counselling info and pricing

A smiling person with short hair sitting on a chair with one leg raised, in a room decorated with framed artworks and a bookshelf filled with books, with a potted plant and warm lighting.

I offer in-person sessions from my Castlemaine office, and Telehealth across the continent from Djarra Country. Telehealth may be unsuitable for those using AAC tools.

soft story has appointments available on

Tuesdays 10am - 7pm
Wednesday 3.30pm - 7pm
Fridays 10am - 5pm
Saturdays 11am - 4pm

ready when you are

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ways of working together

in-person

35 Etty St, Castemaine, Djaara Country
Our cosy velvet couch underneath you, a warm cup of tea in hand, or over the road in bushland.
telehealth options

phone call // secure video
Distance doesn't have to be a barrier to finding affirming, justice-oriented therapy.
equity sessions

same support // tiered pricing
soft story offers tiered pricing, so those who may not otherwise be able to access support.
session lengths

30 // 60 // 90 minutes
To squeeze in time to slow down, hit our regular rhythm, or dive deep on what matters.

click here to learn more about our pricing model

sliding scale fees

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sliding scale fees 〰️

the green bottle model

Our pricing structure moves beyond traditional fee-for-service models toward equitable access and resource redistribution within our community, based on your ability to meet your basic needs or access to an expendable income.

Basic Needs include food, housing, health care, and transportation.

Expendable Income might mean you are able to buy coffee or tea at a shop, go to the movies or a concert, buy new clothes, books, and similar items each month, etc.

We invite you to assess your circumstances honestly and choose the tier that most closely reflects your current reality. We trust your assessment completely — no questions asked, no documentation required.

click here to learn more about funding schemes for subsidised sessions

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tier 1 // $80 for a standard session

This tier is for community members who need extra support to access care. Consider this rate if you regularly:

I frequently stress about meeting basic needs & don’t always achieve them
I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting my basic needs
I rent lower-end properties or have unstable housing
I do not have a car and/or have limited access to a car but I am not always able to afford gas
I am unemployed or underemployed
I qualify for government assistance including food stamps & health care
I have no access to savings
I have no or very limited expendable income
I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them
I cannot afford a vacation or have the ability to take time off without financial burden

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tier 2 // $120 for a standard session

Meet your basic needs but with little financial comfort

I may stress about meeting my basic needs but still regularly achieve them
I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs
I own or lease a car
I am employed
I have access to regular health care
I might have access to financial savings
I have some expendable income
I am able to buy some new items & I thrift others
I can take a vacation annually or every few years without financial burden

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tier 3 // $160 for a standard session

Comfortably meet all basic needs without stress

I am comfortably able to meet all of my basic needs
I may have some debt but it does not prohibit attainment of basic needs
I own my home or property OR I rent a higher-end property
I own or lease a car
I am employed or do not need to work to meet my needs
I have regular access to health care
I have access to financial savings
I have an expendable income
I can always buy new items
I can afford an annual vacation or take time off

A person smiling and waving outside a building with a yellow sign that says 'All Welcome' and features a bowl with steam rising from it.

Earlier you wrote be this bio "I'm Rhiannon (they/them), an EMDR therapist and social worker who helps people rebuild trust in themselves, their bodies, and their relationships.

As a chronically ill, queer, neurodivergent practitioner, I bring both professional expertise and lived experience to my work. With a Masters of Social Work and specialist training in EMDR, somatic practices, and trauma therapy, I understand what it's like to navigate a world that wasn't designed for bodies and identities like ours.

I believe the struggles you're carrying aren't just personal - they're shaped by systems that weren't built with care for marginalised bodies and communities. Through EMDR and embodied approaches, I work with the memories your body keeps holding and the patterns you developed to survive in environments that often demanded you shrink, accommodate, or disappear parts of yourself.

My practice is grounded in justice-oriented care, which means I won't pathologise your adaptations or ask you to fit into frameworks that don't honour your reality. I meet each client where they are, honouring the fullness of your story without expectation of where you "should" be.

I live on Djaara Country (Castlemaine) and offer in-person sessions from my low-sensory Castlemaine office, as well as telehealth across so-called Australia."