Whatever brought you here —let’s work together to find a way through.
Dr Lukeides- Individual psychological therapy in Sydney and online, across Australia.
My Approach
Most people who find their way to therapy aren’t falling apart.
They’re functioning. They’re showing up. They’re doing all the right things. But there’s a gap — between the life they’re living and the one they sense is possible. Between who they are on the outside and what’s actually happening underneath.
People come to me with anxiety that won’t settle, panic attacks that arrive without warning, depression that has lasted too long, trauma that still lives in the body years after the event. They come with grief that hasn’t moved, relationship patterns they keep repeating, burnout that rest alone won’t fix, and a self-worth that has never quite matched who they actually are. Some come with something harder to name — just a persistent sense that something isn’t right. That they’ve been managing for so long they’ve forgotten what not managing feels like.
All of it is exactly the right reason to be here.
This is not therapy where I apply cold, clinical protocols to a presenting problem and send you on your way. Every session is alive — responsive to what you bring into the room that day, shaped by almost three decades of clinical experience, and grounded in evidence-based approaches that actually work.
I work on two tracks simultaneously.
The first track is about right now. Drawing on approaches including:
ACT,
CBT,
IFS,
EMDR,
DBT,
somatic and body-based therapies, and
Schema Therapy.
I give you real tools, skills, and targeted treatment that address what’s present — the emotions, the blocks, the patterns showing up in your body and your daily life. Something concrete and usable, not just insight.
The second track goes deeper. Beneath every presenting symptom there is almost always a root cause — a belief, a schema, an experience from years ago that is still quietly running the show. Real change requires reaching that level. And that’s exactly where we go.
Each session is 50 minutes. There are no half-measures — 50 minutes of focused, undivided attention on you and what you’re navigating right now.
Sessions
This is something we work out together. Every person’s situation is different — their schedule, their finances, their capacity, what they’re dealing with. Generally speaking, fortnightly works well for most people. But I’d rather work with what genuinely fits your life than prescribe a frequency that becomes unsustainable.
Frequency
There’s no separate intake or assessment process. From the moment we begin, we’re doing the work. Your first session is a full therapeutic session — the same as every session that follows. We’ll start wherever you are, and go from there.
Your first session
I see clients in person in Sydney, and online across Australia. Both are full therapeutic experiences. Online therapy works particularly well for people with busy schedules, those outside Sydney, or anyone who simply finds it easier to do this work from their own space.
In person & online
Anxiety, Social Anxiety & OCD
The alarm system that won’t switch off. Whether it shows up as constant worry, fear of judgement, or intrusive thoughts and compulsions — we work with what’s driving it, not just managing the symptoms.
Panic Attacks
Sudden, overwhelming, and terrifying — especially when they arrive without warning. Panic attacks are treatable and understandable. There’s a clear neuroscience behind them, and a clear path through.
Depression
Not just sadness. The flatness, the disconnection, the exhaustion of pretending. Whether it’s been weeks or years, we work on what’s underneath it as much as what’s present.
Perinatal & Postnatal Depression
One of the most isolating experiences a person can have — made harder by the expectation that this should be a joyful time. This work is held with particular care and without judgement.
Trauma
Whether it was a single event or a lifetime of smaller ones — trauma lives in the body long after the mind has tried to move on. We work somatically as well as psychologically.
Grief & Loss
Grief that hasn’t moved, grief that arrived later than expected, grief that nobody around you seems to understand. All of it belongs here.
Relationship Issues
The patterns we repeat. The ways we push people away or hold on too tight. The gap between who we want to be in relationships and how we actually show up.
Burnout
Rest alone won’t fix it — because burnout is rarely just about being tired. It’s about what drove you to that point, and what needs to change at a deeper level.
Self-Worth & Identity
The quiet belief that you’re not quite enough. That other people have something you don’t. That your worth is conditional. This is some of the most important work we do.
Therapeutic Approaches
I do not believe that we can be treated using a standard textbook plan. People are so much more complex and individual. I have training in many modalities and apply skills form the breadth of psychological sciences and create a unique, targeted and individually integrative plan for each client.
I draw from:
CBT · ACT · EMDR · IFS · CFT · DBT · Somatic & Body-Based Approaches · Schema Therapy · Psychedelic & MDMA Assisted Therapy →
To read about how I approach each of these presentations, click through to learn more.
Life Transitions
Divorce, career change, loss, becoming a parent, turning forty, retiring — transitions unmoor us in ways we don’t always expect. Sometimes the hardest part is that nothing is wrong. Everything has just changed.
Therapy that travels with you.
I see clients in person in Sydney, and online across Australia and internationally.
Online therapy is not a compromise. For many people it’s actually the preferred way to work — there’s something about being in your own space, on your own terms, that makes it easier to go to the harder places. The quality of the therapeutic relationship, and the depth of the work, is the same.
If you’re outside Sydney, have a schedule that makes in-person difficult, or simply prefer the flexibility of working from home — online sessions are a full and complete therapeutic experience.
“Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.”
-Rumi
Ready to work together?
For therapy appointments in person or online
For retreats, courses, speaking & all other enquiries
Frequently Asked Questions
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No referral is required — you can book directly at any time.
However, if you are eligible for Medicare and would like to claim a rebate, your GP will need to prepare a Mental Health Care Plan for you before your sessions begin. This is a comprehensive treatment plan — not simply a referral — and it entitles you to a Medicare rebate on your first ten sessions per calendar year. Please speak with your GP about whether a Mental Health Care Plan is appropriate for your situation.
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I see clients in person at two Sydney locations — Paddington and Clovelly. I also work with clients online across Australia and internationally. All appointments can be conducted via telehealth. On Thursdays I work exclusively online.
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All bookings are made directly through my online booking system. You can access it via the Book a consultation button on this page. There are no pre-booking conversations — just choose a time that works for you and book.
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All sessions are 50 minutes.
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My standard session fee is $300. After-hours sessions — those commencing before 9am, finishing after 5pm, or held on Saturdays — are $320.
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Medicare
If you are eligible for Medicare, you can claim a rebate on psychology sessions with a valid Mental Health Care Plan prepared by your GP. This is a comprehensive treatment document — not simply a referral — and it entitles you to a Medicare rebate on your first ten sessions per calendar year. Additional sessions may be available with a GP review.
The Medicare rebate for psychology is currently $145 per session. This amount is set by the government and reviewed annually — it may increase slightly each year. Please speak with your GP about whether a Mental Health Care Plan is appropriate for your situation.
Private Health Insurance
Private health insurance extras cover for psychology varies significantly between insurers, memberships, and policy levels. I’m not able to advise on what your individual policy covers. Please contact your insurer directly before commencing treatment to confirm your entitlements and any documentation they require.
Please note
The full session fee is payable at the time of your appointment. If you are eligible for a Medicare or private health insurance rebate, you claim this directly and independently after payment.
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I am not registered to provide treatment under WorkCover or CTP insurance schemes and am unable to see patients under these arrangements.
I do see DVA patients, however this is limited specifically to Psychedelic and MDMA Assisted Therapy. If you are a DVA patient seeking this treatment, please book directly and note DVA in your booking.
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That depends entirely on what you’re bringing and what you’re working towards. Some people come for a focused piece of work over a few months. Others work with me over a longer period. We’ll discuss this together once we’ve had a chance to understand what you need — and it’s something we revisit as we go.
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Yes. I work with clients online across Australia and internationally. Telehealth sessions are conducted via a secure video platform. All you need is a quiet space and a reliable internet connection.
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My cancellation policy is strict, and it is important that you understand it before booking.
When you agree to work with me, you agree that any session cancelled or rescheduled with less than 48 hours notice — for any reason — will be charged at the full session fee. There are no exceptions to this policy.
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The research says yes — for most presentations, telehealth delivers equivalent outcomes to in-person work. Some people actually find it easier to open up from the comfort of their own space. If you’re unsure whether telehealth is right for you, it’s something we can discuss once you’ve booked.
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Most people who book aren’t entirely sure. Uncertainty is not a reason to wait — it’s usually part of what brings someone to therapy in the first place. The first session is a chance to get a sense of whether we’re a good fit and what working together might look like. There’s no obligation beyond that.
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I work primarily with individuals. I do not offer couples therapy.
In some circumstances I will see a couple or family member as part of an individual’s treatment — typically where it is beneficial for a partner or family member to be present for psychoeducation about a condition or treatment approach. This is arranged on a case by case basis as part of the individual’s ongoing work, not as a standalone service.
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No. As a psychologist I do not prescribe medication. If medication is something you and I believe may be beneficial as part of your treatment, I will discuss this with you and recommend you speak with your GP or a psychiatrist.
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Yes. Everything discussed in our sessions is strictly confidential. There are a small number of legal and ethical exceptions to this — specifically where there is a serious risk of harm to you or to another person, or where I am required by law to disclose information. If confidentiality ever needs to be broken, I will always endeavour to discuss this with you first wherever possible.
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I work with adolescents aged 14 and over, and adults of all ages. I do not see children under 14.