Rebecca Harrison: Compassionate therapy

About:


I am an experienced and passionate therapist, an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) and Credentialed Eating Disorders Mental Health Clinician. I have extensive experience, and enjoy working with, anxiety in its many forms, all eating disorder presentations, body image concerns, obsessive compulsive disorders, trauma, mood and relationship difficulties and role transitions. I support my clients to: understand their experiences and themselves, reduce shame and self reproach, and build self worth and confidence to move forward. I value bringing compassion, calm, humour and hope to each session.

I understand that people can experience complicated feelings about change and the difficulties they are facing; coming to therapy takes courage! I strive to honour that trust and ensure my clients feel heard, respected and safe to share their story. I care about neurodivergent affirming care, non judgement and patience as the foundation for productive therapeutic work.

The Therapy:

My practice prioritises collaboration, warmth and flexibility in therapy, and highly values the wisdom of a lived experience, acknowledging that mental health difficulties happen in context, to resourceful, creative, feeling people who are striving to adapt to the turns life takes. Each person’s story of how this is going is different, therefore we can work together to tailor the approach from several evidence based therapeutic interventions.

I can use a number of approaches, based on cognitive and interpersonal psychotherapies, including MANTRA, CBT- E (cognitive behavioural therapy for eating disorders), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), SSCM, Attachment based approaches such as Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and MBT (Mentalisation) and EMDR. I can also draw from DBT and Narrative approaches, working together with my clients to find the best fit and way forward, for them.

I am happy to incorporate music, writing and other creative strategies to support rapport building, regulation and expression during therapy.

My Background and Qualifications:

I began my career with roles in acute mental health in the hospital setting. I then followed a strong interest in eating disorders - and the concerns that often accompany them - to the Butterfly Foundation. There, in addition to therapeutic interventions with clients, I supervised a team of counsellors, provided education and training to health professionals, families, community groups and schools, including delivery of the Collaborative Care Skills Workshops (CCSW) helping carers achieve skills and confidence to survive and thrive in their caring roles.

I’ve filled clinical roles in eating disorders, general mental health and complex cancer, with Royal Prince Alfred, Prince of Wales and St Vincent’s Hospitals in Sydney. Most recently, I was the senior eating disorders mental health clinician, co-leading the development and implementation of St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney’s first specialised public outpatient eating disorders service, located within the specialist outpatient mental health service.

In addition to my degree in Social Work, I have a Bachelors degree in Philosophy, a Master of Arts (writing) and completed postgraduate specialisation in mental health to obtain qualification as an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW).

With more than a decade in clinical practice, I remain passionate about continued professional development, keeping up with research and innovations including the important contributions that come from lived experience voices.

I hold an Eating Disorders credential (CEDC - MH) from the Australian and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED) and professional memberships to both the ANZAED and AASW.

FAQs

  • Yes, you can access Medicare rebates with a GP referral. There are a few options, including Mental Health Care Plans and Eating Disorder Plans. Please discuss these referral options with your doctor/GP. The rebate amount is roughly $85

    You can access more information on how Medicare supports mental health care from Medicare, or by chatting to your GP

    Session rates/ out of pocket expenses may vary, so please contact for more information

  • Yes, if you are self managed, we can tailor therapy to meet your capacity building goals

  • Yes, both face to face and Telehealth appointments are available

  • Currently, there are availabilities for an immediate start on a Monday,

    Tuesday or Thursday

I acknowledge Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I work, especially the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, where the majority of my work takes place; I pay my deep respect to Elders past and present, and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

I am committed to a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment, to celebrate and value people of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, bodies and abilities.

Contact:

hello@rebeccaharrisontherapy.com.au

o409 964 792

317 Trafalgar St, Petersham, 2049

If you require urgent help, or would like to discuss your situation and support needs right away, call the Mental Health Line (NSW) 1800 011 522

Or Butterfly on 1800 33 4673