Choosing a Therapist

Why are there so many approaches?

This diversity reflects the breadth of issues people bring to therapy, as well as the diversity of human survival and flourishing. There is no single answer to the question of how to deal with problems in life, but a good therapist can help you find meangingful, affirming, effective solutions that support your development. So when choosing a therapist, try find someone with whom you feel understood and whose approach resonates with you.

Do I need to see a psychologist or a counsellor?

Psychology and counselling are overlapping professions and therapists in both fields may practice in similar ways. There are differences in scope when it comes to administering some formal assessments, or giving expert evidence, but for the most part if you are looking for a therapist to help with a mental health or relationship difficulty, either option might be a good fit for you.

What is psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy involves talking with someone who is trained to listen in a particular way. Its origins are in psychoanalysis, which emerged in the early part of the twentieth century in the work of Sigmund Freud. Since then the field has evolved to include many branches of knowledge. But the core tenets of clinical practice, that is, the enduring value of being heard and understood in a caring, attentive, non-judgmental environment, have remained largely unchanged.

Do I need therapy and will it work?

The effectiveness of therapy is well documented over more than a century of clinical research. Of course, there is no guarantee that therapy will always end in resolution, but the vast majority of people who see a therapist do find it helpful.

About me and how I work

I am a registered clinical counsellor and psychotherapist with a private practice in North Hobart, where I see individuals and couples. My approach is reflective and relational. I focus on exploring your experience in depth, and helping you develop insight and awareness about underlying factors which affect how you think, feel and relate. Depending on your particular needs and aims for therapy, from time to time this may involve examining links to early life and family experiences, attachment patterns, somatic experiences, dreams, and feelings that arise in the therapy relationship.

I have expertise in a range of psychological and emotional issues, including trauma, anxiety, depression, complex grief, problems related to persoanlity, cultural identity and ADHD/neurodivergence.

There is more to psychological and emotional health than symptom-reduction

Alleviating the symptoms of distress is an important part of any therapy process. But in my experience, people find therapy most helpful when it goes beyond symptom-reduction, to address deeper, more personal aspects of life. For example, the ability to form and nurture fulfilling relationships; the need to grieve and mourn; to find meaning and purpose; the ability to play and rest; to work; to make conscious choices; to experience and express a range of emotions; to be alone. Each - and sometimes all - of these aspects of life can become the subject of change sought and experienced in therapy.

Fees and rebates

My fees are $120 per session for individuals. Private health rebates may be available depending on your insurer and level of cover.

Availability of appointments

If you are interested in working together, please get in touch to enquire about the availability of appointments.

Daniel Silver

Counselling & Psychotherapy