Frequently asked questions
Trauma — do I have it?
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Trauma happens when memories get stuck. When an experience is too emotionally overwhelming to process at the time, it’s stored as raw, unprocessed material in the brain and body, and it keeps affecting you in the present.
It’s not about how big the event was, it’s about whether your brain was able to process it.
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Common signs of unprocessed trauma include physical sensations (a tight chest, racing heart, heaviness in the stomach), nightmares or intrusive memories that interrupt daily life, strong emotional responses (anger, panic, sadness, guilt), and negative beliefs like “I’m not good enough” or “it was my fault.”
If you recall a memory and feel a significant emotional and/or body response, it is likely that memory is stuck, or at least partially stuck.
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Yes. Trauma isn’t about the event, it’s about whether your mind and body could process it. Everyday experiences can register as traumatic: childbirth (even when it technically goes well), a breakup, betrayal, public embarrassment, being yelled at, an unpredictable relationship, or the death of a loved one.
I regularly work with people who have clear trauma symptoms but haven’t been through a stereotypically traumatic event.
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At the risk of oversimplifying things, PTSD technically refers to a single incident, like a car accident. Complex trauma (C-PTSD) is more traditionally considered after repeated traumatic experiences over time.
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Childhood trauma can show up as PTSD, complex PTSD, anxiety, depression, low self-worth, emotional reactivity, or just a nagging sense that something isn’t right. Think of your experiences like tree roots: if something’s tangled down there, you’ll see it in the leaves, and in hundreds of possible ways.
The good news is that trauma therapy can be effective regardless of how trauma is showing up in your life.
EMDR Therapy
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EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) is a research-backed trauma therapy that works by processing stuck memories, changing how they affect you in the present.
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Trauma memories are stored differently from normal memories. Picture a filing cabinet: healthy memories are filed away neatly and stay out of your way, while trauma memories end up strewn on the floor, bleeding into your thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
EMDR uses ‘working memory taxation’. When you hold a memory in mind while doing a demanding task (like fast eye movements), it reprocesses into a normal memory. It can shift in front of you: the memory goes blurrier or further away, and it becomes less upsetting.
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No. The memory stays, it's a fact of your history. What changes is how it feels to think about it, and how much it affects you now. (If I could erase memories, I'd be living in a mansion on Sydney Harbour.)
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Yes, it can. Many people assume trauma symptoms have to be managed forever, but the research doesn't support that. EMDR addresses trauma at the source, and when it works, the change generally holds.
To be specific, the research indicates that gains maintain at 6 and 12-month follow-up, meaning people improved, and the improvement stuck.
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You'll notice the memory becoming less vivid and less distressing, intrusion symptoms like nightmares and flashbacks reducing or disappearing, and the memory no longer impacting how you think, feel and behave day to day.
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The facts don't change. How the memory lives in your body and mind does. When EMDR is effective, people can describe feeling physically lighter afterwards, as though something they'd carried for years is simply gone. EMDR can help you leave the past where it belongs, in the past.
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No, and that's important if you have a complex history and many problematic memories. In EMDR, we aim for what we call ‘generalisation’, where working on a select few memories impacts many. It's part of why well planned and executed EMDR can be very efficient.
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The scepticism is fair, it's weird. The evidence base, however, is completely solid. EMDR has the highest level of scientific evidence available for PTSD, is endorsed by the World Health Organisation, and is recommended by the Australian government.
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It's best known for PTSD, but it also helps with anxiety, depression, birth trauma and complex trauma, and there's promising emerging research on personality disorders.
Working with me
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No. EMDR is my primary approach, but it's not my only tool. When things feel layered or tangled, I draw on ACT, compassion-focused therapy, CBT and DBT. I am a registered psychologist, so I can assist with mental health concerns in general. Trauma, and specifically EMDR, is my niche and specific area of interest.
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For most people, yes, to a clinically significant degree. That's my clinical experience across thousands of sessions, and it's well supported by the research base. For many people, PTSD responds well to evidence-based treatment, such as EMDR. I've seen it happen hundreds of times. I don't promise magic fixes, but I'll do everything I can to help you feel better.
Sessions, and what to expect
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Yes. I offer telehealth via Zoom. I do not conduct consultations via phone-call, however.
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Sessions are 50 minutes. I do sometimes run over, but that's me being generous. It's not the norm, so please don't expect that generally.
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We won't start EMDR processing in the first session. The early phases of EMDR are assessment and history-taking, so our first session is about getting to know each other: you telling me what's brought you to trauma therapy, and the two of us forming a provisional plan, some goals, and a direction for the work.
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Honestly? How long is a piece of string. I can't answer that properly until I've done an assessment with you. What I can tell you is that EMDR can be quicker than other therapies when working with trauma. But, it is not a quick fix, and it is not a miracle therapy. We'll have a much clearer picture once we've met and mapped out your goals.
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No. I work with adults only, generally 25 and over.
Fees, Medicare and private health
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Client sessions are $300 (before rebates). EMDR consultation and supervision for therapists is $270 including GST.
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Yes. You'll need a referral from your GP or psychiatrist plus a mental health care plan. You pay $300 upfront, my team process the claim for you, and Medicare deposits $101.55 into your nominated account following your session.
This leaves you with an out-of-pocket cost of $198.45. If you reach the annual Medicare Safety Net threshold, your rebate increases substantially.
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Yes, with most funds. You pay the full $300, I give you a detailed invoice, and you claim directly with your insurer for reimbursement. Check your rebate with your fund before your first session, as we can't process private health claims for you.
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No. The standard fee is $300, payable at the time of service.
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It depends on your needs. I generally recommend 2-3 weekly appointments. More frequent attendance, such as weekly, is feasible if we are actively doing EMDR and working on a targeted goal. We will discuss your needs in your first session.
Booking and cancellations
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Yes. First appointments are paid in full ($300) at the time of booking to secure your session. Reschedule with 48+ hours' notice and your payment transfers; cancel with 48+ hours' notice and you get a full refund. Once you're an established client, you can pay on the day.
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I require 48 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule, by email to admin@billowspsychology.com. Late cancellations (under 48 hours) and no-shows incur the full $300 fee.
Medicare and private health rebates don't cover cancellation fees. This fee is charged without exception, even if you are unwell and unable to attend.
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Payment is due at the time of your session, via online payment or bank transfer.
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No. Payment is due at the time of service. That said, Medicare rebates usually land within 1–2 business days, which helps manage the cost, and we can adjust session frequency to fit your budget.
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My team process Medicare claims after your session, and Medicare typically deposits the rebate into your nominated account within 1–2 business days.