cost and frequently asked questions

(To help put your mind at ease.)

Sam, trauma-informed counsellor at Paper Crane Of Hope offering online counselling for adult survivors of childhood trauma, religious trauma, neuro affirming therapy across Australia

1-hour counselling session

$150

(Plus $10 admin fee for the first session)

Sam ruckle,
Level 2 ACA registered counsellor

ACA membership number: 18289
BSocSc (Youth Work), DipCouns
Currently studying: Masters of Counselling

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  • No, at the moment I only online counselling. However, this is something I am considering for the future. If you would like to stay “in the know” regarding this, then please sign up for my emails.

    However, with online, I am able to see people all over Australia- Sunshine Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and beyond.

    I am also able to provide counselling worlwide, except for the US and Canada.

  • There are so many benefits to online counselling. Here are just a few:

    • As you begin to share your story and learn new coping strategies, you will be able to live a life that is more empowered and fullfiling.

    • It cuts out the travelling time to your counselling appointment.

    • If you feel aligned in working with me, it doesn't matter if you don't live in the Sunshine Coast. I'm able to work with anyone worldwide (excluding USA and Canada)

    • People find it much easier to open up when they are sitting in an environment that they feel comfortable and feel safe in.

    • If you or I were to ever move away, we would be able to continue with our counselling sessions as we are not location bound.

  • Once you have booked your appointment and made payment, I will send you a secure Zoom link before our counselling session. This will be the same Zoom link for any future appointments.

    A “counselling contract” will be automatically sent out, through Square (please check your spam folder, it can sometimes land there. And it might say it’s from “Square”). Please have a read of this and sign before the first session. This takes you through my confidentiality clause.

    I will then send you an email with a “client form”, just to gather all of the information we need, so that you can get the most out of your sessions.

    When it comes time for your appointment, all you will need to do is click the Zoom link . If for whatever reason we have technical challenges, or you don’t connect within the first 10 minutes, I will call your mobile (from a private number.)

    I suggest you set yourself up in a comfortable area, with a cup of tea or water, perhaps a notebook if you wish to take notes.

    All you need to do is come as yourself...

    This is your time... Just for you.

    In our first session we will talk about what it is that you would like to get out of counselling, and then we will go from there.

  • I'm able to provide counselling sessions worldwide, except for Canada and the USA.

  • Yes, if you are self-managed or plan-managed, I am able to provide counselling for you.

    I do charge a fee for any reports that will need to be written.

    However, it seems that this is ever evolving at the moment. So it might be best to discuss this more in a free 15-minute Meet and Greet call.

  • No, I am unable to offer medicare rebates at this time.

    However, you will find that the cost of my counselling service is similar to the gap that you would pay someone who is able to offer Medicare.

    This also offers more freedom on the therapeutic approaches we choose to work with.

  • You can rest assured that our online counselling sessions are highly confidential.

    What happens in the session, stays in the session.

    However, if I feel that you are at risk of seriously harming yourself or someone else, or if your counselling records are requested by a court of law, I am ethically bound to break this confidentiality.

    It's important to note that I provide counselling through Zoom.

    I do not record these sessions.

    I cannot 100% guarantee the safety of Zoom, however, in my experience so far there has been no issues.

  • This depends on you!

    Some people only need a few sessions, and others may benefit from longer term weekly counselling.

    Throughout the process I will check in with you to see how you are going, and if the counselling sessions are benefiting you, and what we can do to improve.

    I do recommend that you have at least three counselling sessions though, as the first session is very much about building trust and rapport, which is where the "real work" can then begin.

    Although, I find that when people commit to weekly sessions, with at least 6… This is the sweet spot where they see the most progress.

    However, I understand everybody is different and I’m happy to be flexible.

  • I think everybody can benefit from counselling.

    But what makes counselling so powerful is the therapeutic alliance between the counsellor and yourself.

    It's so important that you feel comfortable with me as a counsellor.

    If after the first session we feel that we are not a good fit, or I feel another professional would be more beneficial for you, I will point you in the right direction of who to see.

    What's important is that we have an honest conversation from the beginning.

    I'm able to accept anyone worldwide (excluding USA and Canada).

  • Where possible, I ask that you give me 48-hours notice if you need to cancel.

    However, I do understand that sometimes things come up (kids being sick!) so if we could just have a transparent conversation about this, that would be great.

    As you would have already paid for your session, we can then reschedule a time for a later date.

    It would be great for you to understand though... That I am a small business owner, last minute cancellations do impact my business and the opportunity for others to have an appointment.

  • Yes, of course! I am able to offer generalised counselling too.

    There is a free 15-minute meet + greet option available, just so we can meet and make sure we are a good fit.

  • I understand how hard it can be to take that first step.

    I’m happy for us to meet over a free 15-minute meet + greet, just so you can ask me any questions you might have.

  • I offer counselling:

    Monday
    Wednesday
    Thursday

    Between 9:15am - 2:15pm (AEST).

    However, if you struggle to find a time that suits you, please reach out.. I’m happy to discuss this.

  • No, at the moment I don’t.

    But‍ ‍once I finish my Masters of Counselling (end of 2026), I will be able to take health insurance.

    To stay up to date with this, please sign up for my emails.

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