Operating Hours of online Counselling by Ella:

• Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm (Melbourne time),
• Saturday, 10am to 3pm (Melbourne time).

Booking process

1. Contact Ella with the request for the first appointment. Please, also, let us know what problem/issue you would like to be helped with. It does not have to be a long explanation. It can be just one sentence or a few words describing the situation you are in, your challenges, thoughts or feelings, or your hopes about how you would like to feel or be at the end of counselling. If there is a particular time you would like to book your appointment for, please, indicate this in your message. It is helpful to state your available times.
2. Ella will respond to you via email within 1-2 business days, and if possible, will try to schedule for you the time you requested. If the time is already taken, you will be presented with the next available time or a selection of times.
3. After you have scheduled an appointment with Ella, you will receive by email three documents: the Client Intake Form, the Client Consent Form and the Invoice. 
4. All three documents have to be actioned before proceeding with counselling:
   1. Client Intake Form (short, just 1 page). Please, fill it in with your basic details and sign; this is your agreement to share your personal information with your counsellor.
   2. Client Consent Form. Please, read it and sign. The Client Consent Form is your Agreement to the counselling process with Ella. You can then either photocopy both forms or take photos of each page and email them back to Ella. Any questions or problems with the forms, please Contact Ella.
   3. Invoice. Please, make the payment after emailing both signed forms to Ella.  
5. After the Client Intake Form and the Client Consent Form, both signed, are returned to Ella and your payment has been received, the Zoom link for your first appointment will be emailed to you. To learn about the fees please see the Fees page.

At your appointment time, please, click the Zoom link, and your first counselling session will start.

If you have any questions regarding the Booking Process for the online counselling, please Contact Ella.

In order to have an effective online therapy session, please, create a safe and comfortable space that works for you, and where you have a private, quiet time for 1 hour:

• Have access to a computer/laptop/tablet (or phone if no other solution) with a camera, microphone, speakers and a reliable internet connection,
• Have a good light on so that the counsellor can see your face and body language well,
• Make your space private so there are no interruptions from the outside world (family, housemates, TV, music),
• Switch off your phone, turn Do Not Disturb on your tablets and smart watches,
• Have a comfortable chair or a couch, with some cushions or a blanket if it is cold,
• Have a glass of water or a warm drink, a box of tissues, and a pen and paper for notetaking.

Please, prepare your space the way that is supporting you in focusing on the conversation with your counsellor and it is helping you share your thoughts, emotions and experiences without distractions.

The first appointment is used for the counsellor to make a connection with you, to learn about your situation, your problem and the impacts the problem has on your life. At the end of the session, Ella will book your next appointment.

Contact Ella to arrange an online counselling session and discover how you can be helped and healed.

Check out About Ella, if you are curious about me and my approach to Counselling.