Adam
Ferronato
Psychologist in Central Victoria
BA (Psych) (Hons), M Couns Psych
Tue-Wed: Castlemaine – Room 30, 1 Halford St (Cnr Hargraves)
Thu-Fri: Bendigo – Level 1 (upstairs), 391 Hargreaves St
Fax: 03 5407 1237
My approach
What to expect
I provide tailored talk-based treatment for each person I work with. I use a variety of clinical evidence-based approaches to best meet your needs (see Qualifications for information on the types of treatment I use). I offer a safe, respectful, supportive and comfortable environment to help you to discuss the issues that are important to you.
Initial sessions are focused on assessment, which means that we get to know each other and I aim to gather an understanding of you and the issues you want to work on. Building safety and trust in our therapeutic relationship is key. I will provide you with some techniques to use in your first session that are aimed at alleviating distress (if required). After assessment, we may choose to work with short or long term goals in mind. I can facilitate work across weeks or months for short-term goals or years for more complex issues and always at your discretion.
Not everyone is at a time and place in their life where they want to explore their past in depth. If this is you right now, I provide evidence-based strategies designed to alleviate distress and overwhelm in the moment and to re-gain control and direction over your life. I can help you to identify your triggers to poor mental health, to assist you to better realise when you are caught up in negative thinking and to have the presence of mind to choose a different response rather than the reactions that have been keeping you stuck in harmful repeating patterns.
Longer-term work can help you to improve your awareness of repetitive patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that may be impacting you on a deeper level and set you up for long lasting change. This can be facilitated through exploration of how relationships and events from the past and present, both conscious or unconscious, may be impacting the way you think and feel about yourself and your capability in the world. Are your beliefs about yourself, self-limiting beliefs?
Clinical focus
Supporting you to make meaningful change
Depressive disorders
Anxiety, panic and phobia
Relationship and interpersonal difficulties
Stress & anger management
Insomnia
Trauma & Post-traumatic stress disorder
Grief and loss
Behavioural Intervention (For parents)
Perinatal Post-natal depression and anxiety
Employment assistance program (EAP)
Personality disorders
Adjustment disorder / coping with change
Am I for you?
Who I work with
I am trained to work with people across the lifespan, adults, adolescents and children. My current focus however is adults. See my ‘clinical focus’ to get a better understanding of my suitability for the issues you want to work on. If you’re not sure, just call and we can discuss.
I welcome clients on the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS). I also offer employee assistance program (EAP).
Court matters require particular forensic expertise. If you have or expect that you will have court matters and are looking for a psychologist to support you in this, I am not for you. I encourage you to find a forensic psychologist as this is their speciality.
Qualifications
BA (Psych) (Honours), Master of Counselling Psychology
I am an interpersonally focused, client-centred psychologist. I am trained in a variety of evidence-based modalities: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), psychodynamic psychotherapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), solution-focused therapy, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) and family therapy. I am also trained in existential psychotherapy, transference, mentalisation and self-psychology.
In addition to my academic qualifications, I have worked for over a decade across acquired brain injury, alcohol & other drug and forensic settings.
I am a circle of security parenting (COSP) registered facilitator and a strong proponent of mindfulness-based meditation and practice.
Memberships
Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Association (AHPRA)
Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPI)
Association of Counselling Psychologists (ACP)
I am registered with Worksafe.
Fees & Access
$185 per 50min session, out of pocket: $95.35 after Medicare rebate (if eligible).
To access this service:
1. Book a double appointment* with your GP to discuss if you are eligible for a mental health care plan. For eligible clients, a mental health care plan will be provided by your GP and allows you to access Medicare rebated sessions. Eligible clients get $89.65 back per session, for up to 10 sessions per calendar year. You may be entitled to a higher rebate if you’ve reached the Medicare threshold. Check with Medicare if you think this may apply to you.
2. Once you have your mental health care plan, call me and we will have a brief discussion about the issues you want to work on, determine if I am the right psychologist for you and book your appointment. Once we have discussed your case, ask your GP clinic to email or fax your mental health care plan to me. I will process the medicare rebate after payment at the end of session.
*There is no requirement to obtain a mental health care plan. If you do not wish to claim the medicare rebate, just call and we can discuss if I am the right psychologist for you and set an appointment.
An additional 5 rebated sessions may be provided if a chronic condition is present and related to therapy.
Some flexibility of fees for longer term treatment and or financial hardship may apply.
Private health cover may apply, call your provider and ask if they provide rebates for general psychologists. You will be required to pay post session and I will provide a receipt you take to your insurance provider for rebates.
The fee for cancellation or non-attendance within 2 business days of your appointment is $185.