Suite 1, Level 3, 20 Wentworth Street, Parramatta Mon–Fri 9am–5pm · By appointment only
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Individual therapyOne-to-one or online Couples therapyGottman and EFT-informed TelehealthAustralia-wide, by video
Therapy approachesCBTACTEMDRDBTSchemaAll approaches
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Getting started

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New here?How Medicare worksCommon questionsAbout the practice Not sure where to start? 1300 084 200

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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

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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
Attachment styles · Relationships · Connection

Understanding your attachment patterns.

Early patterns of connection shape how you trust, how close you let people get, and how you handle conflict. Therapy helps you see the pattern and build steadier bonds. In Parramatta or online.

Request appointment How therapy helps
Sound familiar?

The same pattern, different relationships.

Attachment is simply how we have learned to seek and hold connection. When the pattern is an insecure one, closeness can feel confusing or unsafe. The pattern also tends to repeat until it is understood.

  • You need a lot of reassurance, and fear people will leave.
  • Or you pull away when someone gets close, and value your distance.
  • Relationships run hot and cold, and you are not sure why.
  • Trusting people is hard, even when they have given you no reason not to.
  • You read rejection into small things, and it stings deeply.
  • You swing between wanting closeness and fearing it.
  • You often feel like "too much" or "not enough" for others.
  • You keep ending up in the same kind of relationship, wishing it were different.

Although attachment styles form early, they are not a life sentence. This is information rather than a diagnosis; a psychologist can help you understand your own patterns.

How therapy helps

From insight to secure connection.

Your psychologist draws on evidence-based approaches for relationship and attachment patterns, and tailors the work to you.

Schema therapy

Gently reworking the deep patterns and beliefs about closeness that took root in early experiences.

Emotionally focused therapy

Understanding the emotions underneath the pattern.

CBT

Testing the anxious or avoidant beliefs that fire in relationships, and practising steadier responses.

Relational therapy

A safe, consistent therapeutic relationship in which to notice your patterns and practise trust in real time.

A lot of this work is done one-to-one; couples or family sessions are an option where they would help. We review your goals together, and you set the pace.

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 about your relationships and what you would like to feel differently. You go only as far as you are comfortable.

    Session one
  2. 2

    Seeing the pattern

    Together you map how your attachment style shows up, where it came from, and the responses you would like to build. Then you practise between sessions.

    Sessions two to four
  3. 3

    Reviewing together

    You check progress against your goals and adjust as your relationships shift. It is always your call how far and how long you go.

    Ongoing
A consulting room with a pale sofa, sage cushions and a wicker table by large windows.
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

JournalAttachment styles: How your childhood blueprint is running your relationshipsJournalFamily dynamics and mental health: Breaking unhealthy patterns
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: Healthy relationships

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

Download the PDF

Try this week

  • Notice what you do when someone feels close, or when they pull away.
  • Name a need directly instead of hinting.
  • Write down one pattern you notice across relationships.

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.
Can attachment patterns really change?
Attachment styles form early in life, but they are not fixed. With understanding, practice and a safe therapeutic relationship, many people move toward a more secure way of connecting over time.
Do I need to bring my partner?
No. A great deal of attachment work is done one-to-one, focusing on your own patterns. Couples or family sessions are also an option if that would help, and you can explore our couples therapy as well.
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 attachment-focused therapy?
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
What are attachment styles?
They are patterns in how we approach closeness, learned early and shaped by later relationships. People often describe them as secure, anxious, avoidant or a mix. They are not diagnoses or life sentences; they are a way of understanding why certain relationships feel the way they do, and a starting point for change.
How long does attachment-focused therapy take?
Usually longer than a short skills course, because the patterns are long-standing. Many people notice they are reacting differently within a few months, and some keep going for deeper work. You and your psychologist review progress regularly, and you decide the pace.
A family talking with a psychologist in a bright, plant-filled room
Support for connection

Closer, steadier relationships are possible.

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

Get support Call 1300 084 200
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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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