Approaches
Psychodynamic and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, alongside structured, shorter-term approaches where they suit the work.
Amanda’s work is grounded in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic psychotherapy, exploring how earlier experiences, relationships and patterns of relating can shape how we experience ourselves and our lives in the present.
Therapy can offer an opportunity to understand not only what is happening, but also why it may be happening and what may be contributing to it. By developing a deeper understanding of these patterns, therapy can create space to consider different ways of responding and relating.
People often arrive here having already had a course of shorter-term therapy. They have the strategies, and the difficulty is still there, or changes a little and the strategies are no longer as effective.
Psychodynamic work starts from a different question: not only how a symptom is managed, but where it began and what keeps it in place.
That means paying attention to patterns formed long before the presenting problem, and to the emotional conflicts sitting underneath it. It is slower work than a short, structured program, and it is not the right fit for everyone or for every difficulty. Where a shorter, more structured approach suits the work better, that is what is offered.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is concerned with the origins of a difficulty rather than only its surface presentation. It can be particularly useful when difficulties have been present for some time, or when patterns seem to recur despite efforts to manage them.
This work pays attention to patterns that may have formed early in life, as well as emotional experiences and conflicts that may sit beneath what first brought you to therapy. Some of these patterns operate outside conscious awareness and can emerge repeatedly in relationships, work, identity and other areas of life.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is generally a longer-term, exploratory form of therapy rather than a short course of structured sessions. Together, you and your therapist explore longstanding patterns, where they may have come from and how they continue to operate in the present.
The therapeutic relationship itself can also become an important part of the work, providing an opportunity to notice and explore patterns as they emerge within the therapy.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is closely related to psychodynamic psychotherapy, with a particular emphasis on unconscious processes and the ways that longstanding patterns of thinking, feeling and relating can shape a person’s experience.
It may be considered when difficulties appear to be closely connected to enduring patterns in relationships, ways of experiencing oneself and others, or difficulties that have persisted over time.
The method places particular emphasis on speaking freely and allowing thoughts, feelings and associations to emerge without needing to organise or edit them. Over time, this can bring greater awareness to patterns and meanings that may not have been immediately apparent.
Some patterns may have developed as ways of managing experiences that were difficult or overwhelming at the time. While these responses may once have served a protective purpose, they can become less helpful when carried into later relationships and circumstances.
Your therapist will be interested in what is on your mind and will allow space for you to speak freely. There may be periods of silence or uncertainty, and there is no expectation that you need to know what to say or where a conversation should lead.
The therapist takes an attentive and thoughtful stance, allowing space for your experience and for patterns to emerge and be explored within the therapeutic relationship.
This is generally longer-term work, usually involving regular weekly or twice-weekly sessions. The frequency and duration of therapy will depend on the nature of the work and will be discussed together.
Psychoanalysis is the most intensive and traditional form of psychoanalytic treatment. It places particular emphasis on free association and the exploration of unconscious processes as they emerge over time, including within the therapeutic relationship.
Psychoanalysis developed through the work of Sigmund Freud and has continued to evolve through subsequent developments in psychoanalytic theory and practice. It explores the relationship between conscious and unconscious experience, and the ways that earlier experiences can continue to influence how we think, feel and relate in the present.
Amanda is currently undertaking training in psychoanalysis and offers psychoanalytic work under appropriate clinical supervision.
Sessions are one-to-one in a comfortable, private setting. You are invited to use the couch and speak freely, saying whatever comes to mind. This is known as free association and allows thoughts, feelings, memories and associations to emerge without needing to organise them beforehand.
Trust and consistency are important to this kind of work. Psychoanalysis involves regular, frequent sessions over an extended period, allowing sufficient time for patterns and unconscious processes to emerge and be explored in depth.
While Amanda’s primary orientation is psychodynamic and psychoanalytic, her registration as a psychologist brings a range of structured, shorter-term approaches that can be used where they suit the work, either on their own or alongside longer-term psychotherapy.
CBT is a structured, evidence-based approach that explores the relationship between thoughts, emotions and behaviours. It focuses on identifying patterns that may be contributing to current difficulties and developing practical ways of responding differently.
CBT can be used as a stand-alone, shorter-term approach or incorporated into broader psychotherapy where particular strategies may be helpful.
EFT is an experiential approach that focuses on understanding and working with emotions. It is aimed at releasing blocked or repressed emotions so they can be activated, expressed, explored and then regulated safely.
EFT may be incorporated into individual therapy where working directly with emotions is relevant to the person’s circumstances and goals.
A structured, interactive process designed to alleviate trauma-related distress by changing the way the brain stores a particular memory.
DBT is a structured, evidence-based approach that focuses on developing skills in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. It supports people to respond more effectively when emotions or situations feel overwhelming.
DBT was originally developed to support people experiencing intense emotions and difficulty managing distress, and has since been adapted for use across a range of difficulties and circumstances.
At Integrate Therapy & Consulting, DBT is offered as a stand-alone group therapy program, with separate groups tailored specifically for adolescents and adults. DBT skills can also be incorporated into individual sessions, either alongside group work or as a stand-alone approach where group therapy is not the right fit.
Who this might suit
DBT may be helpful for people who:
Suitability for group or individual DBT, and whether it is the right fit alongside any other treatment you are engaged in, is discussed as part of your initial assessment.
The approach used in therapy is determined collaboratively, taking into account the nature of the difficulty, your circumstances, preferences and the goals of therapy.
Therapy is individualised, and no particular outcome can be guaranteed. Each session may be different, depending on what you bring to the session and what is most relevant to explore at that time. The therapeutic approach may also change over time, depending on your circumstances, preferences, the content of individual sessions, your goals and the nature of the work. These decisions will be discussed with you regularly as part of an ongoing assessment process, supporting informed consent and ensuring that the approach to therapy remains appropriate to your needs.
Amanda Oliver is a registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and a registered psychotherapist with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). Her clinical practice is grounded in her training, qualifications and ongoing professional development, and guided by relevant ethical and regulatory standards.
Amanda is also a certified Holotropic Breathwork® facilitator, trained through Grof Transpersonal Training (GTT).
All counsellors and therapists at Integrate Therapy & Consulting are appropriately qualified and registered with the relevant governing body for their discipline.
Integrate Therapy & Consulting offers in-person sessions in West Perth, as well as online sessions via telehealth, available Australia-wide and when you’re temporarily overseas.
We arrange telehealth appointments at a time that works for you, taking your time zone into consideration. In some circumstances, a phone session can also be arranged.
Please note: Medicare rebates for telehealth are only available when you’re physically located in Australia at the time of your session. Sessions while you’re overseas can still be arranged, at the full private fee.