Elisa Wagstaff Psychotherapy
A Compassionate Path to Self Understanding and Wellbeing
Seeking help can be daunting, but I hope that by finding your way to this page you have taken the first step in searching for the support that you need. There comes a time when we need some help from a professional to cope with many of life’s challenges. I am a warm, experienced and professionally registered Psychodynamic Psychotherapist with a consulting room located in Gordon on Sydney’s north shore.
Life can be overwhelming and feel exhausting, but I can help you through any obstacles you may face. My goal is to help you understand yourself more deeply, and in doing so, facilitate change enabling you to live a more fulfilling life.
People from all walks of life seek therapy with me for many different causes. Sometimes the reason is very apparent, but at times the cause of the distress and pain may be less obvious.
Some of the reasons that have led people to therapy with me in the past include:
Anxiety and Depression
Loneliness and Despair
Grief and Bereavement
Sexual Difficulties
Suicidal feelings
Self Harm
Inability to make and sustain relationships
Relationship Issues
Intimacy and Commitment Difficulty
OCD
Boderline Personality Disorder
Family Conflicts
Work Issues
Sexual Identity
Chronic Illness Management
Anger Management
Trauma/ Complex Trauma
Women's Health
Pre and post natal Health
Stress
I offer a compassionate and safe, confidential and non-judgmental space where together we can explore whatever it is that may be troubling you in your life.
Real Experiences of Psychotherapy
Please note that all names have been changed for their privacy and all quotes were given to me with consent for use on this site
"Long term, weekly therapy has been the greatest gift I have ever given myself. Over time with the care of my therapist, I have learnt to see feel and heal parts of myself I had been unconsciously trying to hide for so long. The same parts and patterns that had been running my life and creating lots of anxiety and unhappiness. I have slowly learnt to understand, like and believe in myself, and create a life, work and relationships that are fulfilling and nurturing to myself and others."
Zoe, Sydney
"It was very very challenging to trust anyone with my real feelings and to talk about them out loud, but by doing so I have been able to keep my demons at bay and have become a better father and husband. I would say that it doesn't happen overnight, but has happened, and I feel like I am better man because of it."
John, London
"Therapy for me has been such a release and feels completely self-indulgent at times, but in the best way. It can take a while to tell your story and gain a rapport with the right therapist but once you get going there are not many other situations where you feel like you can totally download and be your true self without any judgement or fear burdening the other person (like with family and friends). That feels wonderful. It can be hard at times, but it has helped me grow and heal and to know myself better which has resulted in my being able to manifest what I truly want out of life. Can't recommend this enough."
Simone, Sydney
What To Expect At Your Visit
There are so many reasons to seek the help of a therapist. You may be struggling with depression, anxiety, or finding it difficult to make and sustain relationships. Perhaps you feel that you aren't living the life you were meant to lead. Whatever your situation, I am here to offer support, and can help you understand what is going on for you and where these feelings might have come from.
Once you contact me we will arrange to meet for an initial appointment to discuss what it is you are looking for, and to gain some understanding about the difficulties you are experiencing. This appointment is called an assessment, and it is common to have more than one before we decide together if I am the best person to offer you the help that you need.
It is really important to feel comfortable with your therapist, so it also a good opportunity for you to gauge if our working together will be a good fit for you; if you like the way I think about the things you tell me, and if the way I am in the room with you feels like something that is going to be helpful for you.
There is no commitment to continue together just by meeting for the first time, but should we decide to move forward we will then discuss a time to meet each week.
COST
Assessments, Ongoing Psychotherapy and Counselling sessions are 50 minutes in duration and cost $195.00 per session.
There is a card payment facility in the consulting room that accepts all major cards including Amex, and I also can accept payment by bank transfer.
Weekly therapy sessions are held at the same time every week. This time-slot is reserved just for you.
“Seeing a therapist has changed my life completely. It has allowed me to understand and heal many of the negative behaviours, patterns and self-belief issues I have been living with my whole life. With the care and support of my therapist I have been able to explore, feel and heal many of the feelings that I didn't even know were ruling my life.”
Mark, Sydney
About Me
I am a fully qualified Psychodynamic Psychotherapist with a wide range of experience working in both the charity sector and in private practice. I gained a Post Graduate Diploma in specialised Psychodynamic Psychotherapy over a 4-year, rigorous training at WPF Therapy in London – one of the UK’s most respected and leading psychotherapy training centre’s both academically and clinically.
I am professionally registered with PACFA (registration number 26594) and in the UK I was a member of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) and the Foundation for Psychotherapy and Counselling (FPC).
I am trained to offer open-ended, long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy, as well as time-limited psychotherapy and counselling. My work is now in private practice at The Strelitzia Consulting Rooms in Gordon.
Bound by the ethics of PACFA and The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), I adhere to their professional code of practice for matters of confidentiality, supervision, and continuing professional development. In accordance with this, I work in close supervision with a senior psychoanalyst and psychiatrist in Sydney ensuring that my work was of the highest professional standard.
In 2018 I was invited to be a guest speaker at the FPC Ethics Conference held at Kings College in London and have been asked to publish the paper I presented.
Services I Offer
Having a greater understanding of yourself enables you to make more of your relationships and have a more satisfying emotional life.
PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy works by enabling us to think and gain understanding together about what is going on in your life and where those feelings stem from. It takes place in weekly or twice-weekly sessions that are at the same time every week, and can offer help for deeper-seated issues that may have developed over a long period of time or stem from childhood experiences. It can treat more complex issue that may present themselves in a less specific way, such as generalized feelings of sadness, emptiness and anxiety. To read more about psychodynamic psychotherapy and how it can help you click here .
COUNSELLING
In counselling sessions, we’ll work to solve current problems and it can be more focused to a particular or more recent event in your life; such as bereavements, life changes and issues at work. It can be specifically goal oriented and takes place in once weekly sessions over shorter periods of time.
Contact Me
It can be useful to have a brief discussion by phone so you can get a sense of who I am before you decide if meeting with me for an appointment is something you would like to do. I would be happy to speak with you.
Mobile: 0484652199
I offer therapy based in the Strelitzia Consulting Rooms in Gordon on Sydney’s North Shore
Strelitzia Consulting Rooms
Suite 6, Level 2
924 Pacific Hwy,
Gordon NSW 2072
T: 61484652199 F: 61294985568
www.strelitziaconsultingrooms.com.au
Strelitzia Consulting Rooms is an 800m walk from Gordon Train Station and there is a regular bus service to Merriwa Steet, near the rooms.
Street car parking is available in Fitzsimon Lane, Merriwa, McIntyre, and Ridge Streets.
Disabled access is provided via the foyer and lifts.