Chris Madden
Melbourne, AustraliaArt
Counselling/Psychotherapy
Contact
Services
Counselling and Psychotherapy
At its core, therapy is a situation where one person facilitates the space for another to discuss concerns relating to their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Usually, the facilitator in this scenario has had some kind of training that determines how they listen to these concerns, as well as how they assist a person in dealing with them. Whilst I’m currently undertaking more in-depth training in psychoanalysis (see below), my initial training in counselling and psychotherapy emphasised a person-centered approach. What this means is that, instead of telling you what to do, a therapist works with you to understand what’s going on in your life, why it matters to you, and what might help you to move forward. It’s like having someone walking beside you while you figure things out, instead of someone leading or pushing you.
Psychoanalytically-Informed Psychotherapy
Having completed my foundational studies in counselling and psychotherapy, I’m currently in the process of pursuing further study in psychoanalysis. To me, psychoanalysis is important because it acknowledges the role the unconscious plays in the work that therapists do. Instead of trying to resolve internal conflicts in a straightforward way, psychoanalysis listens closely to how you talk about your thoughts, emotions and experiences, and encourages exploration of what lies underneath. The idea is that we don’t fully know ourselves, and that our words can reveal parts of us that we can’t see directly. It’s about talking in order to discover how our way of speaking shows what we really want, fear, or struggle with, even when we don’t realise it.
Grief Counselling/Therapy
In many cases, people are able to adapt to the loss of a loved one without the help of a therapist. In other cases, there is the need for extra support. This can be due to complications in the relationship with the deceased, social isolation, traumatic circumstances surrounding the death itself, medical negligence, early childhood experiences, and many other factors. As a grief therapist, I work with clients to process significant loss in whatever way suits them. My role in this context is to support the process of adapting to the reality of the loss, and to encourage the generation of new meaning and new ways of living post bereavement. My experience in this field is in the palliative care setting, where I worked both with clients who were recently bereaved, as well as those suffering with a more long-term, complex grief response.
Telehealth
I offer in-person therapy sessions in Melbourne’s CBD. The in-person sessions are ideal for people who live or work in the inner city and inner suburbs of Melbourne, or who are able to commute to the CBD. For those who live outside of the inner-Melbourne region, or who can’t commute, I offer telehealth therapy via either phone or secure video link. These services are available Australia-wide.
Low-cost Therapy
I offer therapy on a sliding scale to ensure that it is accessible to the widest range of people. I work to make my services to available to those who are low income or unwaged. An appropriate fee can be discussed during our initial free consult, or at the first session.
Telephone and video therapy available Australia-wide
PsychologyToday Profile
ACA Profile
Get in touch to organise a free 15-minute consult