Questions.

Counselling focuses on emotional and psychological concerns: anxiety, grief, trauma, burnout, and patterns that keep repeating. It draws on clinical frameworks like ACT, Polyvagal Theory and somatic approaches to support healing and regulation. Coaching is forward-focused: we clarify goals, remove blocks, and build momentum toward what you actually want. In practice the two often overlap, and together we find the combination that serves you best.

The first session is a conversation, not an assessment. We explore what brings you in, what you are hoping for, and whether working together feels like a good fit. There is no pressure to share more than feels right. Most people leave with more clarity than they arrived with, even if nothing is solved yet.

Yes. Sessions are available in person in Carlton, Melbourne, and online worldwide via secure, confidential video platforms. Online sessions work just as well as in-person for most people, and many clients prefer the flexibility of connecting from home.

There is no fixed number. Short-term counselling may range from a few sessions to several months. Coaching may last several weeks to months. We review progress together regularly and you are always free to pause or stop. Many clients begin with a 6 or 8 session pack to create a committed container for change.

Yes, with very limited exceptions required by law, such as risk of serious harm to yourself or others. Confidentiality is explained fully in your first session and in the intake form. Leah is bound by the PACFA and ICF professional codes of ethics.

Please give 48 hours notice where possible. Late cancellations or no-shows may incur a fee. Life happens, so just reach out as early as you can.

Nervous system regulation is the ability to move between states of activation and calm in a flexible, responsive way. When regulated, you can feel strong emotions without being overwhelmed by them, think clearly under pressure, and return to baseline after stress. Most mental health concerns, including anxiety, reactivity, shutdown and people pleasing, involve a nervous system that has learned to stay stuck in a protective state. Leah draws on Polyvagal Theory and somatic awareness to help you understand and shift your physiological state, not just your thinking.

ACT stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It is a research-supported approach that helps you stop fighting difficult thoughts and feelings, and instead focus on living in line with your values. Rather than trying to eliminate anxiety or sadness, ACT builds your capacity to hold them without letting them run your life. Leah uses ACT as one of her core frameworks alongside Polyvagal Theory, somatic approaches, and attachment-informed practice.

Yes. Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people come to Stabilise. Sessions explore the nervous system patterns driving your anxiety, the beliefs and experiences that keep it in place, and practical tools for regulation and response flexibility. Leah uses ACT, somatic awareness and Polyvagal-informed approaches to work with anxiety at both the cognitive and physiological level.

Leah is a PACFA Registered Clinical Counsellor and an ICF ACC Accredited Coach, not a psychologist. Counselling and psychology are different professions with overlapping skills. Counsellors are trained in evidence-based therapeutic approaches and provide emotional and relational support. If you need a diagnosis or medication management, Leah can refer you to an appropriate professional and continue supporting you alongside that care.

Individual Counselling is $140 per 60-minute session. Life Coaching is $160 per 60-minute session. Couples Counselling is $220 for the initial 2-hour session and $180 per 60-minute ongoing session. A 15-minute discovery call is available for anyone who wants to explore whether working together feels right. Session packs of 6 or 8 sessions are also available.

Counselling with Leah is not currently claimable under Medicare, as Medicare rebates in Australia apply to registered psychologists and psychiatrists under a Mental Health Care Plan. However, some private health funds do cover counselling sessions. We recommend checking with your provider directly. Leah can provide a receipt for all sessions.

Stabilise is based at 167 Drummond Street, Carlton VIC 3053, in the inner north of Melbourne, easily accessible by tram and with street parking nearby. Online sessions are available globally.

Yes. Couples counselling at Stabilise focuses on communication, conflict repair, and rebuilding connection. Sessions help partners understand each other's nervous systems, attachment patterns, and communication styles. The initial session is 2 hours to allow space for both people to be heard. Ongoing sessions are 60 or 90 minutes.

Stabilise integrates counselling, coaching and nervous system education in one practice. Leah holds dual credentials as a PACFA registered clinical counsellor and ICF accredited coach, so sessions can move between emotional depth and forward-focused action depending on what you need. The approach is grounded in neuroscience, somatic awareness and values-based work rather than symptom management alone.