Suite 1, Level 3, 20 Wentworth Street, Parramatta Mon–Fri 9am–5pm · By appointment only
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1300 084 200 Appointments

What's going on

Anxiety & worryPanic, phobias, worry Depression & low moodWhen nothing feels worth it Trauma & PTSDEMDR and trauma therapy Stress & burnoutRunning on empty Sleep & insomniaCBT-I Relationships & couplesConflict, distance, repair ADHDAssessment and support OCDExposure-based treatment Grief & lossAfter a death or a loss Anger Pregnancy & new parents All conditions

How we help

Individual therapyOne-to-one or online Couples therapyGottman and EFT-informed TelehealthAustralia-wide, by video
Therapy approachesCBTACTEMDRDBTSchemaAll approaches
Programs & groupsMindfulness-X, P3, EAP AssessmentsADHD, autism, cognitive

Getting started

AppointmentsReply within one business day Fees & rebatesMedicare, NDIS, private Your first sessionWhat happens on the day Find a psychologistBy concern, language, day Urgent helpIf you need support now Free · 5 to 10 minMind Health Check
New here?How Medicare worksCommon questionsAbout the practice Not sure where to start? 1300 084 200

GPs & health professionals

Refer a clientOne form, every pathway For GPsPlans, letters, reports Referrer HubYour referrals, in one place Reports & assessmentsADHD, autism, cognitive Medico-legalFor insurers and schemes

Workplaces & organisations

Employee Assistance ProgramStaff book directly Training & wellbeingWorkshops and first aid Work Development OrdersFines cleared by treatment Workers compensationicare and insurers

Families & carers

Supporting a loved oneWhat helps, what to say Request for someone elseFor a partner or parent NDISPlan- or self-managed

Editorial pick

The referral pathways guideWhich form, which plan, how long a report takes.Read the guide
Referrers:Refer nowCare plansReport turnaround A real person answers 1300 084 200

Latest articles

ADHD in women and girls: Why it is often missed and what assessment involvesADHD · 12 minAI companions: When a chatbot becomes your 2am confidantWellbeing · 12 minGeneralised anxiety disorder (GAD): When worry won't switch offAnxiety · 12 min TheJournalBrowse all articles

Browse by topic

Anxiety & stressBrowse the topic Mood & depressionBrowse the topic Trauma & griefBrowse the topic ADHD & neurodiversityBrowse the topic Relationships & familyBrowse the topic Wellbeing & selfBrowse the topic

Free resources

Fact sheets36 PDFs, plain language Worksheets & guidesPractical and printable CoursesFree and self-paced HEALTHY frameworkHow the practice thinks Free · 5 to 10 minMind Health Check

Editor's pick

Read with intentionA plain guide to stress: what it is, and everyday ways to manage it.Read article
From the journal:Clinician notesSubscribe Plain-language insights from our clinicians

The practice

Our storyWestern Sydney, since 2004 Approach & valuesHow we think about good care Practice newsWhat is changing, and when Room rentalConsulting rooms, Parramatta CareersJoin a values-led practice

Our clinicians

Bülent AdaPrincipal Psychologist & Director Sijal AnsariClinical Psychologist Robert RuaneClinical Neuropsychologist Taline BardakjianConsultant Psychologist Mohan ShankarappaClinical Psychologist Michael L. T. CheungConsultant Psychologist Shahim AhmadClinical Psychologist Steve SuttonCounselling Psychologist Irfan YigitSenior Consultant Psychologist Bill SinghConsultant Psychologist Elizabeth LeeClinical Psychotherapist Shareen BirgesCounselling Social Worker Annette HaggertyConsultant Psychologist

Practical

Your first sessionWhat happens on the day Fees & rebatesMedicare, NDIS, private Questions & answersThe ones we are asked most Contact & locationParramatta, and by video Client portalAppointments, forms, invoices FormsConsent and authority

Find your fit

Meet the cliniciansWarm and down-to-earth. Find the right match for you.Find a psychologist
Visit us:Parramatta clinicTelehealth AU-wideGet directions New clients welcome · no referral needed
Life change · Transitions · Stress

Finding your feet after a big change.

A new job, a move, a diagnosis, a relationship ending. Feeling knocked sideways for a while is normal. Short, focused therapy helps you steady and move forward. In Parramatta or online.

Request appointment How therapy helps
Sound familiar?

When a change is harder to shake than expected.

Adjusting to a big life event takes time. When the stress lingers and starts getting in the way of everyday life, that is a sign some support is worth having. It is not a sign you are failing.

  • A recent change has thrown you more than you expected.
  • You feel tearful, overwhelmed or on edge since it happened.
  • Sleep and concentration have slipped, and small tasks feel big.
  • You are pulling away from people, or losing interest in things.
  • Your mood or worry feels tied directly to what changed.
  • The situation keeps looping in your mind, with no off-switch.
  • You feel stuck between the life you had and the one ahead.
  • You are coping on the outside, but running on empty inside.

Struggling to adjust is a common, understandable response to change. This is information rather than a diagnosis; a psychologist can help you make sense of what you are going through.

How therapy helps

Short, focused, and practical.

Adjustment-focused therapy is usually brief. Your psychologist draws on evidence-based approaches, and keeps the work squarely on what would help most.

CBT

Cognitive behaviour therapy helps you notice the thoughts a big change stirs up, and build more balanced, workable ones.

ACT

Acceptance and commitment therapy helps you make room for the hard feelings while stepping toward what matters to you now.

Solution-focused therapy

A practical, forward-looking approach: clarifying where you want to get to and the first workable steps to take you there.

Coping & problem-solving

Concrete skills for stress, sleep and routine, along with a plan to draw on your own strengths and support.

Many people feel steadier within just a few sessions. We review your goals together, and you can pause or stop at any time.

A reading chair with a sage cushion in front of timber bookshelves in the practice library.
What to expect

Your first weeks, step by step.

No pressure, no jargon. Here is how the early sessions usually unfold.

  1. 1

    Mostly a conversation

    Your psychologist asks what has changed and how it has landed for you. Together you sketch what you would most like to be different.

    Session one
  2. 2

    Building your footing

    You work on the thoughts, stress and routines that the change disrupted, and practise specific skills between sessions.

    Sessions two to four
  3. 3

    Reviewing together

    You check progress against your goals. Many people wrap up in a handful of sessions, and others stay longer. It is always your call.

    Ongoing
Fees & funding

Know your costs before you start.

We confirm your fee and any rebate in writing before your first session. If a funding body covers you, we bill them directly wherever possible.

See fees
  • Medicare: rebates on up to 10 sessions a year with a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP.
  • NDIS, DVA, Workers Comp & CTP: usually no out-of-pocket cost when approved.
  • Private health: claim through your extras cover, with no referral needed.
Your clinicians

Meet our clinicians.

See all clinicians
Further reading

From our journal

JournalSeven uncomfortable truths about personal change (that psychology actually supports)JournalWhat the pandemic taught us about mental health
Free tools

Check in with yourself.

Free, private tools to try before or alongside sessions. They are not a diagnosis.

Free · 5 to 10 min

Take the Mind Health Check

Short questionnaires, scored privately in your browser. We have ticked the ones most related to this page, and you can change them.

Start the check

Or take the K10 (distress) on its own

Fact sheet: Adjusting to change

A plain-language guide with practical steps. Free to download.

Download the PDF

Try this week

  • Keep one or two familiar routines steady while other things change.
  • Write down what you can and cannot control right now.
  • Give yourself time: adjusting rarely happens all at once.

Need help now? Our urgent help page has who to call, day and night.

Common questions

Things people ask before booking.

Do I need a referral to start?
No. You can book directly at any time. A GP referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan is only needed if you would like Medicare rebates on your sessions.
How long does therapy for adjustment usually take?
It is usually brief and focused; many people find a handful of sessions enough to steady and move forward. There is no fixed number; you and your psychologist review progress together and decide as you go.
Is this just stress, or something more?
Adjustment difficulties are a real, understandable response to a hard change. If something more is going on, such as depression or anxiety, an assessment can clarify it and your psychologist will help you find the right path. This information is not a diagnosis.
Is what I share confidential?
Yes. What you discuss stays confidential, with narrow legal exceptions such as a risk of serious harm, which your psychologist explains up front.
Can I do sessions online?
Yes. Telehealth is available Australia-wide. You can switch between in-person and online at any time.
Can I get Medicare rebates for adjustment difficulties?
Medicare rebates apply when your GP prepares a Mental Health Treatment Plan, which they do when it's clinically appropriate for you. With a plan, rebates cover part of a set number of sessions each calendar year. You can also start privately and add a plan later. We confirm your fee and any rebate in writing before your first session. How Medicare works
Is adjustment disorder a real diagnosis?
Yes. It describes distress, or changes in mood and behaviour, that follow an identifiable change and are stronger or last longer than expected. It is common. You don't need a diagnosis to book.
What kinds of life changes do you help with?
Separation and divorce, job loss or a new role, moving city or country, retirement, a health diagnosis, becoming a parent, caring for someone, and the quieter changes that still knock you off balance. If it changed your life and you are struggling to settle, it counts.
Two adults talking in a warm consultation room
Support through change

Change is hard. You don't have to face it alone.

Tell us what is going on and we will match you with a psychologist who works with life transitions, usually after a free triage. No referral needed to begin.

Get support Call 1300 084 200
ConfidentialReply within one business dayMedicare rebates may apply
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Suite 1, Level 3, 20 Wentworth St, Parramatta
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
info@mindhealth.com.au1300 084 200
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