on an individual basis. People can access individual counselling and group therapy at the same time and this is most effective when there is good communication between a client, their counsellor and the facilitators of the group they wish to join.

I have been diagnosed with two psychological disorders- does this affect my eligibility to complete a group therapy program?

Some of the people who complete the Psychology Clinic's group programs meet criteria for two psychological disorders. This is called co-morbidity. Having a second psychological difficulty does not preclude a person from completing a group therapy program. A pre-group assessment will determine whether a group program will meet a person's needs. If a person is interested in completing two of the Clinic's groups, the pre-group assessment will also determine which they should complete first.

I have completed a group therapy program previously and I would like to do some more work...what would you recommend?

After finishing a therapy group program some people wish to continue counselling. One way to do this is through individual, couple or family counselling. Some people may wish to repeat a group program and this can be discussed with the Clinic on an individual basis.

Important Information and Dates

Alamein Anxiety & Depression Group
On Friday 6 February 2009 the Psychology Clinic, in collaboration with the Alamein Neighbourhood and Learning Centre and the City of Boroondara, will begin a free Anxiety and Depression Group for members of the community. The group will provide a venue for individuals to get together and share their personal experiences in a supportive environment. For more information please contact Mim on 9885 9401 or anlc@bigpond.com

Social Anxiety Group
Recently there has been a large amount of interest in the Clinic's 8-week Social Anxiety Group. We currently have a waitlist for groups scheduled to commence in February, March and April. If you, or someone you know would like to be assessed for one of these groups please contact the Project Officer by phone: 9214 5528 or email: psychprojects@swin.edu.au

STOP Therapy for OCD
The next 12-week STOP group for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is due to commence in March-April. The assessment process for this group has commenced so if you, or someone you know would like to complete this program please contact the Project Officer (asap) by phone: 9214 5528 or email: psychprojects@swin.edu.au

Emotion Focused Therapy Workshop
On Saturday 9 May the Psychology Clinic in collaboration with Melissa Harte will be running an introductory workshop on using Emotion Focused Therapy in your counselling practice. Further information about this workshop is available at the following page of the Clinic's website: www.swinburne.edu.au/lss/psychology/pc/emotion_focused_therapy.htm

Clinic Relocation Update
The University is about to begin the construction of a purpose-built Psychology Clinic. It is planned to open in September 2010 and will be located on the current site of the Clinic. This will mean that the Clinic will be temporarily relocated to level 3 of the TD (TAFE) building, about a minutes walk away from 34 Wakefield Street. The relocation is expected to occur some time in March 2009 and we will provide further details about the move in our next newsletter.

Monthly Joke

We hope you have enjoyed this edition of the Psychology Clinic's newsletter. This month's joke was collected from the internet.

Two elderly couples were enjoying a friendly conversation when one of the men asked the other, "Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to last month?"

"Outstanding," Fred replied. "They taught us all the latest psychological techniques - visualization, association - it made a huge difference for me."

"That's great! What was the name of the clinic?"

Fred went blank. He thought and thought, but couldn't remember. Then a smile broke across his face and he asked, "What do you call that red flower with the long stem and thorns?"

"You mean a rose?" said his friend.

"Yes, that's it!" He turned to his wife. .. "Rose, what was the name of that clinic?"

Note: If you would like to have your memory assessed at the Psychology Clinic please contact reception on 9214 8653 to make an appointment. Memory assessment costs $150 and this fee includes test administration, scoring, a written report and verbal feedback.

If there is a seasonal or psychology-related joke that has made you smile, please share it with us by submitting it to: psychprojects@swin.edu.au. Entries of less than 200 words will be considered for publication in upcoming editions of this newsletter.

About the Newsletter

This newsletter is an initiative of the Psychology Clinic to provide you with the information you need to keep up-to-date with the activities and services we provide. Currently, over 800 community members, students and health professionals subscribe to this newsletter, which is produced by Aisha Brydon.

We welcome any feedback and ideas you have about this publication and if there is a topic, query or segment you would like to see in future editions please send an email to: psychprojects@swin.edu.au